Prince Harry has expressed his delight that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting a third child, branding the news “fantastic”.
Harry, who will be the new royal baby’s uncle, declared he was “very, very happy” and said of Kate, who is suffering with severe morning sickness: “I think she’s okay”.
The Duchess, who is being cared for at Kensington Palace, has hyperemesis gravidarum, as she did in her previous pregnancies.
The rare condition, which causes severe vomiting, affects 3.5 in every 1,000 pregnant women.
William and Kate are thrilled to be welcoming a new addition to their family, a sibling for Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
The happy announcement comes just four days after the Duke marked the 20th anniversary of the death of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
Kate is less than 12 weeks pregnant, with Kensington Palace revealing the news early after the Duchess had to pull out of a public engagement on Monday due to severe morning sickness.
The Duchess is being cared for at Kensington Palace (Tim Rooke/PA)
Grandfather the Prince of Wales is said to be “delighted”, as are the Queen and other members of William and Kate’s family.
Harry gave a thumbs up when he was asked about royal baby as he arrived for a visit in Manchester, adding: “Fantastic. Great. Very, very happy for them.”
On how the Duchess was, he replied: “I haven’t seen her for a while but I think she’s okay.”
Asked for Prime Minister Theresa May’s response to the announcement, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “It is fantastic news and she passes on her congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.”
Just weeks ago, Kate joked about having a third child while on a tour of Poland and Germany with William, George and Charlotte.
After being given a present designed for newborns while in Warsaw, she laughed and turned to William, saying: ”We will just have to have more babies.”
The Duchess, who is one of three siblings and had a happy home life, was always expected to have three children.
The news was announced as the royal couple were preparing to send their eldest child, Prince George, off to school for the first time (Jane Barlow/PA)
Kensington Palace said in a statement: “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 Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news.”
Kate had been due to visit the Hornsey Road Children’s Centre in London to hear about the mental health impact of becoming a mother.
Clarence House said of heir to the throne Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall: “They are delighted at the news.”
The announcement comes as William and Kate are preparing to send their eldest child off to school for the first time.
Four-year-old future king George starts at fee-paying independent school Thomas’s Battersea in south London on Thursday.
As Harry talked to people living in Canada Street, Newton Heath, Manchester, local resident David Masterson shouted to him: “Congratulations on your kid having a baby.”
The royal visitor gave Mr Masterson a thumbs up and said: “Thanks.”
Mr Masterson managed a handshake with Harry as he left.
He said: “I grew up on the street all my life so to see Prince Harry on it is a bit of a shock. I just congratulated him. I didn’t think I’d get a chance to.”
His nine-year-old daughter Lisa said she was looking forward to the royal baby’s birth.
She said: “I think its going to be really nice.”