Tragic Details About Kate Middleton's Health Issues During Pregnancy
If anyone knows how challenging pregnancy can be, it's the Princess of Wales. While Kate Middleton's stunning pregnancy style frequently made headlines, she wasn't always feeling so glamorous behind the scenes. When the beloved royal first fell pregnant with Prince George, she was forced to announce the big news early, thanks to a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness, which led to her being hospitalized. Unfortunately for Catherine, she had to deal with the debilitating condition throughout all three of her pregnancies, which meant that both Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis' impending arrival was also announced much earlier than usual since the princess had to bow out of several public appearances.
Cleveland Clinic clarifies that hyperemesis gravidarum differs greatly from normal morning sickness. Those affected experience severe and frequent vomiting on a daily basis that can lead to dehydration and weight loss, which, in turn, can cause further complications like a preterm birth or giving birth to an underweight baby. Mothers with the condition sometimes have to be hospitalized to receive IV fluids to prevent dehydration.
The princess' hospitalization during her first pregnancy made headlines in December 2012, with Catherine spending several days at London's King Edward VII hospital. It's not clear what kind of treatment she underwent, with the palace only disclosing that the beloved royal was receiving care for "acute" morning sickness, per People. While the royal family has notoriously tried to hide their health issues over the years, Catherine shared her experiences with hyperemesis gravidarum to create more awareness around the condition.
Kate Middleton acknowledged that all three of her pregnancies were hard
Of all the health problems Kate Middleton has addressed publicly, she's been the most open about hyperemesis gravidarum. Speaking to the "Happy Mum, Happy Baby" podcast in 2020, the Princess of Wales recalled the harrowing experience and candidly discussed how deeply it affected her. "[It was] utterly rotten. I was really sick," she confessed. "I wasn't eating the things I should be eating and yet the body was still able to take all the goodness from my body and to grow new life, which I think is fascinating." In 2022, Catherine became a patron of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA), and she has supported their work ever since, including a 2025 exhibition, which aimed to shed light on the mental health challenges new moms often face.
Back in 2017, the beloved royal detailed some of the obstacles she personally encountered. "It is lonely at times. You do feel quite isolated," the Princess of Wales remarked, per the Daily Mail. Catherine was also refreshingly open about feeling absolutely clueless as a new mother while delivering a speech at a charity event that very same year, noting that how overwhelming everything is can be detrimental to one's mental health. "There is no rule book, no right or wrong; you just have to make it up and do the very best you can to care for your family," she pointed out, as Vogue reported at the time, adding that it's crucial to get help when it all feels too much. "Our children need us to look after ourselves and get the support we need," Catherine cautioned.