The Daily Telegraph

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 ’

- By Hannah Furness ROYAL CORRESPOND­ENT in Sydney

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.

 ??  ?? The Duke of Sussex donned ‘budgie smugglers’, above, given to him by the Australian Invictus Games team. He was later joined by the Duchess, left
The Duke of Sussex donned ‘budgie smugglers’, above, given to him by the Australian Invictus Games team. He was later joined by the Duchess, left
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom