LONDON – The Duchess of Cambridge said Sunday that she doesn’t know the sex of her first child — but she hopes it’s a boy.

Her husband, Prince William, however, would prefer a girl.

The former Kate Middleton, who is five months pregnant, made the revelation to a soldier at a St. Patrick’s Day ceremony honoring the Irish Guards.

“I asked her, ‘Do you know if it’s a girl or boy?’ and she said, ‘Not yet,’ ” said Guardsman Lee Wheeler.

“She said, ‘I’d like to have a boy, and William would like a girl.’ “

The duchess wore a green dress coat and a shamrock lapel pin as she presented sprigs of shamrock to soldiers in the annual ceremony at a barracks in Aldershot, southern England. She also pinned a sprig on the collar of the regiment’s mascot, an Irish wolfhound named Domhnall.

The royal St. Patrick’s Day tradition was started by Queen Alexandra in 1901.

Streisand to sing in honor of Peres’ 90th birthday

JERUSALEM – An Israeli official says Barbra Streisand, who is Jewish, will perform in Israel in June in honor of Israeli President Shimon Peres’ 90th birthday.

There was no immediate comment from Streisand.

The official said Streisand’s appearance will coincide with a yearly speakers conference headed by the Israeli president. This year’s conference takes place June 18-20 in Jerusalem.

President Peres told reporters five years ago that Streisand was set to perform at that year’s presidential conference, but she didn’t show up.

Israeli media said Streisand would also perform in two concerts.

— From news service reports