Pregnancy ‘takes its toll’ on jet-lagged Duchess
Royal mother-to-be scales back her engagements in Australia as the Duke urges his wife to ‘pace herself ’
THE Duchess of Sussex is to scale back her engagements on the royal tour of Australia after her husband convinced her to rest, as the realities of a pregnancy and jet lag caught up with her.
The Duchess, who is expecting her first child in the spring, pulled out of an Invictus Games event yesterday morning, after its opening ceremony on Saturday night kept her up at least two hours later than planned.
Taking the morning to rest, she joined the
Duke at a lunchtime reception instead, after aides insisted that she ease back.
The Duke is understood to be concerned about the number of engagements his wife has been determined to carry out. She has spoken of how she wakes at 4.30am each morning thanks to the combination of jet lag and tiredness in her second trimester.
The Duchess was expected to miss out on several engagements today, as the royal couple reached
Fraser Island, off the east coast of Queensland. The remainder of the tour, which lasts until Oct 31 and includes trips to Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand, is under consideration. The Fraser Island trip is difficult due to its sandy terrain, with journeys involving a bumpy car ride that often leaves tourists feeling unwell even without the pregnancy element. A source said the Duke and Duchess would decide whether she was able to take part in any public events on the island when she woke up, adding she was “not sick, just tired”.
Until now, the Duchess has not made any changes to the tour as a concession to her pregnancy, telling the public she would be doing the full 76 engagements over 16 days.
On Saturday, aides said, she was still “feeling good”, but a thunderstorm ahead of the Invictus Games opening ceremony, that saw it delayed for at least an hour, left their careful schedule in disarray. “We have to make sure she is well paced and not overdoing it,” a palace source said. “If it has been a very late night due to unforeseen circumstances, we have to adjust for that. She wants to do everything, but Prince Harry is encouraging her to pace herself.” Yesterday, the Duke presented medals at the road cycling event without his wife, telling competitors that Meghan was “resting back at home” and adding: “Being pregnant takes its toll”.
He was presented with a pair of “budgie smugglers” by the Australian Invictus Games team, promptly putting the tight-fitting trunks on over his jeans to pose for a photograph.
Speaking to the host broadcaster, he said he felt “fantastic” about becoming a father, adding “new responsibilities and a new third of our lives”.
The Duchess rejoined the planned schedule for a lunchtime reception hosted by Scott Morrison, Australia’s prime minister, and boarded a boat to watch the sailing in the afternoon. Today, the couple are due to travel to Fraser Island, flying from Sydney.
The Duke will then embark on a journey through the forests of the sand island to join a “smoking ceremony” as a welcome from the traditional owners of the island, the Butchulla people. He will go on to dedicate a section of the Fraser Island rainforest as a Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy, before visiting Lake Mckenzie and Kingfisher Bay.
It is understood that the Duchess will not rule out joining him until the last minute, if she feels well enough.
They will then fly to Fiji and Tonga before returning to Australia for the end of the Games next weekend.