Almost as soon as Kate Middleton married Prince William and became the FUTURE QUEEN (consort) OF ENGLAND in 2011, the watch on her waistline began. For those eager for a royal pregnancy, the wait is over: Buckingham Palace confirmed today that Kate and William are expecting their first child.
As frantic tabloid editors brainstorm for the best headline and maternity-clothes designers plot to get their labels on that royal bump, Kate's pregnancy is a reminder that, no matter how modern this royal couple may be, it's impossible to wrench their role away from its ultimate purpose: to produce an heir and a spare to the British throne.