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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Jennifer Newton

Prince William rules out baby number four with overheard comment as Kate Middleton cuddles tot

Prince William playfully ruled out having a fourth child as the Duchess of Cambridge cuddled an adorable baby on a visit to Lancashire.

The pair, who are already parents to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, were at Church on the Street in Burnley, a centre that helps people struggling with poverty, homelessness, addiction or other problems.

As they posed for pictures with families at the centre, Kate found herself cradling three-and-a-half-month old baby girl Anastasia Barrie, the daughter of Trudi and Alastair Barrie, who work at the centre.

As Kate cooed over Anastasia, those around couldn't help but say "aww" and William, looking at his wife gazing at the baby, joked: "Don't give her any ideas," to laughter.

Kate Middleton cuddles baby Anastasia Barrie during a visit to Church on the Street in Burnley (PA)
Prince William told Kate: "You can't take her with you!" (PA)

He then told his smiling wife: "You can't take her with you!"

However, it's not the first time that the couple has appeared to rule out baby number four - despite Kate's obvious love for children.

In 2019, on a visit to Northern Ireland, Kate met a five-month-old baby and admitted that it made her feel broody.

When the baby's father cheekily asked: "Baby number four?" Kate joked: "I think William would be a little worried."

William and Kate visited Burnley after seeing Church on the Street in a TV report (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

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Elsewhere on their visit to Church on the Street yesterday, there was a touching moment when William sympathised with a grieving schoolboy whose mum died last year - telling him things will get "easier".

William and Kate with 11-year-old grieving schoolboy Deacon Glover (PA)

William, who lost his own mother, Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, when he was 15, told Deacon Glover, 11, "I know how you feel", after learning his mother, Grace Taylor, died last year aged 28.

Putting a hand on Deacon's shoulder, William told him: "It gets easier."

Both William and Kate spent about 15 minutes talking to the schoolboy and his great-grandmother, Carole Ellis.

William and Kate went to Burnley after seeing television reports about the work of Pastor Mick Fleming, who set up Church on the Street in 2019 to help the homeless and disadvantaged living in Burnley and surrounding areas.

Since then the project has grown and the Church, housed in a former gym, now offers refuge and a safe space for anyone struggling, including those with mental health problems.

Funded by donations, it provides a food bank, clothing bank, hot showers, laundry, a cafe, recovery groups, addiction and mental health support, access to a qualified counsellor, and a safe space for up to 200 people at any one time.

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