Prince William and Princess Kate confirmed on September 4th that they are expecting their third child through a statement made by Kensington Palace. The Palace announced that “Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their third child. The Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news.” 

Not many specific details have been released about the pregnancy quite yet, as this announcement was very much a sudden surprise.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their third child pic.twitter.com/DZCheAj1RM

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) September 4, 2017

The news arrived from the palace earlier than intended due to Princess Kate’s hyperemesis gravidarum, a form of acute morning sickness she faced while pregnant with her other two children, 4-year-old Prince George and 2-year-old Princess Charlotte. This sickness caused Kate to cancel her Monday engagements. The Duchess of Cambridge is assumed to be barely three months pregnant based on the timing of her illness, as stated by The Telegraph. Despite these initial struggles, however, people are thrilled by the news of a new addition to the family. 

Though the baby will most likely arrive between late March and mid May, many are already speculating about the baby’s name and sex; Alice and Arthur are at the top of the list as possible first name choices. Other popular choices include James, Phillip, Victoria, Alexandra, and Elizabeth, even though Princess Charlotte’s middle name is also Elizabeth.

Regardless of his or her sex, this baby will be fifth in line to the British throne. In the past, daughters would only be eligible to inherit the throne if there were no living sons. However, as changed by the Succession to the Crown Act in 2013, if a boy is born into a family with an older female sibling, the boy will no longer usurp the older sister’s place for the crown. The birth of the Duke and Duchess’s third baby will be a revolutionary one, as this is the first time that this act will be put into effect. This child is a representation of one more step taken in favor of equal rights, and these developments bring hope that even more positive actions will soon follow.