Shelley Bridgeman: Prince Charles drops a baby clanger

Prince Charles would be well advised to think about exactly what constitutes appropriate behaviour for a prospective grandfather. Photos / Getty Images

The Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant with her second child. As with her first one, this pregnancy was announced early because she is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum which, by all accounts, is a most debilitating condition. She withdrew from her much hyped solo trip to Malta and is being treated at Kensington Palace. (She was famously hospitalised while carrying Prince George.)

In those circumstances, feeling so unwell and facing a very public pregnancy, you'd think her nearest and dearest would offer only nonjudgmental support and encouragement - even perhaps provide practical assistance such as delivering a home-cooked lasagne, dusting the tiaras, shampooing Lupo or offering to help the nanny raise Prince George.

Unfortunately, it seems Prince Charles is not familiar with the unwritten codes of behaviour polite people subscribe to when awaiting a new arrival in the family. What one should most definitely not do in this situation is put pressure on the no doubt already stressed mother-to-be. One should simply offer one's congratulations and say no more.

But, instead, Prince Charles, perhaps following in the footsteps of the Duke of Edinburgh who is prone to dropping clangers, immediately announced that he wanted a granddaughter. The Times reported: "Most grandparents say they are thrilled and leave it at that. The Prince of Wales, however, was left a hostage to fortune ... when he said he hoped that his latest grandchild would be a girl."

It's bad enough for any father-in-law to declare a gender preference but it's especially poor judgement for the man who is first in line to the British throne to utter this idle thought to journalists. Surely he understood that whatever he said would be widely reported. This is a private view, something he should have whispered to Camilla. Instead it's a sentiment that was communicated immediately back to his son and daughter-in-law through the inevitable media reports.

If I was experiencing acute morning sickness I would be beyond ropeable if an in-law expressed unwarranted opinions about his wish for a granddaughter - especially considering the fact that (barring high-tech intervention) gender selection is fully out of my control. My guess is that the Duchess of Cambridge will be boycotting Sandringham this Christmas. She will be holidaying with the Middletons. You heard it here.

In the meantime, Prince Charles would be well advised to think about exactly what constitutes appropriate behaviour for a prospective grandfather. There's no shortage of online advice for grandparents, so ignorance is really no excuse - even if you're as out of touch with the common people as natural-born royals must be. One website says: "From the moment ... you get the good news, your actions and reactions matter." I'm guessing that means one will end up paying for expressing one's opinions so carelessly. The chances of "Charles" being chosen as a middle name for the new royal would have to be slim - even if it is, sadly (Charles' sentiment, not mine), a boy.

The facile assumption that one always wants the next child to be a different gender from the first is not without precedent. It's well accepted that parents (possibly even grandparents) of girls sometimes want a boy next - and vice versa. Even the New Zealand Woman's Weekly reinforced that concept. "Pregnant & praying for a PRINCESS" was the headline that shouted from a very pink front cover which also showed a rosy-cheeked Kate.

The Duchess of Cambridge doubtless has better things to worry about than whether she is carrying a prince or a princess. Her health is a far more pressing concern. Accordingly, she would be well advised to dismiss the idle ponderings of her tactless father-in-law. After all, she has only a fifty-fifty chance of satisfying his stated longings. Some people simply want a healthy, happy baby. Others have further expectations - and often the feeling is that they should keep those particular desires to themselves.

And spare a thought for the new baby if it turns out to be a boy. How will he feel when he discovers he disappointed his paternal Grandpa before he even drew his first breath? Pragmatists will be hoping this baby is a second son for the Cambridges. As we know, thrifty Kate has a penchant for recycling clothes and wearing the same things (striped tops, navy blazers, skinny jeans and wedges) over and over again. Having another boy would mean he could use all of George's hand-me-downs - which would certainly take pressure off the royal wallet.