London: Kate Middleton will not forge a role as a working princess immediately after she marries, fuelling speculation that she and Prince William plan to start a family straight away.
Kate, who turns 29 in January, is to give up her job as a website designer and photographer at the family business Party Pieces despite previous plans to continue after the wedding.
But she won't be taking up full-time royal duties instead.
Her only official duties — including opening ceremonies and attending charity events — will be on the arm of her RAF pilot husband in the immediate future, St James's Palace confirmed. Kate will not get her own office and will instead share staff with William.
A spokesman said: "Prince William wants to initiate her properly into the job, so at first she will not undertake any solo engagements.
"If Miss Middleton is free before the wedding, she may join the prince on engagements but that decision will be taken on a case-by-case basis."
The move is designed to ease the future queen into her role and avoid the depression and torment suffered by William's late mother Princess Diana who was overwhelmed by her new role when she joined the Royal Family.
The decision prompts speculation the couple will try to have a child as soon as possible. After a seven-year courtship, the couple have said they are keen to start a family — and produce an heir to the throne.
Interviewed as they announced their engagement on Tuesday, Kate said: "I hope we will be able to have a happy family ourselves."
William, 28, added: "I think we'll take it one step at a time. We'll sort of get over the marriage first and then maybe look at the kids. But obviously we want a family so we'll have to start thinking about that."
Diana was just 21 when she gave birth to William in 1982, and Harry was born three years later. Princess Anne had Peter Phillips when she was 27 -the average age for a mother to have her first child in Britain. But the Countess of Wessex was 38 when she gave birth to her daughter Louise.
Kate Middleton's biographer Claudia Joseph said: "I am sure that Kate and William will be very keen to start a family as soon as possible.
"She is very close to her own family and she is already two years older than her mother was when she was born."
A source close to William added: "The slow start is partly about easing her gradually into the role and partly to allow time for babies - definitely more than one."
When the pair do start a family, the ‘sexist' laws that govern the succession to the throne could have changed.
MPs and peers are to make a fresh bid to reform the ancient laws of primogeniture, which dictate that the first-born son of the monarch will inherit the Crown even if they have an older sister.
