Poor Kate Middleton is having a pretty horrible pregnancy.
And having appeared to be on the road to recovery over last week, her condition deteriorated so badly over the weekend that Prince William cancelled a public appearance at a military event last night to be by her side, and has decided to continue his compassionate leave to stay by his wife's side in London.
Kate has not been readmitted to hospital but it's still an undeniably unpleasant start to what should be one of the most joyous events in Kate's life, even before one takes into account the tragic turn of events at the King Edward VII hospital.
The duchess is known to be profoundly upset by the unfolding tragedy of the suicide of nurse Jacintha Saldanha following a prank call by two Australian DJs, and she was sufficiently unwell that William did not feel comfortable leaving her to attend the British Military Tournament at Earl's Court yesterday evening. He has now cancelled plans to return to Wales to work this week, and is instead extending his compassionate leave to remain by her side until Thursday.
William’s cancellation was all the more surprising given that he did attend an charity tennis gala as planned on Saturday, and even joked about his wife’s condition, telling a guest: “I don’t know why they call it morning sickness — they should call it all-day and all-night sickness.”
Kate’s attack of hyperemesis gravidarum, which can lead to constant vomiting, saw her spend three nights in hospital last week, and forced the announcement of her pregnancy.
A spokesperson for the couple said: “It is well known that hyperemesis gravidarum often recurs and, until further notice, to allow the Duchess a degree of privacy during her pregnancy, we do not intend to offer regular condition checks or advise of routine developments associated with it.”
The cancellation of Prince William's attendance at the Tournament, billed as “the largest display of military theatre in the world”, came after the duchess, 30, said she was feeling “much better” when she was discharged from hospital on Thursday morning.
But at lunchtime on Sunday, St James’s Palace announced that the Duke would be “spending Sunday privately with the Duchess” instead of going to the military event.
William is under pressure to get back to work as an RAF search and rescue pilot as he has to make up flying hours missed to participate in the jubilee celebrations, but will not be returning to Wales until Thursday, after the London premiere of the Hobbit on Wednesday.
There is little chance of the Duchess attending the event, meaning she will probably not be seen in public until Christmas Day at the earliest, when the Royal family traditionally attend church at their Sandringham Estate.
The news of Kate’s worsening condition came as the two Australian DJs who made the prank call to Kate Middleton’s hospital which appears to have led to the suicide of nurse Jacintha Saldanha on Friday spoke for the first time since her death, giving a series of emotional interviews on Australian news channels, speaking of their devastation at the nurse’s suicide and the possibility they may have caused it.
Mel Greig said there was 'nothing that could make me feel worse than I feel now" and Michael Christian said he was, "shattered, gutted and heartbroken".
They spoke to Clare Brady on Channel 7's Today Tonight and Tracy Grimshaw on Channel 9's A Current Affair.“I remember my first question was, 'Was she a mother?’ Ms Greig told Channel Seven. “I am very sorry and saddened for the family. I can’t imagine what they are going through ... I am just so devastated for them. I am really feeling for them. It was never meant to go that far. This wasn’t meant to happen.”