Royal baby will be here 'by the end of the week': Camilla

Prince Charles, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, and Kate Middleton. The royal baby is due this week.Photo / AP

The world's press have been camped outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital for a fortnight, while social media is awash with rumours that the Duchess of Cambridge has gone into labour.

Now the Duchess of Cornwall has given the strongest hint yet that a new royal baby is imminent, telling well-wishers to expect a bundle of joy by the "end of the week".

Chatty Camilla let slip the royal secret during a visit to Little Harbour children's hospice at Porthpean, near St Austell, Cornwall.

She and husband, Prince Charles, are in the West Country for their annual Cornwall Week, meeting locals and highlighting the work of worthy causes.

The couple started off in Bude Town Centre where Camilla, who already has five young grandchildren of her own, was particularly taken with some of the young fans they met.

Many mothers brought their babies to meet them including Trudi Lindsay, with her three-week-old daughter Ellie-Mae, who told Charles: "You have got one of these coming soon", to which the prince replied: "Hopefully!"

Camilla, however, was much more forthcoming as she unveiled a plaque to mark her visit to the hospice, aided by 13-year-old Alex Smith, who suffers from spinal muscular astrophy

As she gave an impromptu speech to the assembled guests, she said: "We are all just waiting by the telephone. We are hopeful that by the end of the week he or she will be here."

A Clarence House spokeswoman later confirmed the comment.

William and Kate's private office at Kensington Palace have refused to confirm the Duchess's exact due date, although Kate herself let slip during a public walkabout earlier this year that it is "mid July".

It is understood that William now has a few days off from his work as an RAF Search and Rescue pilot in North Wales.

Following two long-standing charity polo matches at the weekend, during which the Duchess decided stay with her parents in Berkshire, he and his wife will now remain at their Kensington Palace residence for a few days.

The palace is just a few minutes' drive from St Mary's in Paddington where Kate is hoping to have a natural birth.

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- DAILY MAIL