Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, was glowing in green as she handed out shamrocks to the Irish Guards at Mons Barracks during the St Patrick's Day military parade in Aldershot.
The 31-year-old pregnant royal, who was accompanied by Prince William, looked gorgeous in a green Emilia Wickstead dress coat - the same one she wore last year. The Duchess combined the green dress with a black hat and Emmy pumps. She completed her look with the Queen Mother's gold shamrock brooch.
There was one little snafu though, when Kate Middleton got her heel caught in a grate and had to seek the help of her husband, Prince William. The prince held her hand as she worked her heel free but couldn't help having a little laugh at his wife's expense.
The St Patrick's Day visit comes after the Duchess' solo trip to Grimsby. William was unable to attend that occasion as he was on RAF duty. And while at Grimsby, the Kate Middleton had a little slip of the tongue, when she may have blurted out the royal baby, due in July, would be a girl.
Meanwhile, back at Aldershot, Guardsman Lee Wheeler told Kate he missed his 22-month-old son while on duty and spoke to her about her baby.
"I asked her, 'Do you know if it's a girl or boy?', and she said, 'Not yet'. She said, 'I'd like to have a boy and William would like a girl'. That's always the way," he recalled, "I asked her if she had any names yet and she said no. I said I suppose you've got to stick to traditional names."
Meanwhile, the Duchess also discussed motherhood with Sergeant Thomas Laven, who has a seven-month-old son called Theo.
"I congratulated her on the impending birth and said you've got sleepless nights to come. She said she was prepared for it," he said.
This year's parade was Prince William's first official public engagement since becoming an RAF officer. Prior to their visit to Aldershot, the royal couple made a surprise appearance at the final day of the Cheltenham Festival.
Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge speaks to a soldier during a visit with her husband, Prince William, to attend a St Patrick's Day Parade at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2013. Prince William attended the Parade as Colonel of the Regiment, and the Duchess presented the traditional sprigs of shamrocks to the Officers and Guardsmen of the Regiment.ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge presents shamrock to the mascot of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, an Irish wolfhound called Domhnall, as she attends a St Patrick's Day Parade at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2013. Prince William attended the Parade as Colonel of the Regiment, and the Duchess presented the traditional sprigs of shamrocks to the Officers and Guardsmen of the Regiment.ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge smiles during a visit with her husband, Prince William (3rd L), to attend a St Patrick's Day Parade at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2013. Prince William attended the Parade as Colonel of the Regiment, and the Duchess presented the traditional sprigs of shamrocks to the Officers and Guardsmen of the Regiment.ReutersBritain's Prince William (C) supports his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge as she pulls her heel from a grate during a visit on St Patrick's Day to Mons Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2013.ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (2nd L) is presented with a shamrock during a visit with her husband Prince William (2nd R) to the 1st Battalion Irish Guards for a St Patrick's Day Parade at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2013.ReutersBritain's Prince William (C) stands in the rain during a visit to Mons Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2013. Prince William attended the St Patrick's Day Parade as Colonel of the Regiment, and his wife Catherine, Duchess presented the traditional sprigs of shamrocks to the Officers and Guardsmen of the Regiment.ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (2nd R) and her husband Prince William (2nd L) pose for an official photograph as they attend a St Patrick's Day Parade at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2013. Prince William attended the Parade as Colonel of the Regiment, and the Duchess presented the traditional sprigs of shamrocks to the Officers and Guardsmen of the Regiment.Reuters
