Kate Middleton's Baby Sex Reveal: How Much Royal Trouble She Could Get Into

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge dropped the biggest clue yet that she may be expecting a baby girl

By Melanie Bromley Mar 06, 2013 9:51 PMTags
Prince William, Kate MiddletonIndigo/Getty Images

So Kate Middleton basically told everybody she's having a daughter, right? So will the royals formally confirm it—and will she get in trouble?
—ronnie via email 

Kate Middleton seems to be having a hard time staying mum on the sex of her unborn baby, dropping the biggest clue yet that she may be expecting a baby girl.

But whether her accidental mention of the letter D stood for daughter (Or maybe even dog? We're pretty certain Lupo would have fun chasing that squishy teddy bear around the gardens of Kensington Palace!), the likelihood is that Prince William and Kate won't be formally announcing the sex of their baby any time soon.

Why not?

Well, royal tradition goes that the sex of the baby isn't announced. Princess Diana, for example, did know that she was expecting boys with both William and Harry—but she kept it private.

Indeed, that's half the fun. Not only do Brits get to find out they have a new heir, but they also get the surprise of finally discovering whether the Queen will be buying powder blue or pink booties for its teeny royal feet.

But there is a chance William may decide to mix things up a bit. Sources tell E! that he is very keen to do things his own way. 

He is the face of the modern British monarchy and has been insistent from the start that, while he will abide by tradition for some things, he wants to set his own rules on others.

So would Kate get in trouble if news really got out?   

"Not at all," a royal insider tells E! News. "She's under immense pressure and the Queen knows that. And she's doing a fantastic job in her new role. No one will be slapping her hand for what she did or didn't say."

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Well, if the couple doesn't formally confirm, then Kate is going to spend every public appearance until July trying to avoid people's attempts to trip her up. 

If she accepts a pink baby rattle from the crowd, rather than a blue one, then it will become another clue, and so on and so forth. A million more headlines will be made. Just the mention of one letter has sparked a worldwide frenzy, and this is just the beginning.

"William and Kate are in unchartered territory; they are living in a 24-hour news cycle and at a time when the Royal family is experiencing a spike in popularity. Kate is being scrutinized for everything she does and she can't be perfect all the time. The palace is very understanding of that. She is a wonderful addition to the royal family."

Speculation aside, we did learn some very interesting facts about the little heir yesterday:

She (or he!) is definitely a feisty one and is already kicking. And they've got a sweet tooth, too: Kate admitted she's craving cupcakes.