Glowing Duchess of Cambridge shows off blossoming baby bump at Aston Villa football club

A grinning Duchess of Cambridge showed off her blossoming baby bump as she accompanied her husband on a visit to the Aston Villa football club.

The Duke and Duchess had spent the morning having a go at off-road driving at the Land Rover plant in Solihull before visiting the football club, to support their sports coaching initiative.

After speaking with employers and sporting groups, the couple met youngsters from Prince Albert Infant and Junior School taking part in on-pitch training.

Kate, who is expecting the couple’s third child in April, had her growing bump on display under a thin black jumper and bright jacket.

The Duchess looked happy and relaxed as she chatted and laughed with youngsters on the Coach Core scheme – designed by the royals to support young people from deprived areas.

She spoke with 10-year-old pupil Sidrah Batul who described her as “kind and pretty” and was presented with a card and flowers from Iman Shazad, also 10.

It is the Duke's first official visit to Villa in four years, when he witnessed a 0-0 draw with Sunderland in November 2013.

Keith Wyness, club chief executive, also spoke with the Duke and then turned to Kate to quip: "Welcome back to the home of one of your husband's other passions."

The Duchess, smiling, replied: "Yes, he's been very excited by it."

William, who is President of the Football Association, laughed and said: "It'll be interesting to see if she's been listening to any of my conversations about football", causing Kate to joke "I knew I should have."

The couple, who also are parents to Prince George and Princess Charlotte, earlier got into a spot of bother on the rock crawl part of the Land Rover course.

But instructor Ro Furby, who accompanied the Duke around the circuit, said the royal guest had done "amazingly well".

Observing that almost every driver new to the course stops at a "little quirk" part-way up the rock crawl, Ro added: "It's just a point where the vehicle actually articulates and you lose a little bit of traction.

"And you learn that a nice way to recover from a loss of traction is to change your lines subtly. It's something that we do use as learning for any guest that actually takes on that obstacle."