Worried Prince William drove Kate to hospital where she was diagnosed with a severe type of morning sickness
The Duchess of Cambridge is in hospital tonight with a rare and potentially serious conditionafter revealing she is pregnant.
Worried Prince William drove Kate to the King Edward VII Hospital where she was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum – a severe type of morning sickness.
She is expected to remain in hospital for “several days”, according to a statement issued by St James’s Palace.
The couple made the “difficult decision” to go public with their news despite Kate being in only the very early stages of pregnancy.
Tonight it emerged that they broke the news to the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince Harry just minutes before making the announcement to the world.
Wills was forced to break the news in a hurried phone call to his gran after Kate was rushed to hospital with acute morning sickness.
The couple, who are believed to have told Kate’s parents at the weekend, had not wanted to share their secret with the world for at least a couple more weeks.
It is understood Kate is only seven or eight weeks pregnant.
Mums-to-be are normally advised to keep their pregnancy relatively hush-hush until they reach the much safer 12-week mark.
A royal source said: “Kate and William only found out themselves very recently. They had hardly told anyone, not even William’s family.
“They were keeping it to as few people as possible for obvious reasons.”
The exhausted Duchess was said to be hooked up to an intravenous drip tonight to give her extra fluids for the condition, which can cause severe dehydration for two months, putting the mother in particular at risk.
Insiders say Kate will be ordered to have lots of rest.
The Duchess began to feel severely sick today at her parents’ house in Bucklebury, Berks, where she and William, both 30, had spent the weekend.
Sources say she started vomiting and William immediately drove her to hospital by car – while hastily informing Prince Charles, the Queen and Prince Philip and Prince Harry.
Once at London’s private King Edward VII hospital, Kate was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum – acute morning sickness.
The condition affects only about 2% of pregnant women and is treated with intravenous fluids and anti-sickness tablets.
Consultant Daghni Rajasingam, spokeswoman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “The diagnosis is given when women cannot keep food or fluid down because of severe vomiting.
“Those who are vomiting pretty much constantly and cannot keep any nutrients down need to be admitted to hospital.”
A royal insider said: “Of course the couple and their families are concerned about the sickness, but they have been reassured it is not a dangerous condition for the mother or baby.
“As long as Kate has lots of rest she is expected to be able to continue her pregnancy quite normally.”
However, it will still be a concern for the Duke and Duchess that they have had to go public with their news so early on.
Despite the health scare, the royal couple and their families are said to be delighted at the news of the baby, who will become third in line to the throne.
Prince William left the hospital in Westminster, London, shortly after 8.20pm.
He looked calm in a grey jumper, chinos and a light-coloured shirt as he walked out of the front door and was driven away in a Land Rover Discovery.
Royal aides were gathered for a top-level briefing today, and press officers prepared for a phone meltdown as the story flashed around the world.
The royal statement, issued at 4pm, read: “Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby.
“The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry and members of both families are delighted with the news.
“The Duchess was admitted this afternoon to King Edward VII Hospital in Central London with Hyperemesis Gravidarum.
“As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, Her Royal Highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter.”
The baby, due in summer, will be third in line to the throne.
It is understood Prince Harry heard the news he is to be an uncle by email while serving in Afghanistan as an Apache pilot. David Cameron was among the first to congratulate the couple.
Kate’s sickness means she will have to cancel a planned appearance on Wednesday at a charity trading day in the City of London.
The engagement was just one of many she and William were scheduled to carry out before Christmas, including their visit to Cambridge last week when speculation about a royal baby reached fever-pitch.
During a walkabout through crowds four-deep, the prince was given a babygro from new mum Samantha Hill with a picture of a helicopter and the words: “Daddy’s little co-pilot”.
Teasing the crowds, Search and Rescue pilot William grinned: “I’ll keep that” – and it is now in a cupboard at the couple’s home in Anglesey, waiting to be worn by a son or daughter.
Because of new laws passed earlier this year, the child will one day be eligible to take the throne whichever sex it is.
Kate and William, who married last April, have made no secret of their desire to start a family.
William told well-wishers in Singapore that he hoped to have two children.
Changes are already in the pipeline to accommodate a growing royal family.
From the end of this year William, Kate and Harry are moving their staff and offices into William’s childhood home, Kensington Palace.
They have recruited extra staff, and one of the rooms will be redecorated as a nursery.