Charles - ‘We’re hoping for granddaughter’

Charles told a 100-year-old military veteran at Windsor Castle that he hoped his second grandchild would be a girl as he joked with the centenarian about the difficulties of having a daughter.

Lynda Bateman, whose father, Eric Jones, is the oldest surviving member of the Welsh Guards, said: “My father introduced me as his daughter and Prince Charles asked how many daughters he had.

“My father said ‘One - and that’s enough’ and Charles laughed and said ‘And we’re hoping for a granddaughter!’”

Earlier, the Duchess of Cornwall told the wife of another veteran that there was still no news about whether Kate was about to go into labour.

Maureen Morris, whose husband Bill served with the Welsh Guards between 1952 and 1955, said: “I asked if she had any news and she said ‘No’. I said ‘It will be great when it happens’.”

Charles and Camilla were joined at Windsor Castle by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh to present new Colours to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, which is celebrating its centenary year.

Kate was expecting to give birth to her second child - a brother or sister to Prince George - in mid to late April, but she is now several days overdue.

The Queen and Charles, who is regimental colonel of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, honoured more than 300 troops, dressed in ceremonial red tunics and bearskins, who had gathered for the ceremony in the castle’s quadrangle.