Prince William and Kate to Move into New London Home

Chris Jackson/Getty Images(LONDON) -- The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be trading their modest two bedroom London apartment for some more opulent digs, but only after an extreme home makeover.

The new apartment, which hasn’t been lived in since Princess Margaret died in 2002, has no hot water, asbestos in the walls, and decades old electrics. It’s estimated that $1.6 million in renovations will need to be done before it becomes liveable.

But the royals are willing to wait.

Prince William knows the four story, 20 room apartment well — it’s where he was raised by Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

So are the new digs a sign the couple plans to start a family?

Earlier this week, Kate sparked pregnancy rumors after she declined to eat peanut paste while on a humanitarian visit to a United Nations aid depot in Copenhagen. The palace has not commented on the issue.

Whenever the time comes, the royal couple can rest assured they will have just the place to raise a future king or queen.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Royal Women Now Get Equal Rights to the Throne

John Stillwell - Pool/Getty Images(PERTH, Australia) – The 16 nations of which Queen Elizabeth is a monarch have unanimously voted to change the rules of succession to the throne.

Now, under historic constitutional changes, both female and male members of the royal family will be given equality in the rules of succession.

What does this mean for the royal family? If, for example, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s first child is a girl, she will be able take precedence over any younger brother in the succession to the throne.

Under current laws that date back more than 300 years, the heir to the throne is to be the firstborn son of the monarch. The crown was formerly only passed to the eldest daughter when there are no sons.

The nations also voted to do away with the laws banning the spouse of a Roman Catholic from taking the throne.

Prime minister David Cameron announced these changes at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia and plans to pass the law in the UK before the next general election.

The Queen was also in attendance, and voiced her opinion that women should have a greater role in society.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Could Will and Kate's Royal Baby Girl Be Queen?

Niall Carson - WPA Pool / Getty Images(LONDON) -- A centuries-old tradition that gives preference of succession to the British throne to princes rather than princesses could soon come to an end.

The British parliament has proposed changing the rules -- in place for more than 300 years -- to allow females to become monarch.  Currently, females can only do so if they have no brothers, which is why Queen Elizabeth II was allowed to become ruler.

British Prime Minister David Cameron is taking the first steps to change the rules so that the first child of Prince William and Kate Middleton could benefit.

“I am very clear that it is an issue that we ought to get sorted, and I would be delighted to play a part in that,” Cameron said of his efforts.

By the way, there’s no indication that Middleton is pregnant.

The prime minister wants to update the Act of Settlement, the 310-year-old agreement that not only gives women second-class status, but would also lift a centuries-old ban on British monarchs marrying Roman Catholics.

In a letter to Commonwealth nations that recognize the queen as their head of state, Cameron described the ban as a “historical anomaly” because it does not bar those who take spouses of other faiths.

“We do not think it can continue to be justified,” he wrote.

The 16 Commonwealth nations that recognize Queen Elizabeth as head of state must give their formal approval before the proposal can take effect.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Zara Phillips and MikeTindall Married in Royal Ceremony

Indigo/Getty Images(EDINBURGH) -- Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter Zara Phillips married rugby player Mike Tindall on Saturday in Edinburgh.

The ceremony was Scotland's first royal wedding in almost 20 years.

The bride wore a silk and satin dress by Stewart Parvin with Jimmy Choo shoes. The couple wed in the Canongate Kirk.

Prince William, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, and the still unmarried Prince Harry were all in attendance.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Prince William and Kate Middleton Visit Hockey Country

Indigo/Getty Images(YELLOWKNIFE, Canada) -- The royal couple continued to charm the local residents of Yellowknife Tuesday as they took part in the country's favorite sport -- hockey.

Prince William, who is famously athletic, seemed to be out of his element. He took three shots on an unobstructed goal during a street game with local players but couldn't land the puck in the net.

Kate, dressed in a cream-colored linen three-quarter sleeve dress by designer Malene Birger and high nude heels, decided not to take any shots on goal. She laughed off some of the calls from the crowd to play, and instead dropped the ceremonial puck to start off the game.

Afterward, the couple was presented with two Olympic Team Canada hockey jerseys, printed with the last name "Cambridge" on the back. Kate, who has been popular among the crowds of young women and children, was presented with No. 1, while the future king was given No. 2.

It seemed the majority of the 19,000 residents of Yellowknife, the capital of Canada's sparsly populated Northwest Territories, were all out to catch a glimpse of the charming couple. As the tour continues, the two seem to be getting even more comfortable with the crowds and cameras.

"This place is what Canada is all about -- vast, open beauty, tough, resilient, friendly peoples, true nature, true humanity," said the prince as Kate sat beside him. "We've already sensed the extraordinary potential of this region, and the irrepressible spirit of adventure that marks the people of the territories and defines the land. We are so excited to be here."

He was given diamond encrusted polar bear cuff links and a matching broche as a token from the people of Yellowknife.

Later today the royal couple will visit the nothern Alberta town of Slave Lake, a town that was heavily damaged by a wildfire in May. They will then have the rest of the day to rest before moving on to Calgary on Thursday. The duke and duchess will finish their tour of Canada on Friday before leaving for California, where they are expected to visit Los Angeles' Skid Row. There they will visit a non-profit academy that has given poor children access to free classes in the performing arts.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Britain's Royal Couple Battles in Canadian Boat Race

Dan Kitwood/Getty Images(PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, Canada) -- Prince William outmatched his bride when the two teamed up with local athletes in a friendly dragon boat race on Prince Edward Island's Dalvay Lake in Canada Monday.

The prince was in the center of his team's boat rowing while the Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine Middleton, sat in the back of her boat to row.

As soon as the horn sounded to begin the race, the prince's team forged ahead of the duchess' boat, and in the end, William's team prevailed.

The prince tried to console his wife by giving her a hug as they stepped onto the pier.  After the race, they watched a band perform and ate some of the local fare of oysters and lobster.

Earlier on Monday, Prince William landed his military helicopter on the water of a lake in Prince Edward Island National Park.  Several onlookers were dressed in parkas and sat in lawn chairs near the edge of the water to see if the prince would be able to land the aircraft on the water as part of a military emergency training exercise.  He performed the landing a half dozen times.

Prince William, who is a Royal Air Force rescue helicopter pilot, requested the exercise as part of his visit to the province.  Canada is the only country that trains its Sea King helicopter pilots to do a controlled landing on water in case of an emergency.  The prince flies a Sea King in the U.K.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been making headlines since their visit to Canada began -- their first official overseas trip since marrying in April.

As the duchess greeted fans in Quebec City Sunday as part of their North American tour, one man asked her if she planned to have children.  Middleton, 29, who has not spoken publicly about having children, was overheard saying, "Yes, I hope to."

"It was really quite a surprise to hear her say that, quite an emotional response," said Katie Nicholl, an ABC News contributor and author of The Making of a Royal Romance.  "For Kate to give such an intimate aspiration is very special."

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Prince William and Kate Middleton to Visit North America

Indigo/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Prince William and his bride, Duchess Catherine Middleton (formerly known as Kate), are headed to North America for their first official royal visit.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are scheduled to begin their trip Thursday with a swing through Canada to celebrate Canada Day and tour the country's territories. Afterward, on July 8, they will descend upon the United States, where they are to receive a red-carpet welcome in California.

The royal newlyweds have a jam-packed schedule, but will be traveling with a scaled-down entourage. Here is a guide to their North American trip:

Mindful of the recession, the duke and duchess "want to keep their entourage to a minimum," an aide told People magazine. So out with the lady-in-waiting, in with Middleton's hairdresser, James Pryce. Middleton may be asking Pryce for advice on her outfits as well, since she nixed bringing a dresser along. The duchess, who has become something of a fashion plate, is reportedly bringing along 40 different outfit changes.

The scaled-down staff of seven also includes a couple of media experts to handle the expected crush of press. They include press secretary Miguel Head, who has plenty of experience traveling with royalty, including William's first overseas tour when he represented Queen Elizabeth, and Patrick Harrison, the Prince of Wales's press secretary, who is an old hand at North American travel, having toured Canada with William's father Prince Charles and Camilla.

Helping the young royals navigate proper protocol during their trip will be their private secretary, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, a former army officer, and his assistant Chris Kealey, who will act as the tour coordinator to keep the couple on schedule.

Sir David Manning, a former foreign policy aide to Prime Minister Tony Blair and Britain's ambassador to America for four years, will also tag along, coaching the couple on charity work, official functions and more.

This will be Middleton's first visit to Canada, while William is hoping to get to know the country better. Both plan to experience "the diversity, vibrancy of Canada, its geography and people," a source at St. James's Palace told People.

On July 1, the duke and duchess will celebrate Canada Day, the official holiday marking the formation of Canada into a single country, by attending a citizenship ceremony and a parade on Parliament Hill, the public grounds of Canada's parliament buildings.

The duke and duchess' short weekend jaunt to Los Angeles is seen as a working visit, not a time to mix with celebrities.

"The palace is really playing down any big introductions to A-list stars," ABC News royal correspondent Katie Nicholl said on Good Morning America. "These tours are fun but hard work. It's really about forging ties between America and Great Britain."

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Prince William Marks 29th Birthday Quietly

Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty Images(LONDON) -- So long to the carefree birthday celebrations of his youth and bachelor days. Just-married Prince William is marking the final birthday of his 20s on Tuesday at work.

William, a helicopter search and rescue pilot in the Royal Air Force, will remain on duty at a base in Anglesey, an island off the coast of Wales, and may even be pulling a 24-hour shift, palace officials confirmed.

"William has got to work on his birthday," Duncan Larcombe, royal correspondent for the UK's Daily Sun newspaper, told ABC's Good Morning America. The prince, he added, would have endured media and professional glare had he taken a birthday vacation.

"For an ordinary Royal Air Force pilot, it would be horrible if he was given the day off," he said.

A quiet day, away from the media spotlight may be just what the prince himself wanted for his 29th birthday, coming on the heels of what has been a whirlwind year for the royal.

"We see how William wants to start out," said Larcombe. "He will be a full-time, working royal."

The son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana was married to the former Kate Middleton at London's Westminster Abbey on April 29 in a fairy tale wedding that was watched by billions around the globe.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Royal Couple Prepares to Hit Hollywood in July

Niall Carson - WPA Pool / Getty Images(LONDON) -- The British are coming! Prince William and Duchess Catherine Middleton will descend on the U.S. on July 8, according to a schedule released by St. James Palace.

William, 28, and Catherine, 29, will arrive stateside after a swing through Canada to celebrate Canada Day, jam at Montreal's jazz festival, and tour the country's territories.

Their agenda in America is no less packed.  After meeting with technology entrepreneurs at the Beverly Hilton, the couple will shake hands with California politicians and other high-profile figures in Los Angeles.  The fun begins on Saturday, July 9, with a Santa Barbara charity polo match.  The Prince will play; the Duchess will hand out prizes.

That evening, they'll rub shoulders with stars from British television, film and theater at a red carpet, black-tie British Academy of Film and Television Arts dinner at L.A.'s Belasco Theatre.  Prince William, who's also the president of BAFTA, will give a speech at the gala.

Day three begins with more philanthropic work, starting with an event to support Tusk USA, an organization that raises funds for African wildlife.  Then they'll visit Inner-City Arts, an L.A. program that helps disadvantaged and homeless children through art.

On their final afternoon in the U.S., they'll attend an event for military veterans and their families at Sony Pictures Studios where they'll help put together care packages.  Then it's back across the pond to Britain.

And the royals aren't coming alone.  They'll travel with an entourage of seven schedulers and assistants, and the palace has taken measures to ensure the Duchess will look her best while hob-nobbing with Hollywood royalty -- hairdresser James Pryce will come along for the ride.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Prince William and Wife Get New Digs, Hire Servants

Chris Jackson/Getty Images(LONDON) -- After exchanging vows amidst the pomp and circumstance of a lavish royal wedding, Prince William and his new wife, the former Kate Middleton, vowed to live as much of an ordinary life as possible.

But now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as the couple is officially known, are advertising for household servants to help with the realities of day-to-day life, from housekeeping to dressing.

The royal call for help comes as the couple settles in after marriage and prepares to move into their new London apartment at Kensington Palace, William's childhood home.

Their primary residence will remain a small house in Anglesey, an island off the coast of northwest Wales where William, 27, serves as a Royal Air Force helicopter rescue pilot.

But Kensington Palace will now be their London home, to accommodate the couple for weekend and official visits.

The couple had previously been staying with William's brother, Prince Harry, at St. James Palace during their London stays.

The move to Kensington means the couple will now have a place of their own, and all the demands that come with being a royal "homeowner."

The new hires, palace officials say, will be based in London and will not be required to travel when the couple returns to their home in Anglesey. 

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio