Will and Kate's July baby has plenty of birthday company

Prince William and his wife Kate are seen during their visit to St. George's Park in Staffordshire on Oct. 9. (AP Photo)

It’s going to be another hectic summer for Will and Kate.

Between the Olympics, Diamond Jubilee and a royal tour, it’s a wonder they even had time to initiate family plans this past summer.

But they did, and the official word from St. James’s Palace is that all is well health-wise and the third in line for the throne (behind Charles and William) is due to make an entrance in July, just in time for the royal couple’s move to Kensington Palace and a likely ramping up of Prince William’s royal duties. Despite speculation, it is a solo birth ... no twins.

With the Duchess of Cambridge safely into her second trimester, the real guessing games can begin. And judging from online chatter, maybe the best way to approach it the topic is an old-fashioned FAQ:  

When’s the actual due date?

If we assume that Kate has passed the 14-week threshold, she would be due mid-July. That would put the forthcoming heir in the birthday company of several royals, including the step-grandma, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (right), who turns 66 on July 17. That day is, in fact, the most popular for betting houses at 4-1 odds. There’s all kinds of irony in that, considering the matrimonial history of William’s parents and the birthday of his late mother, Princess Diana, falling on July 1.

Other royals in the potential birthday vicinity are Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden (July 14, 1977), Crown Prince Haakon of Norway (July 20, 1973) and Princess Alexandra of Hanover (July 20, 1999). If estimates are off by a few weeks, the little one could land close to Gucci amabassador and princess, Charlotte Casiraghi of Monaco (Aug. 3, 1986, right photo) or even to one of William’s cousins -- Princess Beatrice (Aug. 8, 1988). If the baby is early, it could be a joint celebration with its dad’s birthday on June 21.

Of course, for the celebrity chasers, the big question will be if Kate beats Kim Kardashian to the birthing room. KK is due around the same time.

When was the child conceived?

It’s nobody’s business, of course, but that hasn’t stopped the guessing games from every corner of the web world. At first, many thought it must have been during one of those romantic stops on Will and Kate’s south seas tour in September. Germany’s Bild newspaper pinned it to the Solomon Islands. The Daily Mail in London, though, figures the key dates were Oct. 8-11. That was a busy week for couple, including visiting scholarship students and opening a new national soccer training centre. Kate then went on a solo visit to Newcastle while William attended the funeral of his former nanny.

What will be the name?

The royals typically reach into their bag of ancestors for this. The betting favorites, if it’s a boy, are George and Charles. For a girl, it’s Victoria, Elizabeth and -- in memory of William’s mother -- Diana. In either case, the baby will have a royal title of Prince or Princess.

Where will the baby be born?

Most certainly in a hospital. The most mentioned are St. Mary’s, where Prince William and Harry were born (right), and King Edward VII, where Kate was treated last month for acute morning sickness.

Royals giving birth in hospital is still a rather recent trend. All of the Queen’s children were born at Buckingham Palace and William is the first direct heir to be born in one.

The bookies are taking bets on anything and everything about the birth, from method (natural or Caesarian), to hair colour (brown’s the favourite), to weight, to which magazine might get the first exclusive photos (Hello’s the top choice).

This child had better appreciate the relative peace and quiet of the womb. It's going to be a heckuva ride once it's out.