Kate Middleton
The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton

The Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine Middleton, has spoken publicly for the first time about her pregnancy, revealing that she wants a baby boy.

The comments were made as Catherine and her husband inspected the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day parade in Aldershot on Sunday 17 March.

Afterwards Kate handed out sprigs of shamrock to members of the regiment and chatted to guardsmen and officers.

The Telegraph reports that guardsman Lee Wheeler, 29, told the Duchess he missed his 22-month-old son while on duty, and spoke to her about her baby, which is due in June.

"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."

The Duchess also discussed motherhood with Sergeant Thomas Laven, who has a seven-month-old son called Theo.

He said: "I congratulated her on the impending birth and said you've got sleepless nights to come. She said she was prepared for it."

Earlier, Kate's heel had become stuck in some grating, and she had to be helped free by William.