The monarch's grandson Peter Phillips and his wife Autumn are expecting their first child this month and sources close to the royal family say they are hoping for a Christmas Day (25.12.10) arrival.
Peter - who is 11th in line to the throne and is the son of the 84-year-old queen's daughter Princess Anne and her husband Captain Mark Phillips - married Canadian Autumn two years ago.
The pair met in 2003 in Montreal, Canada - but at the time Peter kept his royal connections a secret, seeing "no reason" why she should be told.
Autumn only discovered her boyfriend was the queen's grandson six weeks into their relationship when she spotted him in TV footage of his cousin Prince William's birthday - and checked his name on the internet.
Peter and Autumn live in Hong Kong where Peter works for the Royal Bank of Scotland.
It has been a busy year for royal celebrations, Peter’s sister Zara Phillips announced her engagement to rugby star Mike Tindall earlier this week while his cousin Prince William revealed he is to marry long term girlfriend Kate Middleton next year.
