Kate Middleton was forced to make an early announcement about her second pregnancy after suffering from the "same level" of morning sickness that caused her to be hospitalized when she was expecting her firstborn child, Prince George.
The Duchess of Cambridge, together with her husband Prince William, had to make the announcement on Sunday after feeling too ill to push through with her planned appearance in Oxford on Sept. 8. The royal couple released a statement that says:
Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their second child.
The Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news.
As with her first pregnancy, The Duchess is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Her Royal Highness will no longer accompany The Duke of Cambridge on their planned engagement in Oxford today. The Duchess of Cambridge is being treated by doctors at Kensington Palace.
The American Pregnancy Organization described Hyperemesis Gravidarium as "a condition characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and electrolyte disturbance. Mild cases are treated with dietary changes, rest and antacids. More severe cases often require a stay in the hospital so that the mother can receive fluid and nutrition through an intravenous line (IV)."
The representatives from the Kensington Palace had released the announcement merely 48 hours after informing the Queen and the rest of the Middleton family.
The 32-year-old Duchess had reportedly not reached her 12-week pregnancy stage, which is when a couple typically decide to announce the news of childbearing, and Prince William had to divulge that his wife had been experiencing extreme morning sickness for almost a week, implying that she could be around five weeks pregnant.
When William was asked about his wife's condition during the Oxford event that he had to attend alone, he said, "She's feeling OK thanks. It's been a tricky few days, a week or so. We're just basically thrilled, it's great news. Early days, we're hoping things just settle down and she feels a bit better. But it's important that we all focus on the big news, the big international and domestic things going on at the moment. I'm going to go and look after her now."
Kate is allegedly receiving treatments in Kensington Palace, where she is provided with regular check-ups by the Queen's surgeon-gynecologist Alan Farthing and the Royal Household surgeon-gynecologist Guy Thorpe-Beeston at home.
