A rough translation from an article in this week's Story:
"In October Laeken will be celebrating again. Filip and Mathilde are expecting their third child. The princess will have to take things a bit easier the coming months, because with another royal baby she and Filip will be busier than ever!
In our India report a few weeks ago, we already reported the specualtions about a third pregnancy for Mathilde. But it wasn't untill last week that the news was made official. the princely couple always stated they wanted several children. Elisabeth will soon be 4, and Gabriël will be 2 in August so there's obviously a regularity in their familyplanning! The sooner their little family is complete, the longer the couple will be able to enjoy their children without being burdened by the heavy task of kingship.
Although Filip and Mathilde already have an overloaded agenda. Apart from the many obligations to do with 175 years of Belgium, there are a few foreign journeys awaiting them in the next months. In June there's an important economic mission to Japan. That probably won't be a problem yet for Mathilde, but for the missions to Canada (in October) and Brazil (later in the year) she will of course stay at home. The question is wether Filip will be wanting to leave his wife alone in that period. He certainly doesn't want to miss the birth!
So far, Mathilde has always succeeded in combining her official tasks with the care for her family. Even though this gets harder and harder because the princess refuses to hire a full time nanny. Filip takes his daughter to school in the morning. Mathilde tries to be home when school finishes. their weekends are reserved for the children and the holidays are sacred. These past Easter holidays were spent in Verbier, their favorite skiing station in Switzerland, at the foot of the Mont Blanc. Filip skied as often as he could, and now we understand why Mathilde left her skis at home.
In October, Mathilde shall undoubtedly want to give birth in a natural way again. It will be a few nervous and exciting hours in the Erasmusclinic in Brussels..."