# How Long Before William And Kate Have A Baby? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 30, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298 "2011-04-30T16:55:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/41 "2011-04-30T22:35:21Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > And how do you know they didn’t say “Yeah, this whole royal thing is pretty silly. Let’s freak everyone out by not having kids,” or “Gee, I’m pretty upset about my mom dying when I was you. I don’t feel like I’d be a great father.” Or any number of things. You have absolutely no idea how they’ve decided to handel this. > > It’s not the idea that being royalty comes with expectations that is off-putting, as much as how people seem so gleeful people seem to “put a woman in her place.” And maybe the moon is made of green cheese. I mean, this is like speculating where a top college athlete will end up when they go pro. Yes, they totally have the choice to retire from sports and go herd goats somewhere, but the likelihood of them doing so is vanishingly small. And I really don’t see this as about putting a woman in her place. It seems much more like people are trying to vicariously live a fantasy life. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/42 "2011-04-30T22:37:12Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > And how do you know they didn’t say “Yeah, this whole royal thing is pretty silly. Let’s freak everyone out by not having kids,” or “Gee, I’m pretty upset about my mom dying when I was you. I don’t feel like I’d be a great father.” Or any number of things. You have absolutely no idea how they’ve decided to handel this. > > It’s not the idea that being royalty comes with expectations that is off-putting, as much as how people seem so gleeful people seem to “put a woman in her place.” Nothing I wrote can be construed as me being gleeful at the notion of putting a woman in her place, or as thinking women have a place into which they need to be put. I’ll thank you not to imply otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/43 "2011-04-30T22:58:41Z")
They’ve been more or less living together for years, anyway. I assume they knew that, as soon as they got married, the pressure to bear an heir would be enormous, so they probably held off on getting married until they were ready to do so. I assume they’ll pop out an heir within the first two years. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/44 "2011-04-30T23:40:56Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Nothing I wrote can be construed as me being gleeful at the notion of putting a woman in her place, or as thinking women have a place into which they need to be put. I’ll thank you not to imply otherwise. Nothing _anybody_ here wrote showed that glee. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/45 "2011-04-30T23:45:11Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Nothing _anybody_ here wrote showed that glee. I didn’t think so, but I was too lazy to scroll up and check. Again I was personally insulted and responding out of my own dudgeon. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/46 "2011-05-01T00:34:44Z")
They’ve been together, however you care to define that, for years now. They’ve had a few spats and then put it back together. I’d bet that they’ve covered the details of what’s expected and what’s required. Possibly even more so than many couples do, since that seems to have been some of the problem between William’s parents. Kate is old enough to know her own mind, and she certainly doesn’t appear to be a stupid young woman. That said, I’m not sure the pressure on them will be as strong as it was on Charles. William is one more generation down in the succession, so Charles already has backup, which wasn’t really so true when Charles married. When Charles and Diana married, there were only Andrew and Edward, who were much younger, and then Anne, who wasn’t all that popular at the time. Now there are not only Harry (yes, he’s a bit flaky, but he’ll grow up), but still the older uncles and their children. I still think the first little sprat will come along by mid-2013. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/47 "2011-05-01T00:42:19Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It seems kind of backwards and sexist to me that this girl is now expected to just be a baby factory with no other value or identity. Usually I just let your things go when I don’t like them, but this one won’t go. How the heck do you figure that bearing children, most likely by choice since she wasn’t forced into this marriage: 1. makes her a baby factory, and 2. equates to no other value or identity? Why is she not to be considered another young married woman who wants to have children with the man she loves? And how does that negate any other identity she might have? Does that mean that any couple whose family or parents put pressure on them to have children have no other value than as broodstock? Okay, I’m done now. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/48 "2011-05-01T00:56:25Z")
> [@thirdwarning](#): > > Usually I just let your things go when I don’t like them, but this one won’t go. How the heck do you figure that bearing children, most likely by choice since she wasn’t forced into this marriage: 1. makes her a baby factory, and 2. equates to no other value or identity? > > Why is she not to be considered another young married woman who wants to have children with the man she loves? And how does that negate any other identity she might have? Does that mean that any couple whose family or parents put pressure on them to have children have no other value than as broodstock? > > Okay, I’m done now. I also doubt her new grandmother-in-law will expect her to be a weak women. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/49 "2011-05-01T00:57:53Z")
Why should there be any expectations at all? And yes, I do think it’s inappropriate and sexist when ANY women is expected to immediately become a baby factory just because she’s married. I think that’s presumptuous and nobody else’s business. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/50 "2011-05-01T01:07:56Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Why should there be any expectations at all? And yes, I do think it’s inappropriate and sexist when ANY women is expected to immediately become a baby factory just because she’s married. I think that’s presumptuous and nobody else’s business. I mentioned this before, but I’ll mention it once more. She’s married into the royal family, and become a public figure. Her children are my business because they may well be head of state. Sexism has nothing to do with it - do you consider the speculation as to Harry’s parentage to be sexist? It’s no more (or less) inappropriate than the monarchy as a whole. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/51 "2011-05-01T01:24:27Z")
Yes, actually, I do think the speculation about Harry’s parentage is sexist and inappropriate. As for an eventual head of state - it’s not like William has to be the person to produce one. The Kingdom is crawling with spares. It’s completely ceremonial anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/52 "2011-05-01T01:25:43Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > And how do you know they didn’t say “Yeah, this whole royal thing is pretty silly. Let’s freak everyone out by not having kids,” or “Gee, I’m pretty upset about my mom dying when I was you. I don’t feel like I’d be a great father.” Or any number of things. You have absolutely no idea how they’ve decided to handel this. Maybe, but its unlikely. The Windsors have, by all accounts, and extreme sense of duty. They are raised to it. The current generation is still - by many accounts - heavily influenced by the abduction of King Edward to marry Wallis Simpson - very likely because the Queen Mother and QEII blamed that for shortening King George’s life. There has been very little in the lives of the Princes that says that they don’t take their duties seriously. They have lockstepped to almost every expectation for English princes (Harry has been a little wild, but really nothing that isn’t “bad judgement from a teenager or young adult.”). Kate herself has - since her relationship because serious - taken it pretty seriously as well. She’s acted appropriately, dressed appropriately, wore the funny hats. Should the two of them say “ah, fuck it” - good for them. But frankly, I’d bet on a meteor hitting London first. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/53 "2011-05-01T01:41:19Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Yes, actually, I do think the speculation about Harry’s parentage is sexist and inappropriate. > > As for an eventual head of state - it’s not like William has to be the person to produce one. The Kingdom is crawling with spares. It’s completely ceremonial anyway. Then I suspect we mean somewhat different things by sexist, but I’ll not push the point. Not that I particularly like the speculation, as far as I’m concerned Harry being raised by Charles makes him his son in every important way, including for the succession if it comes to that. You’re certainly right that it won’t be the end of the world, or the monarchy, if they don’t have a child, but it’s not true that it’s an entirely ceremonial role. The Queen currently meets with the Prime Minister weekly when parliament is sitting, as well as a significant amount of diplomatic work. This is on top of calling parliament and assenting to legislation, which whilst formalities are not ceremonial - if they didn’t happen, the government wouldn’t function\*. It’s obviously speculation how much of this will still be the case in the 50 or more years when their child could be expected to come to the throne, and it’s unlikely I’ll see it. \*I doubt it would take long to find a way round it, but that’s not quite the point. ---
**Author:** ![classyladyhp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5ac83/32.png) [@classyladyhp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/classyladyhp)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/54 "2011-05-01T02:27:44Z")
There is no way she’s pregnant now that’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/55 "2011-05-01T02:33:09Z")
> [@classyladyhp](#): > > There is no way she’s pregnant now that’s for sure. Dunno, there’s been time since the wedding. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/56 "2011-05-01T02:43:29Z")
At least they didn’t stick a finger in her snatch to see if she was a virgin like they did with Diana. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/57 "2011-05-01T02:53:12Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > At least they didn’t stick a finger in her snatch to see if she was a virgin like they did with Diana. I think most people assume she isn’t, and are well past caring about that. Fortunately. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/58 "2011-05-01T03:52:58Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > At least they didn’t stick a finger in her snatch to see if she was a virgin like they did with Diana. Cite? How can we know they did that? I think that’s sexist. But what would they have done if she said no? etc etc etc. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/59 "2011-05-01T03:54:14Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Harry looks more and more like his dad every passing day (Prince Charles) He’s got the Windsor ears, and the Spencer hair. William has the Windsor hair. Ouch, that’ll not be helped by having to wear a helmet at the day job. And hats, generally, for the official stuff. You’ve got that backwards. Hats don’t cause hair loss; hair loss causes wearing hats. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298/60 "2011-05-01T03:56:18Z")
**Dio** , why must you ruin EVERY thread like this? If you want to talk about how sexist the whole thing is, open another thread. Jesus Christ. There were rumors that Diana had to take some kind of “virginity test” before she got married. Mostly it was tabloid gossip. :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-william-and-kate-have-a-baby/580298.md?page=4)