Royal baby due in April: palace

The Duchess of Cambridge.
The Duchess of Cambridge.
It has been confirmed that Prince William and Kate's second baby is due in April.

The Duchess of Cambridge will today make her first public appearance since it was revealed in early September she was expecting another child.

The 32-year-old has been out of the spotlight as she's battled severe morning sickness.

"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to confirm they are expecting a baby in April 2015," Kensington Palace said in a short statement on Monday (local time).

"The Duchess continues to be affected by hyperemesis gravidarum but her condition is steadily improving."

Confirmation of the birth month suggests Kate has had her 12-week scan and seen images of the baby for the first time.

Kate was photographed last week leaving a London clinic with Prince William who was clutching an envelope likely containing images of the scan.

British newspapers didn't publish the photographs of the couple but they did appear in the United States.

The Duke and Duchess in early October sent a legal warning letter to a photographer amid reports he tried to take a picture of Prince George with his nanny in a London park.

Kate had to be hospitalised due to acute morning sickness when pregnant with Prince George who was born in July 2013.

This time around she's been treated at home.

When it was announced Kate was expecting another child Prince William made a plea for people to keep things in perspective.

"It's important we all focus on the big news and the big international and domestic things that are going on at the moment," the 32-year-old said.

A few weeks later William travelled to Malta in place of his wife to mark the 50th anniversary of the country's independence.

The trip was to have been Kate's first solo foreign tour.

On Tuesday, the couple will greet Singapore's president at a London hotel on behalf of the Queen.

The Duchess will also attend a wildlife photography awards ceremony later in the evening.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's next child will become fourth in line to the throne behind Prince George.

William's brother Prince Harry will be bumped down another rung to fifth in the line of succession.

With the Duchess just over 12 weeks pregnant it's likely the baby is due around the end of April and could possibly arrive on William and Kate's fourth wedding anniversary on April 29.

There's also speculation the baby could be born on the Queen's 89th birthday on April 21.

The prince or princess will be born as the United Kingdom gears up for May's general election.

The arrival of Prince George in mid-2013 was seen as a boost to monarchists Down Under.

The Australian Republican Movement at the time said over-the-top media coverage was "very depressing".

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