On Monday, it was announced that Prince William, second in line to the British throne, and his wife Duchess Kate Middleton are expecting their third child.
The pregnancy was confirmed via a Monday morning statement from Kensington Palace, which read in part, “Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their third child.”
The palace also confirmed that Middelton was suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum – a condition “characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and electrolyte disturbance,” and would be adjusting her schedule of engagements accordingly. Middleton was also afflicted during her pregnancies with the couple’s two other children; Prince George (born 2012) and Princess Charlotte (born 2015).
The child will be the first royal progeny affected by a 2015 change to British laws of succession. Previously males were given preference to females in the line of succession to the throne, meaning that if the third child is a boy, he would have leapfrogged Princess Charlotte and become fourth in line to the throne. However, thanks to the change, the child will be fifth in line to the throne behind its grandfather Prince Charles, followed by Prince William, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte, regardless of gender.
The birth will move Prince William’s brother Prince Harry down to sixth in line for the throne.
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