Royal tradition: Kate Middleton keen to have home birth for third child
For her third child, Kate Middleton is reportedly considering home birth. The Duchess of Cambridge apparently wanted to give birth at home for her first and second child, Prince George and Princess Charlotte respectively, but she was told no by royal aides.
Queen Elizabeth II gave birth to all of her four children at Buckingham Palace. And now her grandson’s wife apparently wants the same for her next child with Prince William.
According to the Daily Mail, the Duchess sought permission for home birth for George and Charlotte, but both were denied. Prince George and Princess Charlotte were born at St Mary’s Hospital in London, which was also the birthplace of their father, William, and their uncle, Prince Harry.
Kate, 35, has now reportedly asked again for her next child to be delivered in Kensington Palace, their official residence. She thought that since the births of George and Charlotte proved to be problem-free, she would be able to convince the aides this time. A home birth would spare her the ordeal of facing the paparazzi and allow her children to meet their new sibling privately.
“The Duchess knew it wasn’t possible for her first baby to be born at home, but she asked for a home birth for the second,” an informant told the publication. “Officials and doctors thought it too risky. There was concern and in the end, she decided against it.”
If the aides agreed, then she would be following the Queen’s example of giving birth at home. Queen Elizabeth’s great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, was also born at home, in Kensington Palace, in 1819.
Kate is thought to be less than 12 weeks along. And like her first and second pregnancies, Kate is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, or severe nausea and morning sickness, again. The condition caused her to miss George’s first day at school last week.
Meanwhile, William was reportedly skipping the celebrations for now until Kate recovered her health. "We need Catherine to get over this first bit and then we can start celebrating,” Vogue quotes him as saying at a mental health conference in Oxford, England.
