Royal fans are ready to welcome Prince William and Kate's second child — a younger brother or sister to Prince George, whose birth two years ago whipped up a worldwide media frenzy.
As in 2013, the royals are keeping everyone guessing by disclosing virtually nothing about the baby — including the due date and gender.
Clarence House announced on Sept. 8 that Kate was pregnant, but gave no clues about the due date other than to say it would be this month. On a recent public visit, Kate reportedly told a charity worker that she is due mid-to-late April.
The baby could share a birthday with her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who was born on April 21. The newborn's birthday could also coincide with William and Kate's fourth wedding anniversary, on April 19.
Though there has been no confirmation of the baby's gender, bookies and the British media seem confident it will be a girl. Some suggest that Kate herself offered a hint of what's to come with her choice of clothing: She wore a bright pink coat for her final public appearance, before she disappeared for maternity leave.
As for what the baby will be called, many are betting on one quaint-sounding name: Alice.
The name is by far the favorite among Britain's bookmakers, with William Hill putting odds at 2-1 after a number of unusually large bets came in for it. Ladbrokes puts the odds at 3-1. No one seems to know why, though.
Elizabeth and Charlotte follow closely, with Victoria, Alexandria and Diana trailing behind. James and Arthur come in as the top bets for a baby boy.
"It's absolutely dominated at top of the market by girls' names," said Joe Crilly, spokesman for William Hill. "They're the seemingly perfect couple so maybe they'll have the perfect combination of a boy and girl family."
Britain's royal history has seen a few women called Alice: Queen Victoria named her second daughter Princess Alice, and the queen's mother-in-law — Prince Philip's mother — is Princess Alice of Battenberg.
Whatever the royals choose, it's fairly safe to rule out names like Wayne or Mercedes — both with odds of 500-1, according to Ladbrokes.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, wardrobe watch
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge arrive by Tuk Tuk as they attend a special reception hosted by the British High Commissioner Thomas Drew, at the Pakistan National Monument, during day two of their royal tour of Pakistan on October 15, 2019 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Kate wore a glittering emerald-green Jenny Packham gown with metallic heeled sandals. Prince William was equally dressed up in a dark teal traditional sherwani, a formal coatlike piece, by Pakistani brand Naushemian.
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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit a school in Islamabad on October 15, 2019 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Kate donned a periwinkle blue traditional kurta with trousers and a scarf by local designer Maheen Khan for the visit.
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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrive at the Pakistani Air Force Base Nur Khan to start their Royal Tour of Pakistan on October 14, 2019 in Islamabad, Pakistan. The Duchess wore a blue ombre shalwar kameez by Catherine Walker for her first appearance as she and Prince William departed their plane.
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Britain's Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge departs after a visit to the Hornsey Road Children's Centre in London, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017. The Duchess saw some of the valuable family and parental support services which are delivered at the Centre, including those offered by the charity Family Action, of which The Queen is Patron. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
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Paddington Bear greets Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, at the Charities Forum Event on board the Belmond Britigh Pullman train at Paddington Station on Oct. 16, 2017, in London, England.
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Britain's Prince William, Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry attend a reception at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate World Mental Health Day, Tuesday Oct. 10, 2017.
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To the Last Post ceremony to mark the centenary of Passchendaele, the Duchess of Cambridge re-wears the white Alexander McQueen coat-dress she wore to Princess Charlotte's christening.
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Kate leads the bridesmaids and pageboys, including her son Prince George and daughter Princess Charlotte, after her sister Pippa Middleton's wedding at St. Mark's Church in Englefield, England, May 20, 2017. Middleton married hedge fund manager James Matthews.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives at The Cridge Centre for the Family on the final day of their Royal Tour of Canada on Oct. 1, 2016, in Victoria, Canada.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives to embark the tall ship Pacific Grace in Victoria Harbour on the final day of their Royal Tour of Canada on Oct. 1, 2016, in Victoria, Canada.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte leave from Victoria Harbour to board a sea-plane on the final day of their Royal Tour of Canada on Oct. 1, 2016, in Victoria, Canada.
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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge attend a children's party for Military families during the Royal Tour of Canada on Sept. 29, 2016 in Victoria, Canada.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge are seen leaving the MacBride Museum on Sept. 28, 2016, in Whitehorse, Canada.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visits Mission Hill Winery on Sept. 27, 2016, in Kelowna, Canada.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives at Whitehorse Airport on Sept. 27, 2016, in Whitehorse, Canada.
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Catherine Duchess of Cambridge attends a Goverment of British Columbia reception at Government House on September 26, 2016 in Victoria, Canada.
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Kate Middleton, seen here with Prince William, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, wears a red-and-white Alexander McQueen dress on a visit to Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sept. 25, 2016.
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Shoes worn by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sept. 25, 2016.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends an official welcome and performance from Bella Bella First Nations community at Wawiska Community Hall on Sept. 26, 2016 in Bella Bella, Canada.
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Kate laughs with Sharon Johnston as they listen to Will speak french at the Official Welcome Ceremony for the Royal Tour at the British Columbia Legislature on Sept. 24, 2016, in Victoria, Canada.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, visits the "Vogue 100: A Century of Style" exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery on May 4, 2016, in London. The Duchess appears on the cover of the centenary issue in June 2016.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, departs Spencer House after attending a lunch in aid of The Anna Freud Centre on May 4, 2016, in London, England.
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In this handout photo provided by British Vogue on Sunday, May 1, 2016, the Duchess of Cambridge poses in Norfolk, England, for the magazine's centenary issue.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, attends a reception celebrating UK and Bhutanese friendship and cooperation at the Taj Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Thimphu, Bhutan. The Royal couple visited Bhutan as part of a week long visit to India and Bhutan.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visits the Taj Mahal on April 16, 2016 in Agra, India.
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Kate donned a vintage-inspired jade Temperley London dress with nude pumps and a matching clutch during a meeting with Narenda Modi, the Prime Minister of India, on April 12, 2016, in New Delhi, India.
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, and his wife, the former Kate Middleton stand after laying a wreath on the martyrs memorial at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai, India, Sunday, April 10, 2016. The royal couple began their weeklong visit to India and Bhutan, by laying a wreath at a memorial Sunday at Mumbaiu2019s iconic Taj Mahal Palace hotel, where 31 victims of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks were killed.
While attending a wreath laying ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the final withdrawal from the Gallipoli Peninsula at the War Memorial Crossbrown Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L) donned a tweed skirt and blazer by Michael Kors paired with black boots, gloves and an elegant fastener atop her head.
Kate was seen sporting this simple yet elegant red L.K. Bennett dress paired with a with a leopard DVF clutch at day nine of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships July 8, 2015 in London, England.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge stunned in a white Alexander McQueen dress coat and Jane Taylor hat at the Christening of Princess Charlotte on July 5, 2015 in King's Lynn, England.
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During the Trooping The Colour parade at Buckingham Palace, glowing new mom Kate wore a blue floral dress by Catherine Walker paired with a hat by Lock & Co. and a big smile.
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Stunning in a simple floral pattern Jenny Packham dress, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William pose for the media with their newborn daughter outside St. Mary's Hospital's on Saturday, May 2, 2015.
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In her final pubic appearance before going on maternity leave, Kate toured the Stephen Lawrence Centre in a bold pink double-breasted Mulberry coat on Friday, March 27, 2015.
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Britain's Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge meets veterans during a visit to the 1st Battalion Irish Guards at the St. Patrick's Day Parade at Mons Barracks, Aldershot, in England, Tuesday, March 17, 2015.
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Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge takes a tour around Bletchley Park, near Milton Keynes, England, Wednesday, June 18, 2014.
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Kate shows off her baby bump in a mint green Mulberry coat for the National Review of Queen's Scouts at Windsor Castle, near London Sunday, April 21, 2013.
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Britain's Kate the Duchess of Cambridge attends an Autumn gala evening dinner and reception in aid of Action on Addiction at L'Anima Restaurant in London, England, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014. Kate is patron of the charity and met charity supporters during a pre-dinner reception.
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Catherine and William made a blustery visit to Calgary on the eighth day of their 12-day trip. Kate looked sweet in a primrose-colored, petal-skirted dress from one of her favorite designers, Jenny Packham.
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Celebrating her first Christmas as a royal, Duchess Kate donned a monochromatic look to the traditional Christmas Day service at Sandringham in King's Lynn, England. Kate paired a knee-length wine-colored coat with a matching Jane Corbett hat, along with black tights, black platform heels from LK Bennett, and a pair of diamond drop earrings.
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Catherine got festive when she used a Canadian maple leaf to accent a familiar dress. It's the same Reiss frock the Duchess for wore for her engagement portraits. The look was paired with a straw Anya Hindmarch fan bag, cherry red pumps and a red Lock&Co hat, as well as a maple leaf pendant on loan from the Queen to attend Canada Day celebrations.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (handbag detail) during an official visit to Bletchley Park on June 18, 2014 in Bletchley, England.
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Kate actually tends to favor commercial brands over designers: Here, the Duchess chose a Zara black and white geometric circle printed dress for the Berkshire wedding of longtime friends Sam Waley Cohen andu00a0Bella Ballin. She sported the same Ark & Co hat she wore earlier that same day to the Trooping the Colour parade.
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Duchess of Cambridge was somber in McQueen as she attends the annual Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph on Whitehall on November 9, 2014 in London, England.
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The young Duchess perfected casual in a sage green Burberry shirt tucked into cropped jeans as she boarded a plane In Yellowknife, Canada on day six of the tour. Kate paired the look with a thick brown leather belt and Sebago deck shoes in taupe.
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The Duchess of Cambridge made her first public appearance since giving birth when she stepped out with her husband Prince William to attend the Tusk Conservation Awards in London, wearing a full-length silvery sequined gown.
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Kate attended a special service at Westminster Abbey with other senior member of the royal family, held in honor of the 60th anniversary of The Queenu2019s Coronation. For the event, pregnant Kate wore a peachy pink lace dress and matching coat by designer Jenny Packham.
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Catherine arrives at St Andrew's Cathedral on April 20 for a Easter Sunday Service. The Duchess stuns in an Alexander McQueen ivory coat and a gray Jane Taylor fascinator.
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Switching to something more formal for the evening celebrations, Kate went for a long-sleeved purple Issa jersey dress that gathers at the waist. Again, she added some Canada spirit by donning the Queen's silver maple leaf broach.
Attending a ceremony to commemorate the centenary of the start of the First World War, Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at the Cointe Inter-allied Memorial, Liege, Belgium, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, Monday Aug. 4, 2014.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge's handbag seen as she visits an M-PACT Plus Counselling Programme at Blessed Sacrament School on July 1, 2014 in London, England.
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Kate chose a dove gray Katherine Hooker dress in crepe silk satin and a Philip Treacy fascinator for the Order of the Garter Service at Windsor Castle.
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Pregnant Kate, seen in a peachy coral pink outfit, visits Naomi House on April 29 near Winchester, England.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge leaves the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service held at St Paul's Cathedral on Dec. 14, 2017 in London, England. The Royal Family and Prime Minister will join survivors of the Grenfell Tower at the memorial at St Paul's Cathedral for the six-month anniversary which killed 71 people. About 1,500 people are expected to attend the multi-faith service.
When George was born in 2013, he jumped the line of succession ahead of uncle Prince Harry to become the third in line to the throne — after Charles, his granddad, and his father William.
George's sibling will become the fourth in line, bumping Harry down to fifth place. Prince Andrew, the queen's second son, moves to sixth.
As the second-born, the new baby will likely not be expected to become the ruling monarch. Instead, he or she will be the "spare," or backup, should anything happen to the first-born.
George VI famously became king unexpectedly after his brother, Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936.
"An abdication is highly unlikely to happen again, but you never know," says Joe Little, managing editor at Majesty magazine.
And unlike in the old days, the gender of the second child will not matter.
Britain in 2013 introduced legal changes to end a centuries-old "male primogeniture" rule that puts boys before girls in the line of succession. Under that system, a princess can be robbed of her place in the line by a younger brother.
That rule, which dates back to the 1701 Act of Settlement, is now abolished in Britain as well as in 15 former British colonies.
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In this Nov. 9, 1985 photo provided by the Ronald Reagan Library, actor John Travolta dances with Princess Diana at a White House dinner.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge with Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky are seen exiting The British Consul General's Residence on December 8, 2014 in New York City.
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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge pose with LeBron James as they attends the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets game at Barclays Center on December 8, 2014 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (R) meets former United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton as Prince William, Duke of Cambridge meets Chelsea Clinton during a conservation reception at British Consul General's Residence on December 8, 2014 in New York City
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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive at The Carlyle Hotel, where they will be staying during their official two-day visit to the United States, on December 7, 2014 in New York City.
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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge leave a Gramercy Park residence on December 7, 2014 in New York City.
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Kate, left, Duchess of Cambridge and Britain's Prince William arrive at The Carlyle Hotel, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014, in New York. They have a full schedule of events in New York, including a visit to the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum and an NBA basketball game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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The British monarchy on tour in the USA. From left to right are Mrs. Roosevelt, the King, Mrs. Sarah Deland Roosevelt, the President’s mother, the Queen, and President Roosevelt an interesting “family” group, taken during the week-end stay of the King and Queen with the American President, his wife and mother at Hyde Park, the Roosevelt family home overlooking the Hudson River in New York on June 19, 1939.
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Secret service men walk behind the car in which the King and President Roosevelt drive through the streets of Washington on June 13, 1939, while motor-cycle “cops” ride beside the car and soldiers line the street.
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Vice President Richard Nixon escorts Queen Elizabeth II up the steps leading to the Senate wing of the Capitol where the Nixon hosted a luncheon for the visiting monarch and her husband, Prince Philip on Oct. 18, 1957 in Washington.
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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II walks with U.S. President Eisenhower past the Guard of Honour at Washington National Airport, Oct. 17, 1957. The Commander of the Honour Guard Lt. Colonel Robert Phelps marches beside the Queen.
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Co-Captains of North Carolina and Maryland meet Queen Elizabeth II before the start of game on Oct. 19, 1957 in College Park. Left to right: Buddy Payne and Dave Reed of North Carolina, President Wilson Elkins of University of Maryland, the Queen, Gov. Theodore McKeldin of Maryland and Gene Alderton and Jack Healy of Maryland.
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U.S. President Gerald Ford and first lady Betty Ford stand in a receiving line with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip outside the South Portico of the White House in Washington, D.C., on July 7, 1976.
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Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain visits the Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday, July 7, 1976 in Washington.
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This White House file photograph, provided courtesy of the Gerald R. Ford Library, shows President Ford, right, and Queen Elizabeth dancing during the state dinner in honor of the Queen and Prince Philip at the White House, July 17, 1976 in Washington.
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Queen Elizabeth II stands at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia on Tuesday, July 6, 1976 as she began her visit to the United States in that city. (AP Photo)
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Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip stand with Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo, left, and Pennsylvania Governor Milton Shapp, right, during the arrival of the Queen in Philadelphia on Tuesday, July 7, 1976. (AP Photo)
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Queen Elizabeth II, left, chats with first lady Nancy Reagan as they enter Stage 9 at 20th Century Fox Studios to attend a gala dinner party honoring the queen and hosted by Mrs. Reagan on Feb. 27, 1983 in Los Angeles. Hundreds of show business notibles attended the royal party. The queen is spending two-days in Los Angeles. (AP Photo) (AP Photo)
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President Ronald Reagan and Queen Elizabeth II raise their glasses in a toast during a state dinner, March 3, 1983, at the M. H. de Young Museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Woman at right is unidentified. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)
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Park superintendent Bob Binnewies points out highlights from Inspiration Point to Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Yosemite National Park, in California in 1983.
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Queen Elizabeth's sister Princess Margaret and first lady Barbara Bush in the White House in 1991.
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Diana, the Princes of Wales, casts a glance at her husband Prince Charles as he speaks at a press conference at the National Gallery of Art, in Washington, Nov. 10, 1985.
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President Ronald Reagan and Mrs. Nancy Reagan pose with the Prince and Princess of Wales prior to a private dinner and party at the White House in Washington on Saturday, Nov. 9, 1985.
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In this Nov. 9, 1985 photo provided by the Ronald Reagan Library, actor John Travolta dances with Princess Diana at a White House dinner.
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Queen Elizabeth II, right, first lady Barbara Bush and Washington Mayor Sharon Pratt Dixon, left, react to karate and basketball performances by children at the Metropolitan Police Boys and Girls Club in morning on Wednesday, May 15, 1991 in Washington.
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President George H.W. Bush and Mrs. Barbara Bush pose with Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip upon arrival at a dinner hosted by the Queen at the British Embassy at night on Thursday, May 16, 1991 in Washington.
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Queen Elizabeth II listens as NASA astronaut Mike Foale, right, introduces her to the crew aboard the International Space Station during her visit to NASA's Goddard Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., Tuesday, May 8, 2007.
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President Bush and first lady Laura Bush welcome Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at the North Portico of the White House for a State Dinner in Washington, Monday, May 7, 2007.
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President Bush and Queen Elizabeth II arrive to take part in arrival ceremonies, Monday, May 7, 2007, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington.
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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II walks with an aide during a visit to the site of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks Tuesday, July 6, 2010 in New York.
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Queen Elizabeth II addresses the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at United Nations headquarters.
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Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, arrive at the inaugural BAFTA Brits to Watch 2011 event at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, Saturday, July 9, 2011.
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Jennifer Lopez and Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge Tour of the United States - BAFTA hosts its inaugural 'BAFTA Brits to Watch' event at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles, California on July 9, 2011.
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Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge - BAFTA hosts its inaugural 'BAFTA Brits to Watch' event at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles, California on July 9, 2011.
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Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, arrive at a charity polo match at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in Carpinteria, Calif., Saturday, July 9, 2011.
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Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, mingle with crowd members at the Service Nation: Mission Serve "Hiring Our Heroes Los Angeles" job fair event at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, Calif., Sunday, July 10, 2011.
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In this May 9, 2013 file photo, first lady Michelle Obama speaks during an unannounced visit from Prince Harry at an event in honor of military mothers in the East Room of the White House in Washington.
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Prince Harry lays a wreath at Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, where veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried, in Virginia on May 10, 2013.
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Prince Harry plays sitting volleyball with the United Kingdom team at a visit to the Warrior Games opening, Saturday, May 11, 2013 in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Warrior Games is a Paralympic-style competition featuring injured servicemen and women from the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
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Prince Harry hits a baseball during a visit to the Harlem RBI youth sports and school program in New York, Tuesday, May 14, 2013. Prince Harry is in the midst of weeklong visit to the United States.
Kate, 33, and William, 32, seem relaxed about the birth of their second child, and both have been out and about chatting with locals and keeping up their official duties until March.
Kate did suffer from severe morning sickness, or hyperemesis gravidarum, in the early months — just as she did during her first pregnancy — and had to pull out of plans to make her first solo royal tour to Malta. But her health improved since then, and she looked well as she was snapped by photographers wherever she went.
Meanwhile, William will be taking some paternity leave from his new job. The former search and rescue helicopter pilot began his full-time job with the East Anglian Air Ambulance on March 30, and is expected to begin flying rescue missions this summer.
Britain's royal family may be one of the world's most traditional institutions, but its press team has made efforts to modernize communications by taking on Twitter and other social media.
Just like when George was born, royal officials plan to announce the baby's birth by Twitter, broadcasting the news directly to the monarchy's millions of followers worldwide.
Journalists will get a slight head start, though — reporters will get an email two minutes before the palace tweets the news.
About two hours later, officials will post a more traditional announcement on a gilded easel outside of Buckingham Palace.
