Duchess of Cornwall has given the strongest hint yet that a new royal baby is imminent as she tells well-wishers to expect a bundle of joy by the ‘end of the week’

Camilla told crowd in Cornwall that royal baby is expected this week
Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall in Westcountry for annual visit

PUBLISHED: 13:37 EST, 15 July 2013 | UPDATED: 01:11 EST, 16 July 2013

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The world’s press corps has 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.

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Visit: Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were in Bude, Cornwall, on their annual trip to the Westcountry

Grandfather-to-be: The Prince seemed thrilled to meet 16-month-old Jasmine Marsh and her mother Jessica

Secret's out: Camilla told the crowd they were expecting a grandchild 'by the end of the week'

Prince Charles gets grandfather practice during annual visit to...

Warm welcome: Schoolchildren in Bude waved flags as they waited for the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall

Honour: The couple were presented with flowers by Fairy Queen Amber Clay and Fairy Princess Emily Hardy, both aged 10

Surf's up: The Prince of Wales chatted with local surfers as he visited Bude as part of Cornwall Week

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.

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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.

Anticipation: Press have been camped outside St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London, for days waiting for the arrival of the royal baby

Pack: The press pen is full of reporters from around the world waiting for the news that the Duchess of Cambridge has gone into labour

All set: The press pen outside the hospital has been equipped with everything the reporters need

Hedging her bets: Royal supporter Margaret Tyler is waiting for news of the birth before choosing which balloon she will wave

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’.

Sources have told the Daily Mail that her due date was, in fact, today, which would tie in with Camilla’s confidence that the baby will make an appearance this week.

Expecting: The Duchess of Cambridge is due to give birth any day now

Together: After spending the weekend playing polo, William is now back at his wife's side in Kensington

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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"...when the Queen returned from Scotland she, Prince Philip & William "had another private meeting." I'm hoping it's to inform William that he & Catherine will inherit the throne & not Charles & awful Camilla. One has to admit they are too old now & should retire to Charles' country home. They don't have a clue as to mix with & communicate with the public. William knows both sides of the fence so to speak thanks to the late Princess Diana..the Peoples Princess!!!!!!!!"- Jo , deloraine, Australia, 16/7/2013 10:47 ~~~~~~~ With respect, The Queen may not "inform William that he & Catherine will inherit the throne", as the decision is not hers to make. The British Constitution enshrines in law the succession to the throne of the eldest child (once son, now either sex) of the monarch. Further, If W. knew "both sides of the fence" from the sainted Diana, what kind of "wonderful" mother dumps on her children like that? Good mothers protect their children from such knowledge.

- CherryPink , South Oxfordshire, 16/7/2013 15:17

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"Chatty Camilla let slip the royal secret during a visit to Little Harbour children¿s hospice..."...............How insensitive of her to make such a comment at a children's hospice, where children are dying and their parents' hearts breaking.

- Catherine , Australia, Australia, 16/7/2013 15:15

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jen Cambridge 12 ..22 the reason they did not marry before was because they were not allowed.

- jackie johns 1 , london, 16/7/2013 15:13

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jen Cambridge 12 ..22 the reason they did not marry before was because they were not allowed.

- jackie johns 1 , london, 16/7/2013 15:13

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I don't really have a say in what the UK does with it's money but I think it is quite Sad that not every baby is born equal. That isn't the case anywhere but never is it shown to such an extent as this.- Peasant-from-Giesing, München, Germany, 16/7/2013 13:48 Rubbish....Germany has a massive aristocracy from when it was individual states - we should know as our Royal family was inter-married with most of them; Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein - are you telling me these old families are all gone?

- ladysam , southampton, 16/7/2013 14:52

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Camilla didn't "mother" William or Harry .. they were grown men when their father "married" her. She won't be "grandmothering" this child either. She needs to stand back and let William and Kate run their business. - Alexandra, Vancouver, Canada, 15/7/2013 22:59 -------------------Grown men??????? William was 15 and Harry was 13. They both get along well with Camilla which says a lot more about their maturity then your comment does about you!!!! Camilla is going to be a great and loving gramma to William andCatherine's baby and that is just eating you alive isn't it? Best of luck to William, Catherine, GRAMMA Camilla and the new BABY. - Brittnee, Chilicothee USA, 16/7/2013 2:56 The year after Diana died Camilla was in hiding. Charles took care of the boys and Harry and William sought comfort with their nanny Tiggy Legge Bourke. You can look it up. k

- Sandy , New York City, United States, 16/7/2013 14:48

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9 months is the usual length of time........unless Royal babies are different of course.

- ladysam , southampton, 16/7/2013 14:48

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Everything about her says she does NOT want to be in the limelight-- which was a strong reason why she did not marry Charles at the outset. . - Jen, Cambridge, 16/7/2013 7:22 Oh please. Camilla smiles for cameras even looking for them, grins like the cat who got the cream and has been in the limelight with Charles before they married. If she didn't want to be in the limelight she could have said no to Charles and also let him work on his marriage to Diana. Everything about the woman screams Look at Me.

- Sandy , New York City, United States, 16/7/2013 14:45

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I can't get over a person who says Diana is not the grandmother gets green arrows. Are Camilla's fans THAT deluded that they would enable such posters. Diana is the grandmother not Camilla. Camilla is the step grandmother, has her own grandchildren with Andrew Parker Bowles and did not even raise William and Harry. So red arrow away people I've had my say on this.

- Sandy , New York City, United States, 16/7/2013 14:41

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- rjgb, Plymouth Devon, 16/7/2013 11:42 - You're the witch! Diana is NOT the grandmother because she is DEAD.I am sure Camilla will be a lovely granny and I wish sad deluded people like you would grow up and move on. - Heather , Camberley, 16/7/2013 13:24 Seriously? So dead grandparents are no longer grandparents. Tell that to people who search for their "roots." Camilla got most of what Diana had but surely you jest when you think Diana is not the grandmother. So the royal family will airbrush Diana out of genealogical charts and the child won't hear about her. Dream on.

- Sandy , New York City, United States, 16/7/2013 14:39

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