Princess Kate and Prince Charles are expecting their third child, Kensington Palace has announced.
Princess Kate and Prince Charles, Duke of Cambridge, stand with their baby daughter, Charlotte outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, in London, Britain May 2, 2015. (Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters) |
However, Princess Kate is down with hyperemesis gravidarum, or severe morning sickness which also affected her during her previous two pregnancies. The princess who is also the Duchess of Cambridge has cancelled her planned engagement at the Hornsey Road Children’s Centre in London today.
The royal couple who have already produced two children — and possible heirs to the throne — the one son, George, and one daughter, Charlotte, aged four and two.
The expectant child if it is a girl, will become the fifth in line to the throne behind Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte.
This is due to a change in the royal law - which stops royal sons taking precedence over their female siblings in the line of succession - came into force in March 2015.
The child will be the Queen's sixth great-grandchild.
Unfortunately, to become King or Queen as the third-born royal child is rare - and has yet to happen within the current House of Windsor.
However, the third child of George III and Queen Charlotte, William IV, took on the task and ruled from 1830 to 1837.
The Hanoverian king acceded to the throne aged 64 when his older brother, George IV, died without an heir.
He became next in line when he was 62 and his other older brother, Frederick, Duke of York, died.
Prime Minister, Theresa May has congratulated the couple, calling it a "fantastic news."