WAS the potential heir to the British throne conceived at the Raffles Hotel?

That is the rumour making the rounds as royal watchers guess where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge conceived their baby.

A statement released by St James' Palace on Dec 3 stated that the pregnancy is still in its "very early stages", while Britain's Press Association news agency reported that the pregnancy had not passed the 12-week point.

This prompted royal watchers around the world to believe the conception may have taken place after Sept10, which was when Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton visited Singapore.

The couple, both 30, stayed at the Raffles Hotel from Sept 11 to Sept 13.

Gossip website Gawker.com joined the fray by listing possible countries where they may have conceived the child.

Based on the reports of when the duchess' morning sickness kicked in, Gawker estimated that the child was conceived after Sept 10, but before Nov 5.

The places visited by the royal couple during that period include Singapore, Malaysia, and the Pacific islands of the Solomons and Tuvalu. They were also back in the United Kingdom.

The royal couple were in Singapore as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Tour of South-east Asia and the Pacific.

While at Queenstown on the second day of the tour, Prince William was asked by a little boy how many children he would like to have. Without hesitation, he answered: "Two."

Water instead of wine

The duchess added fuel to the pregnancy talk after she twice toasted to the Queen with water instead of wine at a state banquet held at the Istana.

While some believe that these signs may point to a made-in-Singapore royal baby, it does not look probable, said one doctor.

Asked of the likelihood of the royal baby being conceived in Singapore, gynaecologist Peter Chew said: "It's unlikely. If they had conceived during that period, the pregnancy would have reached the 13-plus week stage by Dec 3."

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