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British expats were this week celebrating the news that Prince William and his wife Catherine, below, are expecting a baby, destined to be the country’s future monarch.
GulfWeekly broke the news to Iain Lindsay, British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, after being alerted by Palace sources about the royal pregnancy on Monday.
“Wonderful,” Mr Lindsay said. “I’m delighted for the royal couple – this is great news!”
The prince’s office 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 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.”
The couple married in April last year, prompting a global media frenzy and there has been much speculation, particularly in gossip magazines, about a possible pregnancy.
The statement said Catherine was in the King Edward VII Hospital in Central London suffering from very acute morning sickness. She is likely to remain there for several days.
It said her condition required supplementary hydration and nutrients. There was no detail about when the baby was due, with the statement stating the pregnancy was in its early stages.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said on his Twitter website. “They will make wonderful parents.”
William, Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, is second in line to the British throne, and their first child will become the third in succession when he or she is born.
Last year Britain and other Commonwealth countries which have the queen as their monarch agreed to change the rules of royal succession so that sons would no longer have precedence as heir, regardless of age.
