Pregnancy rumors are trailing Kate Middleton yet again. Rumors that Kate is pregnant with baby No. 4 have been pretty persistent since Prince Louis was born. As they ramp up again, bookmakers are trying to keep up with what's going on in the Cambridge family.
The Cambridges aren't the only ones on bump watch, however. Last year, bookmakers were forced to slash odds and suspend betting on royal pregnancies. This occurred because of speculation that Kate, Meghan Markle, and Princess Eugenie would all welcome bundles of joy in 2020.
By the end of the year, the odds had changed again. They put Meghan as most likely to announce a pregnancy this year, with Kate as No. 2. Still, many believe that Kate will get pregnant with baby No. 4 this year, even with her comments to the contrary.
More recently, odds that Princess Eugenie has a pregnancy announcement on the way have picked up speed. It's anyone's guess when the next royal baby will arrive. It seems the public is quite optimistic that the royal family is due for some good news after a turbulent year.
People are speculating that Kate Middleton is currently pregnant with baby No. 4. A fourth child would give the Cambridges the same structure as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's family, so it's not impossible. It is, however, a case of interesting timing.
Kate has been followed by rumors of a fourth pregnancy since soon after giving birth to Prince Louis. Certainly, another child added in the line of succession to the throne would be great news for the royal family. It's interesting to note, however, that these rumors are popping up just one month after Kate made it pretty clear she and William were done adding to their family.
When chatting with a royal fan who sent her cards congratulating her on the birth of her first three children, Kate admitted a fourth was unlikely. "I don’t think William wants anymore," she remarked at the time.
Of course, Prince William and the rest of the royal family aren't in charge of what goes on in Kate's uterus, but she'd likely want her husband on board before bringing another child into the world.
Recent photos of Kate show no signs of a bump. She's been out in public quite a bit lately, so any hint of a belly would ramp up rumors. She also hasn't engaged in any of the other concealment tricks the royal family loves, from dressing in prints and wearing coats to changing up hairstyles.
That hasn't stopped bookmakers from thinking Kate will have baby No. 4 this year. Speculation began last fall when the odds increased of Kate, Meghan Markle, and Princess Eugenie all announcing pregnancies this year. They got to such levels that bookmakers had to stop taking bets.
Later in the year, the odds shifted. Meghan became the most likely to announce she'd be adding to the Sussex clan. That was before Megxit, it's important to note. The couple may have too much on their plate to add another baby to the mix right this second.
This month, things are bouncing all over the place. After Kate appeared to be "glowing" during her appearance in Northern Ireland, bookmaker Coral put the odds of the couple announcing baby No. 4 this year at 4-5.
"The Duchess of Cambridge delighted kids in Belfast today with a trip to a farm in the capital and if our betting is to be believed she could well be on course to welcome another child of her own into the world in the near future," Coral spokesman Harry Aitkenhead told Express.
It's an interesting time for rumors about Kate to be reaching a fever pitch. For one, the Sussexes will soon be making their return to the UK. With so much negative press about their move, rumors of Kate's possible pregnancy might be a way to distract from the ongoing drama with Harry and Meghan, whether or not there is an actual baby on the way.
A pregnancy announcement from Kate could also quell rumors of trouble in the Cambridge marriage. Rumors of William cheating on Kate first sparked up last summer, and they made a comeback after an awkward moment between the couple was caught on their Christmas TV special. Nothing says "everything is fine here" quite like a baby on the way.
Then there's Princess Eugenie. Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank will celebrate two years of marriage this October. This is the typical time frame for first-time royal pregnancies. Initially, the odds for a pregnancy announcement from Eugenie were at 5-1.
Rumors indicate that Eugenie was spotted at a recent wedding with a blossoming bump. Eugenie's most recent Instagram photo is from the chest up, so it's hard to say. According to the Tatler, following the bump sighting, odds were slashed to 1-4.
If Eugenie is expecting, it's believed she'll announce it before Princess Beatrice's May wedding, so as to not detract attention from her. That gives her about three months to make an announcement. Bookmakers.tv thinks it's likely.
"The odds of Eugenie and Jack sharing some good news soon have taken another plunge, with the latest betting definitely suggesting an announcement is imminent," a spokesperson said. "And as always, royal watchers would love to see another royal baby, with some punters even suggesting the Queen may have three new grand-children during 2020, as odds plummet to 4/1."
A pregnancy from Princess Eugenie would also help the royal family. Besides the dire need for some good news, eyes on Eugenie's alleged baby and Beatrice's upcoming nuptials would take the attention off their father, Prince Andrew. The royal has still not cooperated with investigations into his late friend, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Is everyone pregnant? Is no one pregnant? Is the royal family putting the press to work to distract from some of the less-savory news items of the moment? Only time will tell. Royal fans will keep their eyes peeled as we wait for some baby news.
