Pregnant Kate settles in at Kensington Palace to recuperate: Duchess left hospital with a smile that says I'm feeling much better thank you
- Duchess of Cambridge leaves King Edward VII Hospital in central London
- Pregnant Kate holds bouquet of yellow flowers and smiles for cameras
- Discharged after four days and will now head to Kensington Palace to rest
- Prince of Wales says: 'I'm very glad my daughter-in-law is getting better'
- Tells reporters posing questions: 'How do you know I'm not a radio station?'
- SJP: 'Couple would like to thank hospital staff for the care and treatment'
- Pregnancy expert: Duchess's condition can be cyclical and she needs rest
- Comes after hoax call duped nurse into revealing details about her health
By MARK DUELL and REBECCA ENGLISH
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The Duchess of Cambridge was last night resting at the London home she shares with Prince William after her release from hospital yesterday morning.
Kate, who was admitted to hospital on Monday suffering from acute morning sickness, returned to Nottingham Cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace and cancelled upcoming engagements after doctors told her to rest.
After spending three nights in hospital with acute morning sickness, no doubt all she wanted to do was go home and curl up quietly on the sofa – but you’d never have known it as she left the King Edward VII Hospital in London yesterday.
Instead, the ever professional Kate treated wellwishers to a beaming smile.
Looking perhaps a little tired and pale, but as immaculate as ever, pregnant Kate told the waiting crowds: ‘I’m feeling much better, thank you.’
Meanwhile Prince Charles revealed his delight as he spoke for the first time about his son’s happy news. ‘I’m thrilled, marvellous,’ he said.
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Royal couple: Kate, 30, emerged from the private hospital looking relaxed, carrying a bouquet of yellow flowers and giving a brief smile to the waiting press before being driven away with her husband Prince William
Smiling: Kate, 30, left the hospital with her husband Prince William as the furore over the hoax call that duped a nurse into revealing details about the Duchess's health continues
Looking out: Prince William and Kate are expecting their first child, and the Duchess of Cambridge was admitted to hospital suffering from a severe form of morning sickness in the early stages of her pregnancy
Looking well: Kate, who is less than 12 weeks pregnant, was wrapped up against the cold in a coat and scarf, and the royal couple will now spend time at their London home to allow for the Duchess to recuperate
‘A very nice thought of grandfatherhood at my old age, if I may say so. So that’s splendid. And I’m very glad my daughter-in-law is getting better, thank goodness,’ he said.
DUCHESS IN HOSPITAL: A TIMELINE
MONDAY
- 4:00pm: St James's Palace announces the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby and has been admitted to hospital
- 8:20pm: Duke of Cambridge leaves hospital where his wife is being treated
TUESDAY
- 5:30am: Australian 2Day FM DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian prank call hospital and find out details of Kate's condition
- 11.30am: Duke of Cambridge arrives at hospital for his second visit then leaves at 5:45pm
WEDNESDAY
- 11:15am: King Edward VII Hospital confirms it fell victim to prank call and issues apology
- 12.15pm: Prince William arrives at hospital for his third visit then leaves shortly after 5pm
- 12:30pm: Church of England issues prayer for royal couple
- 3:45pm: Pippa and James Middleton arrive at the hospital and leave at 5pm
- 7:30pm: Carole Middleton arrives to visit and leaves at 9pm
THURSDAY
- 10:15am: Prince William arrives at the hospital to see Kate
- 10:45am: Kate is discharged from hospital and leaves with Prince William
He even made light of the ‘prank’ played by two Australian radio DJs, who impersonated the prince and the Queen to dupe a nurse into giving out confidential information about Kate’s condition.
Asked by reporters how he felt about Kate’s pregnancy, he raised his eyebrows and joked: ‘How do you know I’m not a radio station?’
Kate, 30, who is barely eight weeks pregnant, has cancelled all her upcoming engagements after doctors told her to rest.
William took her to the private hospital on Monday after she fell ill at her parents’ home in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
Doctors diagnosed her with hyperemesis gravidarum, an acute form of morning sickness.
She was put on a drip and spent three nights in hospital.
William arrived at the hospital in Central London yesterday morning, and following a discussion with doctors during their ward round at 9am, Kate was given the all-clear.
At 10.45am she finally walked out of the front entrance, carefully escorted by an attentive William.
The duchess had her hair pulled back in a half- up, half-down do, and was wearing a dark blue checked winter coat with fluted sleeves and knee-high black suede boots.
She had a lilac pashmina knotted snugly around her neck.
She clasped a bouquet of yellow roses, which signify joy and the promise of a new beginning.
The flowers are a traditional gift from the hospital to female members of the royal family.
The couple murmured a few words to each other as they posed for the cameras before getting into a waiting Jaguar.
A St James’s Palace spokesman confirmed Kate had been discharged, adding: ‘Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank the staff at the hospital for the care and treatment the duchess has received.’
Happy: The pregnant Duchess of Cambridge smiled yesterday as she left hospital after four days of treatment
Stepping forward: Prince William walks next to his wife Kate as she leaves the King Edward VII Hospital
Four-day stay: Kate was admitted on Monday after developing the condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum, and was suffering from the effects of dehydration
The Duchess's appearance outside the hospital today came as the furore over the hoax call that duped a nurse into revealing details about her health continues.
HEELS ARE OUT, FLATS ARE IN
If ever there was an occasion that the Duchess of Cambridge could let her impeccable style slip, it was yesterday.
Kate being Kate, however, she managed to look as elegant and groomed as always, despite her three-night stay in hospital.
She was well wrapped up for the cold December day in a dark blue checked Diane von Furstenberg coat with ruffle details at the collar and cuffs, which would have cost around £850.
Kate teamed the coat with a lilac pashmina to add a splash of colour – and more importantly, to keep herself warm.
She also swapped the high-heeled boots she wore for her last public appearance, at her old primary school in Berkshire, for a pair of Russell & Bromley black suede knee high ‘Charge-It’ boots with a much lower heel.
Perhaps the most remarkable part of her look was her hair, which looked as glossy and immaculate as usual – a hard feat for even the most glamorous of women after a stay in hospital.
It looked as though her locks had been professionally blow-dried and pinned up into an elegant half-ponytail, perhaps thanks to a bedside visit from her trusted hairdresser, Richard Ward.
There was one thing neither she or William needed any style help with, however – their megawatt smiles.
As they walked together down the steps of King Edward VII Hospital, their joy at Kate’s pregnancy – and being reunited – couldn’t have been greater.
BARBARA McMILLAN, LIFE & STYLE
The two Australian radio DJs who impersonated the Queen and the Prince of Wales to dupe hospital staff into giving a condition update on Kate have been promoting their stunt on Twitter.
The 2Day FM presenters, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, apologised for their actions, as did their radio station.
But Christian has tweeted a web address where listeners can hear the broadcast featuring the hoax Queen and Charles being told about the health of the Duchess, who is being treated for severe morning sickness.
In his tweet, the presenter said: ‘Still haven't heard the #RoyalPrank that has the world talking? Listen to it here...’
William, casually dressed in a dark top and matching trousers, had earlier arrived at the hospital at 10.15am and walked in without acknowledging the waiting press.
The hospital's chief executive, John Lofthouse, said he regretted the hoax call breach of security, but condemned it as ‘journalistic trickery’.
Mr Lofthouse said: ‘I think this whole thing is pretty deplorable. Our nurses are caring, professional people trained to look after patients, not to cope with journalistic trickery of this sort.’
He said there was no chance the Duchess could have received the call, adding: ‘Technically, I think this was a breach of patient confidentiality, which I very much regret.
‘Having said that, the information which was inadvertently revealed is already in the public domain.’
A spokesman for Pregnancy Sickness Support, a charity which helps women with Kate's condition, said rest would be important for the Duchess and the Duke's support was also crucial.
VIDEO: Prince Charles jokes about Kate hospital radio station prank
Happy parent: Prince Charles, who is Colonel of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, welcomed home the Battalion and presented Operational Service Medals to those who have recently returned from Afghanistan
Delighted: The Prince of Wales (pictured bottom centre at a military event yesterday) said he was 'thrilled' that the Duchess of Cambridge was pregnant, adding: 'It's a very nice thought to become a grandfather'
Visiting his wife: Prince William, 30, had arrived at the hospital a few minutes earlier in a green Land Rover, dressed in a light blue jumper, checked shirt, dark jeans and suede shoes
Treatment: A press pen is pictured in front of the King Edward VII Hospital where the Duchess was staying
Extraordinary stunt: Australian DJs Mel Greig (left) and Michael Christian (right) were astonishingly told private details about the Duchess in a prank call which was broadcast on 2Day FM to listeners in Sydney
Quick visit: James, 25, and Pippa Middleton, 29, were pictured leaving the King Edward VII Hospital in central London just over an hour after arriving to see their sibling Kate on Wednesday
Supportive: Pippa looked relaxed and happy following her visit to her older sister Kate in hospital
Caitlin Dean, who suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum during three pregnancies and is a trustee of the charity, said: ‘One of the key things is she needs rest in bed or on a sofa.
'She will need people to look after her, literally bring food to her and quickly, if she wants a piece of toast or an apple it needs to come straight away before a bout of nausea sets in'
Caitlin Dean, Pregnancy Sickness Support spokesman
‘She will need people to look after her, literally bring food to her and quickly, if she wants a piece of toast or an apple it needs to come straight away before a bout of nausea sets in.’
Kate's attendance at two royal engagements this weekend - a Centrepoint Royal Albert Hall fundraiser and the British Military Tournament - have already been cancelled.
And it is likely her public diary will be tailored to how she is coping with the illness that causes prolonged bouts of vomiting triggered by smells and even movement.
Mrs Dean added: ‘Hyperemesis gravidarum can be quite cyclical. She will be feeling quite good now because she's hydrated, but she needs to keep taking fluids or that cycle can start again, taking sips of water frequently or any other liquid she can tolerate.
Proud: Kate's mother Carole Middleton also visited to the King Edward VII Hospital to see her
Reporting: Members of the media stand outside the King Edward VII Hospital in central London to work
World's media: Cameramen stand outside the King Edward VII Hospital in London where Kate was kept in
‘She will be on medication, anti-sickness tablets, so it's important she takes them on time.’
'The emotional side is going to be really tough on her. It's just so unrelenting, you wake up thinking you've got a whole day to get through and this lasts for months'
Caitlin Dean, Pregnancy Sickness Support spokesman
Mrs Dean said William's support would also be important: ‘The emotional side is going to be really tough on her. It's just so unrelenting, you wake up thinking you've got a whole day to get through and this lasts for months.
‘William is going to be really key. My husband was my rock and, as hard as it was, it brought us closer together.’
The Duke is an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot based at RAF Valley on Anglesey and is likely to get time off to help care for his wife but will have to return to work at some stage.
The Duchess's mother Carole and sister Pippa could step in to provide support for Kate when her husband is away.
TAKE IT EASY AND DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS: EXPERTS' ADVICE TO KATE
The Duchess of Cambridge will need to take it easy over the coming days after being released from hospital.
Health experts said Kate, who spent three days at London’s King Edward VII Hospital after being admitted with severe morning sickness, will now need to make sure she drinks plenty of fluids.
Take it easy: Health experts say Kate will need to drink plenty of fluids over the coming days
Hyperemesis gravidarum is a rare condition which causes severe vomiting during pregnancy while other symptoms include severe nausea, low blood pressure and fast heart rate, headaches, lethargy or confusion.
Women who are admitted to hospital with it are usually treated by being given fluids intravenously and by anti-sickness tablets. Doctors will monitor them and let them go home once they can keep fluids down.
Consultant obstetrician Daghni Rajasingam, spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said that once out of hospital, it is important sufferers maintain their intake of fluids and eat small amounts as they will no longer be on a drip.
She said: ‘Essentially, women who have hyperemesis gravidarum would just be resting and maintaining hydration, and maintaining their food intake as much as they can and controlling the nausea and vomiting symptoms.
‘They should eat anything they find palatable, what they can keep down, it’s a matter of working out the things that make the nausea worse. It’s different for different women.
‘Fluid intake is really key, water being the best liquid.’
The condition can cause extreme weight loss but Ms Rajasingam said women will put the weight back on once they are eating and drinking again.
She added: ‘It’s directly related, really, to how much vomiting they have had and if they are managing to keep food down and absorbing calories from what they eat.’
Asked about the amount of rest the Duchess is likely to need, Ms Rajasingam said: ‘The sort of advice a woman would be given would be to take it easy over the next few days and be reasonable about the amount of activities depending on how active they were before.
‘The advice would be to be sensible and to do things in moderation, but certainly a period of rest and recuperation is good.’
She said most women find severe morning sickness ends around three months into the pregnancy.
But she added: ‘For a small group of women it may continue, and for an even smaller group of women it go on until the baby is born. For them, further periods in hospital may be necessary.’
Other ways of stopping symptoms include eating ginger and using pressure bracelets, she said, adding: ‘There are thousands of old wives’ tales but they are the most common.’
Hyperemesis gravidarum affects 3.5 per 1,000 pregnant women and can cause women to vomit blood.
It is thought to be caused by elevated levels of the ‘pregnancy hormone’ hCG. The body begins to produce human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) after conception.
'The sort of advice a woman would be given would be to take it easy over the next few days and be reasonable about the amount of activities depending on how active they were before'
Daghni Rajasingam, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Gail Johnson, midwife and teacher at the Royal College of Midwives, said Kate must make sure she does not overdo it.
‘Women who have had quite severe sickness will obviously feel very tired so it's very important that they continue to rest and appreciate that they will continue to feel tired,’ she said.
‘They may feel better but, just because they've stopped vomiting, it doesn't mean that they're all fine and dandy.
‘They do not necessarily need bed rest, but if they feel tired they should go and have a lie down.’ She said sufferers must ‘listen to their bodies’ and eat little and often.
‘It is important to keep the blood sugars stable. Foods that are slower to digest like wholemeal foods and ones that are nutritious are the best.
‘As the pregnancy progresses women become more astute about how to avoid things that may trigger vomiting and learn to control it more.’
'HOW DO YOU KNOW I'M NOT A RADIO STATION?': CHARLES SHARES A JOKE
Prince Charles today showed off a cheeky sense as he spoke of his joy at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge expecting their first child.
Explorer and royal: Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Prince Charles laugh on board the SA Agulhas in London
Charles, who was boarding HMS Belfast in London, beamed as he said: ‘I'm thrilled, marvellous. It's a very nice thought to become a grandfather in my old age, if I can say so.
'I'm very glad my daughter-in-law is getting better, thank goodness.’
Charles was aboard the ship to cross over to the SA Agulhas, where he met Sir Ranulph Fiennes to wish him well on his latest Antarctic exhibition.
Earlier Charles had joked with reporters quizzing him on daughter-in-law Kate's release from hospital. 'How do you know I'm not a radio station?' he said, in relation to the prank call to King Edward VII Hospital by two Australian DJs.
This afternoon the Prince of Wales gave operational service medals to soldiers who fought in Afghanistan.
The troops from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards were presented with the military honours by Charles, the regiment's Colonel.
Lieutenant Colonel Dino Bossi, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, said: 'We had a marvellous day today. It was an honour and a privilege to host our Colonel and for us to reaffirm our connection with him.
'That's never more evident than in the care and attention he takes spending time with our bereaved families and the injured (soldiers') families.
'They're left in no doubt he personally and the nation in general recognise the sacrifices they have made.'
'I'm thrilled, marvellous. It's a very nice thought to become a grandfather in my old age, if I can say so'
Prince Charles
During his visit to the unit's base, Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, west London, Charles presented the medals to the guardsmen on the parade ground after taking a royal salute.
The 1st Battalion served in Afghanistan from March to October and lost a number of men during their deployment.
During a private reception, the Prince met the families of soldiers who had been killed while on operations and presented them with Elizabeth Crosses.
Toni Jones
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2243915/Im-feeling-better-thank-Pregnant-Kate-leaves-hospital-smile-says-all.html#ixzz2EKICtm3s
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