Prince Harry can't wait to become an uncle - Prince William and Duchess Catherine expecting their first child in July

Duchess Catherine, Prince William & Prince Harry

The royal's brother Prince William and sister-in-law Duchess Catherine are expecting their first child in July and Harry is thrilled about the latest addition to the British royal family.

Harry, who has just finished a stint in Afghanistan where he has been deployed since September, said: "Obviously I'm thrilled for both of them. It's about time.
"I spoke to my brother and her, and they're both very well and both very happy obviously.

Harry also revealed his wish that the couple will be allowed to enjoy impending parenthood in private.

He explained: "I literally am very, very happy for them, but I just only hope that she and him – but mainly Catherine – hopefully that she gets the necessary protection to allow her as a mother-to-be to enjoy the privacy that that comes with. I seriously hope that's going to be able to happen."

While William is happily settled as a husband and father-to-be, Harry isn't planning to rush down the aisle just yet.

The 28-year-old prince said: "I don't think you can ever be urged to settle down. If you find the right person and everything feels right, then it takes time, especially for myself and my brother."

"You ain't ever going to find someone who's going to jump into the position that it would hold. Simple as that."

Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton voted the world's most perfect couple

Prince William and
Duchess Catherine

Prince William and Duchess Catherine - who are currently expecting their first child together - topped a poll by UK TV network Watch, to find the celebrity pair British couples aspire to be like in 2013.

William and Catherine - who was known as Kate Middleton until her wedding in April 2011 - beat good friends David and Victoria Beckham into second place while Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie came third, with Beyonce and Jay-Z in fourth.

Despite recently getting engaged, people questioned in the poll thought Katie Price and Kieran Hayler will be the first celebrity couple to split in 2013, closely followed by parents-to-be Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

The survey - which was carried out from Monday 14 to Tuesday 15 January with 1,000 participants by market researchers Vision Critical - was commissioned by Watch to mark the launch of 'Beauty and the Beast' on Wednesday 16 January at 9pm.

Ed Sheeran wants the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to call their baby "something rock 'n' roll"

Ed Sheeran

The 'A Team' hitmaker is thrilled the young royal couple are expecting a future heir to the throne and has urged them to be inventive when choosing a name.

He told the Daily Star newspaper: "I just think it's time for someone in the royal family to have a rock 'n' roll name for their kids. Call it Ziggy or Twig.

"This is the time, if there's ever a time to do it, it's now.  I don't want there to be another name like Dave. But then Dave would be cool, wouldn't it?

"Call it Twig or Oak Tree or PSY, even PSYmon."

Ed also revealed he is a big fan of the royal family.

He said: "A lot of people have mixed views on the royal family, But me, I think it's really cool.

"And as for Will and Kate, they're in love and having a baby, it's wicked."

Will.i.am has congratulated Prince William and Duchess Catherine on their baby news

Will.i.am has congratulated Prince William and Duchess Catherine

The Black Eyed Peas musician is absolutely thrilled for the couple who announced last week they are expecting their first child together and he considers them an "inspirational" couple to people everywhere.

The pop star - who works with William's father Prince Charles' charity The Prince's Trust to help disadvantaged kids in the UK - said: "I want to congratulate them and I think they as a couple are very inspirational. Besides being involved in the Prince's Trust, they are both inspirational because they are creating life and working on how to raise their kid. I am a bit older than them, so I am thrilled to see a young couple forming a family."

Seeing the pair so in love and ready to become parents makes will.i.am realize how lucky he was to have such a fantastic mother who raised him as a single parent.

Speaking at The Noble Gift Gala 2012, which was held at the ME Hotel in London on Saturday night, he told BANG Showbiz: "You know, I never knew my dad, and my mum was like acting as both parents, so it is always moving to welcome a new baby from a couple like this. I will send them all my love and prayers."

The event was held by Eva Longoria to raise money for The Eva Longoria Foundation, Fight for Life and Caudwell Children charities.

During the evening, will.i.am was presented with the 2012 Noble Gift Humanitarian Award at the event for his outstanding contribution to charity. Amongst his philanthropic activities, will.i.am created his i.am.angel Foundation to provide after-school tutoring and scholarships for disadvantaged young people seeking to attend university through his i.am College Track Programme.

Noel Gallagher has advised Britain's Prince William to rejoin the army once he becomes a father

Prince William in uniform

The second-in-line to the throne is expecting his first child with wife Duchess Catherine and father-of-three Noel says if William wants some peace and quiet, he would be better off fighting for his country because the baby will take up a lot of the couple's time and ruin his chances of sleep.

Speaking at a press conference to announce the line-up for the 2013 Teenage Cancer Trust concerts, the former Oasis guitarist said: "They're not the first people in the country to have a child, are they? I've got three, you know. Do I have any advice for them? People write books about that sh*t. Very expensive books - my wife's got 'em all.

"Tell William he'd be better thinking about rejoining the army - he'd have a quieter life."

However, William - who works as an RAF search-and-rescue pilot - wants to be hands-on father and could even scale back on his work once the tot arrives.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "William cannot wait to be a dad. He wants to have the family stability for his heir that he never had. He will even change nappies. He's a modern man."

Duchess Catherine - who is also known as her maiden name of Kate Middleton - is currently in hospital suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum (acute morning sickness).

Kate Middleton is starting to ‘feel better’ as she battles morning sickness in hospital

Kate Middleton

The 30-year-old royal - who is expecting her first child with husband Prince William - is currently being treated in London's King Edward VII Hospital and officials say she is responding well to treatment.

A palace spokesperson said: "The Duchess of Cambridge is continuing to feel better. She and the duke are immensely grateful for the good wishes they have received. She will remain in hospital at present."

Yesterday (04.12.12), Catherine - who is also known by her maiden name of Kate Middleton - was visited by William and her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton.

After spending six hours by his wife's bedside, William, 30, emerged smiling, indicating Catherine was doing much better.

The duchess has also received a get well soon message from brother-in-law Prince Harry, who is currently fighting on the frontline in Afghanistan.

The thrilled uncle-to-be was given news of his sister-in-law's pregnancy on Monday  and contacted Catherine at her hospital to say he was thinking of her.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Harry jumped for joy when he heard the news that Kate is expecting. He's really looking forward to coming back and can't wait to be an uncle."

Celebrities take to Twitter to congratulate Prince William and Duchess Catherine on their baby news

Prince William & Kate Middleton

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced they are expecting their first child together and stars including Cheryl Cole and Maria Shriver have sent their congratulations to the couple.

Cheryl – who has previously admitted to a crush on William’s brother Prince Harry – wrote: "I'm sooooooo excited that we're having a royal baby !!!! Congratulations to Kate and Wills !!!!!! (sic)”.

Meanwhile, after it was revealed Catherine – who was known as Kate Middleton before her April 2011 marriage – has been admitted to hospital with Hyperemesis Gravidarum [severe morning sickness], Maria revealed she once suffered from the same illness.

She tweeted: “Wonderful news for Prince William & Kate Middleton. Kate has Hyperemesis. Had that with my last child. Not fun at all. Hang in there, Kate.”

Other stars to tweet their congratulations include Olly Murs, who wrote: "Cool #royalbaby that's amazing news!! Dam it how comes they never mentioned it on the XTRA Factor last week haha (sic)," while Katherine Jenkins added: "What lovely news!! Congratulations to the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge!! #PitterPatter (sic)."

The duchess is believed to be less than 12 weeks along but the news was announced early as she was admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in Central London to deal with her illness.
Prince Harry – who is currently serving in Afghanistan – was informed of the news via email, while Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip only found out on Monday before the announcement.

The Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant - Kate Middleton and Prince William expecting their first child - PHOTOS

Prince William and the Duchess Catherine, Kate Middleton

PHOTOS - Kate Middleton and Prince William announce they are pregnant - slideshow

The beautiful royal and her husband Prince William - who is second in line to the British throne - announced on Monday they are expecting the first child together.

A statement released by Buckingham Palace on the couple's official website read: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby.

"The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry and members of both families are delighted with the news.

"The Duchess was admitted this afternoon to King Edward VII Hospital in Central London with Hyperemesis Gravidarum [morning sickness]. As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, Her Royal Highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter."

Speculation the duchess - who was known as Kate Middleton before her marriage in April 2011 - could be pregnant was sparked last week when on a visit to Cambridge, William accepted a gift of a babygro with 'Daddy's little co-pilot' and a picture of a helicopter on it from new mother Samantha Hill, the motif is a reference to William's RAF search and rescue pilot career.

It had also been speculated the prince will step down from his role as a search and rescue pilot, to return to the Household Cavalry to allow him to move back to London and free up more of his time.

PHOTOS - Kate Middleton and Prince William announce they are pregnant - slideshow

Prince William thinks Queen Elizabeth has done a brilliant job as his grandmother

The 29-year-old admitted that he has always had a healthy respect for his grandparent because she juggled the task with her royal responsibilities well.

He said: "I always remember having a healthy respect for my grandmother. There's such scrutiny on the job that I think you have to be very, very careful how you carve your path. But she's done it brilliantly."

Speaking on 'The Jubilee Queen With Katie Couric' which airs in the United States on May 29 on ABC, he revealed that he and his brother Prince Harry, 27, have been "cheeky" grandchildren.

He continued: "I still think she's just my grandmother, really. I'm probably a bit of a cheeky grandson, my brother as well."

In the program he also talks in-depth about his nuptials one year ago to the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.

He said of his wedding day: "It was one of those days where you feel very elated. Also completely terrified, I have to be honest. The prospect of two billion people watching was quite daunting."

Prince William and Duchess Catherine have been praised as the "kindest people"

Kate Middleton and Prince William

The couple tied the knot in Westminster Abbey on April 29 last year and royal wedding photographer Hugo Burnand says taking the pictures on their big day was a dream commission because they are so easy to work with.

Speaking as he launched the Schweppes social monarchs campaign, Hugo exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "Prince William and Catherine are the kindest people, they have the most fantastic good manners. It was not just an honour and a privilege to have such an important commission but it was an honour and privilege to work with two such lovely people, they have such kindness and good manners. If everyone was like that life would be a dream."

While Hugo found William and Catherine a joy to photograph, he admitted he made provisions just in case he ran into any difficulties with the younger members of the wedding party.
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He added: "My favourite photograph was the one where they were sitting on the steps in the throne room with all of the bridesmaids around them and we had literally minutes to do that. We had almost run out of time but everyone was organised and we were ready to do it and we had bribes of jelly beans for the kids and within three minutes we were able to get everyone together and take the picture. The personalities of the individuals really shine through because we didn't have time to stage anything and I think it's wonderful."

Hugo Burnand has teamed up with Schweppes to find the nation's social monarchs: the kings and queens of entertaining who are celebrating the Diamond Jubilee in style. To nominate yourself or a friend as a social monarch, or to pick up some great tips for your Jubilee party visit www.schweppesjubilee.co.uk.

Prince William and Harry spill the beans on the real Queen Elizabeth

Prince Harry and Queen Elizabeth

It's the endless lines of gawkers lining up for a handshake that really kill her. That's the Queens pet peeve according to Prince William and Prince Harry, who have known and watched Queen Elizabeth in public their whole lives.

In a break with royal protocol that the Queen herself might not approve of, they're actually sharing their insights about their grandmother with the press.

According to Prince Harry the Queen, who is known for her unflappable public image, actually leans quite heavily on her husband Prince Philip for moral support.

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'Regardless of whether my grandfather seems to be doing his own thing (a reference to Prince Phillip's tendency to roam about) sort of wandering off like a fish down the river, the fact that he's there – personally, I don't think that she could do it without him,' Prince Harry told the the BBC's Andrew Marr for an upcoming documentary on the Queen.

Harry, 27, claims that his grandmother would find the task of endlessly shaking hands during her frequent public engagements unbearable without Phillip her side.

At 85 the Queen, who celebrates 60 years on the throne next Monday, may now be too old for her schedule Harry worries. 'Yet she's carrying on and doing the visits,' he said.

In his public affairs William is said to take his lead from the Queen. In fact both he and his wife Kate ask for her guidance about how to lead a public royal life.

'I think she doesn't care for celebrity and she really minds about having privacy in general,' William told the BBC.

William also praises how adept she is at navigating 'a very tricky line' between 'private and public and duty.'

'I think she's carved her own way completely. She's not had a blueprint,' says William. 'I think it's very important to be able to retreat inside and be able to collect one's thoughts and collect your ideas, and then to move forward.'

Prince William reveals his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, is an 'important' part of his life who gives him invaluable advice

The 29-year-old royal – who is second in line to the British throne after his father Prince Charles – has a close relationship with the monarch and feels he can ask her any question.

As he has gotten older and his role as a member of the Royal Family has increased William – who married Duchess Catherine in April - needs her advice more and more.

In an extract from new book ‘Our Queen’ by Robert Hardman, he said:

“My relationship with my grandmother has gone from strength to strength. As a shy, younger man it could be harder to talk about weighty matters. It was, ‘This is my grandmother who is the queen, and these are serious historical subjects.’
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“As I’ve got older, she’s become an even more important part of my life, so it’s much easier. And obviously, with the wedding, she was a massive help.

“There’s no question you can’t ask, and no point you can raise, that she won’t already know about - and have a better opinion about.”

The Duke of Cambridge has also revealed the 85-year-old monarch has always made it clear to him and his brother Prince Harry treat her as their grandmother first and the queen second.

And although she is happy to offer advice to him, Elizabeth encourages William to work things out for himself first.

He explained: “I say to people, ‘She’s my grandmother to me first and then she’s the queen.’ Words that come from her, I take very personally and I really appreciate … It’s very much the case that she won’t necessarily force advice on you. She’ll let you work it out for yourself. She’s always there for a question or two, for whatever it is you might need … But, just as she probably had to do, she feels that you have to work it out for yourself, that there are no set rules. You have to make it work. You have to do what you think is right.”