As royal baby fever gathered momentum on Tuesday morning, fans and royal reporters gathered outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary's hospital in London were hopeful the Duchess of Cambridge, neé Kate Middleton, would make an entrance. But hopes of early labour were dashed by reports of sightings of the mum-to-be driving herself and Prince George away from Buckingham Palace.
Kate and George are regular visitors to Buckingham Palace's swimming pool
The Duchess was spotted behind the wheel of her Range Rover on Tuesday morning after picking up her first-born and his Spanish nanny Maria Borrallo after the pair had made use of the palace's swimming pool.
Kate revealed in July last year that the little Prince is a huge fan of swimming, and said that she often takes George for a dip. On this occasion, however, it was Maria who took the little future King in the water.
Buckingham Palace is a short drive from Kensington Palace where Kate is staying
Speaking to former world and Commonwealth champion James Hickman in 2014, Kate reportedly told James that George "loves the water and he grabs things to splash with", and it is thought that the palace swimming pool is where Kate and George spent the morning of his birthday.
As the month of April comes to a close, there is still no sign of the royal baby, who Kate suggested in January would be born "mid-to-end of April". During a charity engagement, Kate, who was pictured cradling her baby bump, was also overheard saying: "Not long to go now."
Prince William and Kate are expected to drive their new baby home from the Lindo Wing
The news that Kate was out and about on Tuesday comes after the royal fans gathered outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital were delighted by a sweet delivery of cakes and pastries arranged by William and Kate on Tuesday morning.
Kensington Palace confirmed that the couple, upon hearing of those camping outside the hospital where the Duchess is to give birth, arranged breakfast so that the waiting crowds knew "they were thinking of them".
The boxes of pastries were reportedly wrapped in a pink ribbon, in what many speculated could be a hint at the gender of the unborn child.