Was THIS Instagram snap Beyonce's Christmas pregnancy clue? Fans speculate shot of singer holding up two fingers was cryptic hint at twins

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She sent the Internet into meltdown after revealing she's pregnant with twins in a striking Instagram post. 

But fans have started to speculate that Beyonce actually provided them with a clue to her condition at Christmas with a cryptic Instagram shot.

The 35-year-old posted a GIF on December 18 last year showing her posing in a plunging and clinging mini dress while brandishing two fingers at the camera.

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It takes two: Beyonce held up two fingers to the camera in an Instagram shot  posted in December which many fans saw as a cryptic signal that she is expecting twins 

Sporting a pair of silver reindeer antlers, the singer posed in front of a huge Christmas tree while striking several different poses. 

Following Beyonce's pregnancy announcement on Wednesday, fans have been quick to jump on the December shot, with some speculating they can see a small baby bump, while others take her two finger salute as a sure signal for twins. 

One fan speculated: 'I didn't pay attention until now. And the peace sign must've been a hint at the twins. She's the queen of hidden messages.'

Another excitedly commented: 'So it wasn't a peace sigh, it was a two babies signal,' while a third fan was wrote: 'OMG is it just me or can you can actually see a baby bump.' 

'Bey giving hints the entire time,' sighed another Instagram follower.

Big hints: Fans were convinced Beyonce was giving them a cryptic clue on Instagram 

Artsy: In one image posted on her website following the pregnancy announcement, the singer channels the iconic Birth of Venus painting by Sandro Botticelli

 'She was hinting back in December!' another fan claimed, while another wondered if they could see a bump under the singer's dress, adding 'she might be due April.'

'You can KIND of see that blue dress has a low bump facing the front,' one wrote. 'I don't know about the side view though.'

Meanwhile, it seems the singer's pregnancy was even a surprise to her own father.

Matthew Knowles revealed to The Insider that he learned the news along with the rest of the world. 

'I was shocked,' he told the U.S. website. 'I got a first text, and I was like, "Why is this person saying congratulations?" Then I get a second text from one of my students at Texas Southern, and I was like, "What are you talking about?" He was like, "Go to the web." I didn't know myself.' 

Hint with a wink: Other fans scrutinised the shot of Beyonce in her clinging dress suggesting there was a 'low bump' there

Shocked: Beyonce did not tell her father Matthew Knowles, pictured here back in 2007, of her pregnancy, leaving him to find out on the Internet

However, Matthew has since spoken to the singer, revealing he thought she sounded weary after rehearsing for her Grammys performance.

'She sounded a little tired ’cause she’s been working on the Grammy performance,' he said. 'We just had a wonderful daughter-dad conversation.'

Beyonce has certainly made the most of her second pregnancy, posting an array of eye-catching images on her website.  

On Thursday the singer's website was awash with images of her showing off her baby bump, along with throwback snaps of her daughter Blue Ivy when she was a newborn.

Included in the collection were some artsy underwater GIFs showing the Drunk in Love hitmaker wrapped in colourful strips of fabric as she displays her burgeoning tummy. 

True Queen Bey style! Beyonce shared an artsy video clip of her showing off her baby bump underwater as part of her pregnancy album on Thursday

Two on the way: Bey is seen wrapped in colourful strips of fabric as she sinks to the bottom of a pool

The short clip shows the Grammy-winner sinking in a pool and bringing her arms down to cradle her belly as she looks at the camera.

Swather of gold fabric wrap around her chest and legs while a strip of red material is knotted around her stomach. 

As Bey announced the news she updated her website and social media with numerous photos to celebrate the moment.

'I have three hearts' she titled the album and also included quotes from poems by Somali-British poet Warsan Shire.

Water baby: The Grammy winner floats upside down in this shot with red and gold fabric wrapped around her torso

Motherhood: Beyonce titled her album 'I have three hearts'

Shire's work was also featured on Beyonce's album Lemonade.

In a variety of beautiful photos the singer shows off her baby bump in different outfits and settings.

In one image she channeled the iconic Birth of Venus painting by Sandro Botticelli.

Her original announcement came in the form of her sitting atop a floral arrangement wearing lingerie and a veil.  

She added a caption which read: 'We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes. - The Carters.'

Breaking the internet: The star has not revealed when her due date will be

Within eight hours of the announcement, Beyonce's picture was liked more than 6million times.

Now, the photo has 8.3million likes and has broken the record for the most-liked Instagram picture ever, overtaking Selena Gomez's famous Coca-cola picture with 6.3million.  

Beyonce and Jay-Z met in the late 1990s and got married in 2008 and are already parents to five-year-old Blue Ivy. 

'We have been blessed two times over': Beyonce's  original announcement came in the form of her sitting atop a floral arrangement wearing lingerie and a veil