The Duchess of Cambridge, née Kate Middleton, is due to give birth to her second baby in April, but the heavily pregnant royal has admitted that she sometimes "forgets" she's expecting. Kate made the revelation while she was carrying out double engagements in Margate, Kent on Wednesday.
Former hotelier Jenny Cranstone, who was speaking to the Duchess as she visited an art studio, remarked that Kate was looking "very trim".
Prince George's mum took the compliment with her usual grace, replying: "I sometimes forget I'm pregnant."
"I sometimes forget I'm pregnant," said Kate
After meeting Kate, Mrs Cranstone went on to say: "I had five children, and I know how good she looks. She does. We both had a good laugh. It was not a Queen Victoria 'we are not amused.' She was amused."
Kate was making one of her last high-profile appearances before she gives birth next month to a little Prince or Princess. The glowing royal, who was overheard saying "not long now" as she stroked her bump, had left her firstborn George at home.
She spent the day bonding with other children including one "tiny" tot Evan, who was born six weeks ago. The newborn was brought to the event by his proud parents Tim Ratliff and Tamsin Landells, who were delighted to see Kate cooing over their little boy and saying that he was "really tiny and really cute."
The Duchess of Cambridge was overheard saying "not long now" when congratulated on her second pregnancy
"We were talking about Evan and how he is six weeks old, and George and how he is running around and how we have that to look forward to," said new mum Tamsin. "Evan is our first and we were talking about moving to Margate. We nearly got a giggle out of him. It was good to meet another working mum. It was an inspiration."
Heavily pregnant Kate is expected to give birth some time next month, but her due date was recently called into question. Prince William's wife could be welcoming her second child earlier than predicted, after it was claimed that she was already suffering with morning sickness at the beginning of August.
Kensington Palace announced that Kate was expecting on 8 September, when she was thought to be only five or six weeks pregnant.
Prince George is set to become a big brother in April
However artist Paul Cummins, who created the famous poppy installation at the Tower of London, recently revealed that the Duchess nearly didn't come to see his artwork on 5 August because she was already suffering from Hyperemisis Gravidarum. This would bring Kate's due date nearer to the middle of April.
When Kate gives birth in the next few weeks, she will have two babies under the age of two, as George will be around 20 months old when he becomes a big brother. Kate, who has two younger siblings, has reportedly been telling friends that she wants a big family and "at least" three children, as reported by The Telegraph last year.