INSIDE STORY OF PRINCE WILLIAM & KATE'S BABY

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INSIDE US WEEKLY

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The Prince William And Kate Cover Story

The cover story from the new issue of Us Weekly has all of the details on Prince William and Duchess Kate’s royal baby news! Royal-watchers all around the globe had been on tenterhooks for months, but the grandparents-to-be got the news first. Kate and husband of nearly two years Prince William were visiting Carole and Michael Middleton at their Georgian manor in Bucklebury, England, the weekend of December 1 when the royals shared their hidden joy: At long last, they are expecting a little prince or princess! The celebratory mood was soon overshadowed, however, when Kate awakened December 3 feeling lightheaded and nauseous. When her condition didn’t improve by 2 p.m., a tense William whisked his wife (with security in tow) to London’s King Edward VII’s Hospital an hour away. He didn’t leave till 8:22 that night, a witness says, and “he looked pensive and kept his eyes down.”

The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby,” St. James’ Palace said via a statement released at 4 p.m., not long after Kate had been admitted for hyperemesis gravidarum a.k.a. acute morning sickness. The couple had often expressed their desire to start a family since their lavish April 2011 wedding, but like any expectant mom, Kate, who is not yet 12 weeks along, “wanted to keep it a secret until it was safe,” says a palace source. Says an aide, “It was a reluctant decision for the two of them. They wanted to wait until Christmas Day.” Now Kate, who’s on an IV drip to stay hydrated and get important nutrients, remains on bed rest for several days (her engagements are canceled through December 9). And despite the complications, the college sweethearts, both 30, have a positive outlook. “William and Kate are elated,” says the palace source. “They wanted to keep the news quiet a while longer, but it doesn’t take away any of their excitement.”

Also included below are this week’s Hot Stuff items which include the scoop on Brandi Glanville and LeAnn Rimes’ latest feud, Jessica Simpson’s Weight Watchers endorsement deal being in danger, and Lauren Conrad and Stephen Colletti’s sweet run-in.

HOT STUFF

BRANDI TELLS US: LeAnn Is ‘Not Stable’

Glanville says her son ate — ick! — one of Rimes’ laxatives

Does LeAnn Rimes need to lock up the medicine cabinet? Brandi Glanville tells Hot Stuff she recently “freaked the f--k out” when her son Mason, 9, became ill from eating one of Rimes’ laxatives. “She has one in every purse. Mason found one on the floor and thought it was a Skittle! They don’t keep sugar in the house. He thought he finally found candy.” (Responds Rimes’ rep, “Just more inaccuracies and halftruths.”) Glanville, 40 — whose then-husband, Eddie Cibrian, 39, had an affair with Rimes, 30, in 2009 and married her in 2011 — “emailed, called, but got no answers!” Her claim comes after she and Rimes engaged in yet another Twitter war December 1 when the singer referred to Glanville’s sons as “my boys.” The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star fumes, “LeAnn’s not stable. I can’t have a child raising my kids!”

JESSICA SIMPSON: Endorsement in Danger!

Jessica Simpson has lost points with Weight Watchers. A source tells Hot Stuff execs are livid that their spokeswoman, 32, got pregnant just seven months after welcoming daughter Maxwell. “They’re furious at Jessica,” says the source of the star, who has a $4 million deal to shed the pounds. “She was already on thin ice with them since she didn’t lose enough for the first ad, when they had to shoot from the waist up.” Now her second campaign — celebrating a 70-pound loss — may not air. “They don’t think it can run. No one wants to hear about a pregnant woman dieting.” (Counters a Simpson pal: “The ads will air as planned. And it was Weight Watchers’ idea to shoot her from the waist up the first time.”) While Simpson’s belly swells, her bank account may not. Adds the source: “There’s a chance they won’t pay her the whole $4 million!”

LC’s Sweet Run-in!

So over it! When Lauren Conrad, 26, saw ex Stephen Colletti, 26, at the Sandpiper Lounge in Laguna Beach, California, November 23, “she yelled, ‘Stephen!’ and gave him a hug,” a witness tells Hot Stuff. Turns out that despite their messy 2004 split on MTV’s Laguna Beach, Conrad (dating student William Tell, 32)and Colletti (romancing actress Chelsea Kane, 24) are “good friends,” a source insists. “No bad blood!”