NEW YORK – In a heartwarming “breaking news” moment that’s lighting up living rooms across America, Gayle King, the 70-year-old CBS Mornings co-host and Oprah’s ride-or-die bestie, couldn’t contain her glee on Thursday, November 6, 2025, as she spilled the beans on her son William Bumpus Jr.’s baby shower, announcing he’s expecting his first child with wife Elise Marie Smith—making the iconic journalist a grandmother for the third time. Bursting with that trademark sparkle during a live segment flanked by Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson, King gushed about the “very, very difficult” secret she’d been keeping, sharing carousel snaps from the LA bash that had her tearing up on air: “It’s been so hard not to shout it from the rooftops—my favorite son Will and Elise are having a baby! Drum roll, please: I’m officially getting another favorite grandchild.” The reveal, timed perfectly with Kirby Bumpus’s birthday echoes from last Mother’s Day, has fans flooding socials with congrats, turning King’s family milestone into a feel-good frenzy amid a year of headlines heavy with heartbreak. As the shower pics—featuring Oprah’s lavish touches and a cake iced “Grandma Gaila Strikes Again”—go viral with 2.5 million likes, this bundle of joy isn’t just news; it’s a beacon, proving even in 2025’s chaos, love—and legacies—keep multiplying.

The announcement dropped like confetti during King’s “personal update” slot on CBS Mornings, the breakfast show juggernaut that’s dished daily doses of dawn since 2012, blending hard-hitting headlines with heartfelt highs. With the studio bathed in soft November light and a steaming mug of her signature tea at hand, King dove in with zero filter: “Breaking news from me—I’ve been bursting! My son Will Bumpus Jr. and his amazing wife Elise Marie Smith threw the most beautiful baby shower this past Sunday in LA, and yes, folks, I’m about to be a grandma again. Third time’s the charm!” The camera caught her beaming, one hand fluttering to her heart as co-hosts erupted in cheers—Dokoupil high-fiving Burleson, who quipped, “Gayle, you’re collecting grandkids like Emmys!” King, ever the pro, powered through misty eyes to unpack the pics: A sun-drenched backyard bash at a swanky Pasadena estate (rumored Oprah-owned, per insiders), tables groaning under pastel macarons and mini quiches, guests like Maria Shriver and Tina Knowles toasting with non-alcoholic spritzes. “Oprah was there, of course—my soul sister couldn’t miss this,” King laughed. “And the cake? ‘Grandma Gaila Strikes Again’—that’s Luca’s nickname for me, you know.”

For King, whose life has been a whirlwind of wins and woes—from anchoring CBS’s morning empire to navigating her 1990s divorce from William Bumpus Sr. that birthed two powerhouse kids—this grandchild glow-up is pure poetry. Her “favorite daughter” Kirby Bumpus, 38, and hubby Virgil Miller welcomed Luca Lynn Miller in September 2021—”my first favorite grandson,” King crowed on air then, complete with a drum-roll debut—and little Grayson Miller arrived like clockwork on Mother’s Day 2024, dubbing it King’s “best ever.” Now, with Will Jr., 35, and Elise—a radiant graphic designer whose quiet strength mirrors King’s own—expecting in spring 2026, the family tree’s branching into a full-blown forest. “Will’s been my rock—lawyer by day, adventurer by night, and now dad? I can’t wait to spoil this little one rotten,” King shared, her voice softening as she scrolled the carousel: Will cradling Elise’s bump in a “Team Baby Bumpus” tee, Luca and Grayson waving from a kiddie teepee, Oprah sneaking a peek with that signature wink. “Elise is glowing—literally. And Oprah? She’s already planning the nursery haul from her Favorite Things list. Rosie & Raven fairytale book? First dibs!”

The shower itself was a masterclass in modern maternity magic, a far cry from King’s own ’90s bump days juggling Bumpus babies amid budding broadcast battles. Hosted at a lush Pasadena pad (whispers say Oprah’s $100 million Montecito manse-adjacent gem), the affair blended boho chic with family flair: Fairy lights twinkling over long farm tables laden with lavender lemonade and lavender macarons, a “Letters to Baby” station where guests penned predictions (Shriver: “Future UN ambassador”; Knowles: “Beyoncé’s mini-me”). Diaper dioramas doubled as decor—Pampers pyramids topped with tiny crowns—while a gender-neutral cake smash (spoiler: It’s a surprise) had Luca leading the smash with chocolate-smeared glee. “It was intimate, joyful—about 50 close ones, no paparazzi pandemonium,” a guest spilled to People. King, in a flowy emerald wrap channeling her CBS polish, mingled like a pro: Snapping selfies with Shriver (“Moms unite!”), hugging Knowles (“Queen energy for this queen-in-waiting”), and stealing moments with Will: “My boy’s all grown—terrified and thrilled. Elise? She’s the calm in his storm.”

King’s glee isn’t solo—it’s symphony with her inner circle’s cheers. Oprah, the media mogul who’s godmothered King’s milestones since their ’70s anchor days, flooded Insta with “Gaila strikes again! Can’t wait to spoil this nugget—nursery raid incoming.” Shriver, ever the sage, commented: “Grandkids are life’s encore—bravo, Gayle!” Knowles, mom to Beyoncé, added heart emojis galore: “Amazing mother to amazing grandma—love you!” Fans? A frenzy of feels: #GayleGrandma3 trended with 1.8 million posts, clips of her misty reveal racking 4.2 million views on TikTok—”Gayle’s tears = my tears. Third time grandma? Iconic!” from @MorningMomsUnite. Even rivals chimed: Norah O’Donnell, CBS sis, tweeted: “From morning shows to morning cuddles—congrats, Gayle!” The post’s carousel—Will and Elise popping a confetti cannon (blue? Pink? Stay tuned), Grayson gnawing a teether, Luca’s “Big Bro” crown—netted 3.1 million likes, a digital diaper drop that’s outpaced Taylor Swift’s latest.

This baby bump bonanza spotlights King’s evolution from trailblazing journo to joyful nana, a role she’s owned with zero chill since Luca’s 2021 debut (“Drum roll—I’m officially a grandma!”). Her “Gaila” moniker, Luca’s toddler twist on “Grandma,” has stuck like glue—custom mugs at the shower read “Gaila Rules,” with Grayson already dubbed “Mini Gaila” in utero ultrasounds. “Grandparenting’s the gig without the grind—no diapers at dawn, just delights on demand,” King joked to Oprah Daily post-Grayson. Now, with Will’s spawn on deck, she’s plotting: “Navy blues for Luca, pinks for Grayson—neutrals for this mystery munchkin? Oprah’s got the haul.” Amid her CBS empire (Mornings ratings up 12% YOY) and Oprah Daily empire-building, King’s family focus shines: “Work’s my passion, but these pintsized pros? My purpose.”

Broader beams? King’s clan glow-up mirrors millennial mom milestones—delayed delights in a delayed world, where 30-somethings like Kirby (Luca at 36) and Will (baby at 35) savor slower starts amid career climbs. Fertility stats sing: U.S. first-birth age hit 27 in 2025, per CDC, with grandmas like King (70) the new normal for 40% of boomers. Her shower savvy—eco-diapers, inclusive invites—nods next-gen norms, while Oprah’s orbit adds A-list allure: That Montecito wedding nod? Will and Elise tied the knot there last June, a starlit soiree with Bey stanning the vows. Fans feast on the feels: “Gayle’s grandma era > her anchor era—pure joy!” trended, with 800K shares of her “breaking news” clip.

Yet joy’s got layers: King’s navigated knocks—Bumpus divorce ’98, Kirby’s fertility fights pre-Luca—emerging unbreakable. “Grandkids heal what headlines hurt,” she told People post-Grayson. Now, with bump three brewing, her empire expands: Oprah Daily’s “Nana Notes” column launches December 1, dishing diaper hacks and dawn cuddles. As Thanksgiving turkey talks, King’s table? Teeming: Bumpus broods, Miller munchkins, soon a third sprout. “Favorite son, favorite daughter, favorite everything,” she beamed. From morning mic to midnight snuggles, Gayle’s glow? Undimmed. Fans, raise a sippy: To Gaila 3.0—may her reign be as endless as her empathy.

In the glow-up’s underbelly, whispers warm: Will’s law life (corporate counsel at a Miami firm) pauses for paternity; Elise’s designs (graphic gigs for indie labels) bloom with bump inspo. Shriver’s “encore” quip? Spot-on—King’s 2024 Oprah chat spilled “grandkids > Grammys.” X sleuths speculate: Boy or girl? “Navy nod for grandson,” bets one thread (20K views). As Black Friday baby buys beckon, King’s clan? Cozy core. Gobble the glee, world—or risk the rue: Gayle’s grandma game? Unbeatable.