Prince William is taking Kate’s place in Malta

The Duchess of Cambridge continues to lay low in these first weeks of her second pregnancy, but never fear, royal watchers: You’re getting a prince instead.

Poor Kate is still quite ill, it seems, and has canceled what was to be her first solo foreign trip. The palace released a statement saying, ?”The Duchess of Cambridge will no longer visit Malta this weekend. The Duke of Cambridge will undertake the visit instead.”

“Her Royal Highness continues to suffer from the effects of Hyperemesis Gravidarum. The decision not to travel was taken by the Duke and Duchess on the advice of the Duchess’s doctors.”

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“The Duke is honoured to represent Her Majesty The Queen on the visit, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of Malta’s Independence,” the statement continued. “The visit itinerary remains unchanged.”

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The decision of whether or not Kate would still attend was pushed off a day, a sign that the Duchess was quite eager to go. However, palace sources told the Daily Mail that Kate’s OBs, Alan Farthing and Guy Thorpe-Beeston, persuaded her to stay close to home — and she reluctantly agreed.

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It is thought that Kate will head to her parents’ house in Bucklebury for some TLC. Michael and Carole Middleton are thought to have set up a wing of their sprawling country home just for the Cambridges.

The visit is an important one to the royals. The island nation holds a special place in the heart of Queen Elizabeth as she and Prince Philip spent months there before she ascended the throne while he was in the Royal Navy.