Kate Middleton Pregnancy Rumors Heat Up, Queen Visit Maternity Ward
Queen Elizabeth II has paid a visit to the new Diamond Jubilee Maternity Unit Thursday, furthering rumors that Kate Middleton is pregnant.
The media has relentlessly speculated over when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would start a family following their marriage last year.
While no evidence suggests Middleton is expecting a child, rumors of her pregnancy gained steam after the queen continued her Diamond Jubilee tour at the maternity ward.
Located in the town of Stevenage in Hertfordshire, the Queen unveiled the new $25 million unit at Lister Hospital.
The occasion saw several photo opportunities of the queen dressed who was dressed in lavender and admiring the infants in the maternity ward. The Queen Mother presented The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service to the team from the town's British School Museum.
The Queen's official opening of the facility comes 40 years after she opened the hospital.
Queen Elizabeth is wrapping up the tour, which honors her 60th year on the throne. During the tour's final leg, she will visit Hatfield House, where a jubilee tree will be planted in Hatfield Park ahead of a reception and lunch.
The Duke of Edinburgh did not accompany the Queen, as he is still recuperating from an illness.
Alternately, also attending her final Jubilee tour obligations, Kate Middleton and Prince William visited Nottingham's Vernon Park on Wednesday. The 30-year-old duchess and her husband interacted with school children and even threw a rocket-shaped foam javelin, reported Us Weekly.
The event was arranged by the Fields in Trust project and helped raise awareness for the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge, of which William is a patron. The Challenge strives to create 2,012 athletic fields in Britain by the end of the year.
Last week, the Diamond Jubilee saw four days of celebration in London including a river pageant on the Thames as well as a concert gala.
