Is Kate Middleton Pregnant? Why Royal Fans Think Duchess Is Expecting Baby No. 4

She’s already a mom to three children, but royal fans continue to eagerly speculate whether Kate Middleton will announce a fourth child with Prince William. However, despite a recent outing that once again sparked rumors, the Duchess of Cambridge is not pregnant.

Fans began to speculate Middleton might be pregnant after she was spotted visiting a maternity ward at Kingston hospital. However, while many potentially hoped that she was scouting out locations for delivery of another baby, according to Hello! Magazine, the Duchess was actually completing a two-day work experience for her connection to the Early Years charity.

Among the things she did and learned about during the two-day experience, she visited the antenatal, postnatal and labor wards, shadowed a midwife and learned about the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and their global health programs.

While she may not have been scoping out new hospitals for a potential fourth delivery (the Duchess gave birth previously to all of her children at the Lindo Wing in St. Mary’s Hospital), it isn’t the only thing that has led to intense speculation among royal fans when it comes to whether or not Middleton could have another royal baby.

Most recently, there has been speculation that Middleton could be pregnant with twins, following a report from New Idea that claimed she and Prince William were surprised by the news, but that it was also warmly welcomed by Queen Elizabeth, who felt that it was coming at just the right time following a bevy of royal scandals.

In addition, fans have speculated that the Duchess could be pregnant because she skipped out on a royal tour with Prince William in Oman. Because the country has an ongoing malaria risk and pregnant women are discouraged from visiting, some took Middleton’s lack of attendance as a sign she might be expecting a child.

However, there have been other reports that indicate the Duchess may not want to have another baby because of a royal rule regarding those within the line of succession. Because of the changes to the Succession Act of 2013, which requires only the first six heirs in line for the throne to seek permission from a reigning monarch for marriage. Depending on when their first three children all marry and who is on the throne at the time (Prince William is currently second-in-line for the throne), if they had a fourth baby, their child could be subject to different rules than its siblings. Should they want to keep things equal for all of their kids, the couple could be choosing not to have one more child as a result.