Royal couple expecting winter baby

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Sophie, 42, and the Earl of Wessex, 43, are "thrilled and excited" at the news, a spokeswoman said.

The couple already have a daughter, three-year-old Lady Louise Windsor, who was born prematurely in 2003.

The Queen, who is known to be very close to Sophie and Edward, is "delighted" at the happy news.

The new royal baby will be the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's eighth grandchild.

A Buckingham Palace statement said: "Their Royal Highnesses the Earl and Countess of Wessex are expecting a baby in December. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and members of both families are delighted with the news."

A Palace spokeswoman said: "The Earl and the Countess are both thrilled and excited. The Countess will continue with engagements as normal and take doctors' advice."

The Countess is believed to be around three months pregnant.

The announcement comes after difficult times over the years for Sophie and Edward in their quest for parenthood. Before the birth of Lady Louise, the Countess suffered a life threatening ectopic pregnancy and was airlifted to hospital by helicopter for emergency treatment.

In November 2003, while pregnant with Lady Louise, she was taken to hospital a month early after falling ill at her home in Bagshot Park, Surrey. The couple's daughter was born weighing just 4lb 9oz and transferred to a neo-natal unit at another hospital, while doctors cared for the sick Countess.