The Duchess of Cambridge was clutching a gorgeous bouquet of yellow
flowers as she smiled at the photographers from around the world that
have been waiting outside the hospital doors since her admittance.
December 06, 2012
Prince William's pregnant wife Catherine said she was feeling much
better as she was discharged from a London hospital on Thursday
following four days of treatment for acute morning sickness.
Holding
a bouquet of yellow roses and wrapped up in a dark coat and blue scarf
to protect against the cold, the former Kate Middleton smiled as she
left the private King Edward VII Hospital with her husband. The
Duchess of Cambridge, 30, mouthed "much better" and nodded when she was
asked by the waiting international media if her condition had improved,
before the couple were driven away by a security team.
Kate will
now have a "period of rest" at Kensington Palace in central London where
the couple have an apartment, said a statement from their office at St
James's Palace. "Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank the
staff at the hospital for the care and treatment The Duchess has
received," the statement said. Her departure from the hospital
comes a day after it apologized because a nurse unwittingly released
Kate's private medical details to hoax callers from an Australian radio
station.
Kate was admitted to hospital on Monday with hyperemesis gravidarum, a
severe form of morning sickness that affects about one in 200 pregnant
women and is sometimes associated with twins.
The pregnancy,
which was only announced after she went to hospital, is believed to have
not yet reached the 12th week. It will be the first child for the
couple who married in April 2011. The baby will be third in line
to the British throne, now occupied by Queen Elizabeth II, following
last year's historic agreement among Commonwealth realms to end the
practice of male primogeniture.
William's father Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, said he was "thrilled" by news of the pregnancy. "It's
a very nice thought to become a grandfather in my old age, if I can say
so," Charles, 64, told reporters. "I'm very glad my daughter-in-law is
getting better, thank goodness."
He also joked when he first spoke to reporters: "How do you know I'm not a radio station?" Sydney's
2Day FM station said sorry after two presenters posing as the queen and
Prince Charles got through despite their poor imitations of English
accents. Hospital chief executive John Lofthouse said it was considering legal action.
"I've received advice that what the Australian broadcasters did may well
have broken the law," he said. "On the other hand they've apologised
for it so we're going to have a long and careful think about what, if
anything, we do."
In the recording of the hoax call, the nurse
can be heard saying about the duchess: "She hasn't had any retching with
me since I've been on duty and she has been sleeping on and off. The
Australian station was milking the publicity Thursday by boasting of
the "biggest royal prank ever", despite an earlier apology by presenters
Mel Greig and Michael Christian. "We were very surprised that
our call was put through. We thought we'd be hung up on as soon as they
heard our terrible accents," the presenters said in a statement.
Kate's mother Carole Middleton also visited to the King Edward VII Hospital to see her
Pippa looked relaxed and happy following her visit to her older sister Kate in hospital
Members of the media stand outside the King Edward VII Hospital in central London to work
The
hospital has also treated the queen, her husband Prince Philip and
Charles' wife Camilla over the years. The queen is its patron. William,
second in line to the throne after Charles, visited Kate in hospital
every day, spending hours at her bedside. Kate's younger siblings Pippa
and James also paid her a visit on Wednesday.
William's own plans
as his wife recovers are uncertain. The Royal Air Force search and
rescue helicopter pilot is reportedly due back at his base in Wales next
week but it is possible he may decide to stay in London. He is
due to attend a charity gala in London on Saturday, while Kate has
cancelled all engagements for the coming days although there were
reports she would attend a screening of "The Hobbit" next week.
Speculation about her pregnancy has been intense ever since the couple
married in a globally televised event in London's Westminster Abbey on
April 29, 2011.
Agence France-Presse
Announcing the pregnancy, St. James' Palace said: "Their Royal
Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to
announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby. "The
Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of
Cornwall and Prince Harry and members of both families are delighted
with the news."
