LONDON — Britain's Duchess of Cambridge, was admitted to a London hospital early Monday after going into labor with her third child, Kensington Palace announced.
The new baby will be fifth in line to the throne, kicking Prince William's brother, Prince Harry, down one place, to sixth on the list. It will be Queen Elizabeth II's sixth great-grandchild.
The duchess, the former Kate Middleton, was admitted to the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital in London, where she had her two other children, Prince George in 2013 and Princess Charlotte in 2015.
Princes William and Harry were also born there.
If Charlotte's birth is anything to go by, fans of the royal family may get a glimpse of George and Charlotte visiting their mother and new sibling in the hospital. George visited his mother and new baby sister when Charlotte was born in May 2015.
Kate is expected to take a few months of maternity leave before resuming her royal duties.
"There's been an acknowledgement behind palace gates that Kate's got two jobs to do," NBC News royal expert Camilla Tominey said. "She's got to be mother to two — and then soon three children — while at the same time maintain her role as a very high profile figure in the royal family."
Kensington Palace broke the news of Kate's latest pregnancy in early September in a tweet. Six weeks before, Kate had joked about having more children while on a trip to Poland.
As she did during her first two pregnancies, Kate suffered from severe morning sickness, known as hyperemesis gravidarum. It was so severe during her first pregnancy in 2012 that she had to be hospitalized.
The duchess spent the first few months of her pregnancy at home and canceled her engagements, but resumed her busy royal schedule in January.
She has wound down her engagements and appearances over the last few weeks. On Easter, she appeared with the extended royal family at a service at Windsor's St. George's Chapel, where Prince Harry will marry the American actress Meghan Markle in May.
Her morning sickness meant that Kate missed Prince George's first day of school — a duty carried out by Prince William.
The young family now lives in London's Kensington Palace, where William and Harry grew up, after residing for several years at their country home in Norfolk, Anmer Hall.
Kate is one of three children, while William has one brother, Harry.
This year is full of happy occasions for the royals, who will celebrate Harry’s marriage several weeks after Kate gives birth. In November, Prince Charles, the queen’s son and first-in-line to the throne, will celebrate his 70th birthday.
The queen is scheduled to celebrate another royal birth this summer when she becomes a great-grandmother for a seventh time when Prince William's cousin, Zara Tindall, gives birth.
