The nation is celebrating the happy news that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their third child together. William and Kate will welcome a new addition to their young family next year; a baby sibling for Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Following the official announcement, HELLO! Online presents the lowdown on the new little royal…
Where will the baby fall in the line of succession?
The new baby will be born fifth in line to the throne, bumping uncle Prince Harry out of the top five into sixth place. Prince Charles is first in line, followed by William, Prince George in third and Princess Charlotte fourth. Younger male siblings are no longer allowed to jump ahead of their older sisters in the line of succession.
Prince William and Kate are due to welcome their third child next year
Will he or she ever be monarch?
Highly unlikely. While not unheard of, it’s very rare for a third born royal in direct succession to become king or queen. This Cambridge sibling will instead live their life in the knowledge they will not be expected to wear the crown.
What will the baby be called?
After picking the traditional names George and Charlotte for their first two children, William and Kate are expected to follow suit with their third. Alice is currently the bookies' favourite for a girl, with other popular choices including Alexandra, Victoria and Mary. James is the top choice for a boy, meanwhile, with other options including Arthur or Philip.
The new arrival will be fifth in line to the throne
Will the new baby be styled Prince or Princess?
Yes. The new baby will be an HRH and a Prince or Princess of Cambridge, thanks to the Queen who stepped in ahead of Prince George's birth to ensure William's all children had fitting titles.
Will they hire a second nanny?
Kate and William already have the help of George and Charlotte's full-time live-in nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo. But Maria might need an extra pair of hands to help care for the young Cambridge children – perhaps a fellow Norland nanny. William and Harry had two much loved nannies at the same time when they were young - Barbara Barnes and her deputy Olga Powell, who later took the lead role.
William and Kate already have a full-time live-in nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo
Where will the baby be born?
With Kate experiencing two successful, straightforward deliveries at the Lindo Wing in St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London, she is expected to head back to the exclusive private delivery suite for the arrival of her third child.
Will there be the same level of baby fever?
Although this baby will only be fifth in line, the popularity of William, Kate, George and Charlotte across the globe means the arrival of the newest member of the family will be a major news event. In May 2015 ahead of Charlotte's birth, scores of foreign media outlets descended on the Lindo wing, and her birth dominated the news in the UK and hit the headlines around the world.
Will they stop at three?
Who knows? The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had four children and the Queen was 37 when she had her youngest, Prince Edward. Kate is only 35, and is said to have been keen to have “at least” three children. Growing up with a brother and a sister will have likely influenced Kate's decision to expand her family. She and Pippa have less than two years apart, while Kate shares a five-year age gap with her brother James.