Kate Middleton Turns 26 -- Still Single
Is Prince William's longtime girlfriend, Kate Middleton, about to be welcomed into Britain's royal family?
Scotland Yard is reportedly planning a new security detail for her, which only increases the close eye royals watchers will be keeping on the couple on Wednesday, Middleton's 26th birthday.
They are, reports CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer, waiting to see if the son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana pops the question to Middleton on her big day.
William has new marching orders for a four-month stint with the Royal Air Force, having finished his tour of duty in the Army.
Photos: Kate Middleton
After that, notes Palmer, as the future head of Britain's armed forces, he'll get naval training.
She says it adds up to a solid military engagement this year for the prince but, so far, no romantic one.
"I think," observers royals watcher Katie Nicholl, "you might see a nice pair of earrings, but I would be surprised if you'd see a ring. I really would."
Photos: Prince William Turns 25
Last spring, says Palmer, there was a tabloid feeding frenzy around Will and Kate's breakup, and then their reconciliation a few weeks later. When all was forgiven, the royal wedding countdown resumed.
Lately, though, that clock's been ticking more slowly, Palmer says -- a case, perhaps, of princely cold feet.
"The message I'm hearing from all of his friends and the people close to him is that he doesn't want it just yet," says Nicholl. "William certainly is not someone to be pressurized into anything; it will be as and when he wants it."
But, says the rumor mill, Middleton does, even though, at 26, she's still three years shy of the average marrying age for British women.
However, by recent royal standards, she is, Palmer points out, pushing it. Diana was engaged to Charles when she was only 19, and Queen Elizabeth agreed to marry the Duke of Edinburgh when she was 20.
Having been dumped once, though, and having made a comeback, Middleton Kate is getting sympathy -- and advice -- from the British female public.
"Be friendly to William," one suggested to her via CBS News. "She should just be herself and she'll get it," remarked another. "The leap year is traditionally the one time that a woman can propose to a man," yet another said.
And another said with a laugh, "Kiss him a lot!"