Several years and three kids later, Kate Middleton’s pregnancies still stand out as some of the royal family’s most celebrated moments. Up ahead, we’ll take a walk down memory lane with Kate Middleton’s pregnant photos, but first, let’s get to know the not-so-little-anymore kids of Cambridge.
Kate Middleton’s journey to motherhood began in 2012. After months of pregnancy rumors, the royal palace formally announced in December 2012 that she and her husband, Prince William, were expecting their first child. Kate, formally known as the Duchess of Cambridge at the time, didn’t have the easiest pregnancy—she was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness. “I was not the happiest pregnant person,” she later revealed in an episode of the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast in February 2020. “I was really sick, I wasn’t eating the things I should be eating.”
Despite her difficult pregnancy, Kate went on to welcome a healthy baby boy, making her and Prince William parents for the very first time. Their son, Prince George of Cambridge, was born on July 22, 2013 and is currently heir to the British throne in the line of succession after his father, Prince William. The future monarch was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in London—the same hospital where Prince William’s mother, Princess Diana, gave birth to him and his little brother, Prince Harry. Just hours after giving birth to their first child, Kate and William posed for photos outside of the hospital to give the public a glimpse at their newborn.
In September 2014, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced they were expecting another child. Unfortunately, just as Kate struggled with severe morning sickness during her first pregnancy, this time was no different. “We’re immensely thrilled, it’s great news, early days but I’m hoping that things settle down [and] she feels a bit better,” Prince William told reporters at the start of Kate’s second pregnancy, per CNBC. After being treated by doctors at home at Kensington Palace throughout her pregnancy, Kate went on to welcome a baby girl named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana on May 2, 2015. Just like her older brother George, William and Kate’s second child was introduced to the world outside of St. Mary’s hospital.
Charlotte’s name is an homage to her royal family members. Her first name is the feminine version of her grandfather Prince Charles’ name. Meanwhile, her middle names pay tribute to her late grandmother, Princess Diana, and her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. Before her great-granddaughter was born, Queen Elizabeth introduced the Succession to the Crown Act of 2013, which now allowed both sons and daughters of any future monarch to have an equal right to the throne (previously, only male heirs had a right to succession.) This means Charlotte—whose official title is Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge—is officially third in the line of succession to the British throne after her older brother, George, and her father, Prince William.
“It’s very special having a new little girl. I feel very, very lucky that George has got a little sister,” Kate shared at the time. “The Queen was really thrilled that it was a little girl, and I think as soon as we came back here to Kensington she was one of our first visitors here.”
Just over two years after the birth of their daughter, William and Kate announced they were expecting their third child. The couple welcomed their son, Louis Arthur Charles, on April 23, 2018. Like his older siblings, his name has a sentimental meaning to the family. It has been speculated that he was named after his great-grandfather Prince Philip’s own grandfather, Prince Louis Alexander of Battenberg, along with Prince Charles’ great-uncle and mentor, Earl Louis Mountbatten.
Officially speaking, Louis is known as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge and holds the fourth position in the line of succession to the British throne behind his older siblings and his father, Prince William. Despite being the youngest of the bunch, Louis has arguably sparked the most attention out of his siblings thanks to his “cheeky” personality, having made headlines for his silly faces and antics at royal events throughout the years.
Now that we know who’s who in the Cambridge brood, it’s time to take a look at Kate Middleton’s pregnancy photos to see Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis back when they were still inside their mother’s tummy. Keep scrolling ahead for Kate Middleton’s pregnant photos throughout the years.
Prince William and Kate Middleton were photographed leaving King Edward VII hospital in London, England early on in Kate’s first pregnancy. The Duchess of Cambridge was being treated at the hospital for her acute morning sickness symptoms.
When the Duchess of Cambridge was around four months pregnant with Prince George, she paid a visit to Hope House, an all-female rehabilitation center and one of the projects run by her patronage, Action on Addiction.
While pregnant with Prince George, Kate paid a visit to the National Fishing Heritage Centre during a day of public engagements in Grimsby, England.
The Duchess of Cambridge was around five months pregnant with Prince George when she attended the St Patrick’s Day Parade at Mons Barracks alongside her husband, Prince William.
Kate Middleton, joined by her husband Prince William, visited the Donald Dewar Leisure Centre to launch a new project for The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Glasgow, Scotland while pregnant with Prince George.
The Duchess of Cambridge attended the National Review of Queen’s Scouts at Windsor Castle, pictured here, during her pregnancy with Prince George.
At six months pregnant, the Duchess of Cambridge attended the inauguration of Warner Bros. newest studio in Leavesden in Watford, Hertfordshire, in the East of England.
Kate Middleton attended a garden party hosted by Queen Elizabeth II on Buckingham Palace grounds when she was seven months pregnant with Prince George.
Kate attended a service in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation at Westminster Abbey in London, England, while pregnant with Prince George.
Princess Catherine attended the naming ceremony for a new Princess Cruises ship, named Royal Princess, while heavily pregnant with Prince George. As the ship’s godmother, Kate officially named the Royal Princess with a traditional blessing involving smashing a bottle of Champagne over the ship’s hull in what was expected to be one of her final solo engagements before the birth of her and Prince William’s first child.
In her last official engagement before Prince George was born, Kate Middleton attended Queen Elizabeth’s annual Trooping the Colour Ceremony. Here, she is pictured on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where she was joined by her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, and her husband, Prince William.
Early on in her second pregnancy with Princess Charlotte, the Duchess of Cambridge was photographed leaving after attending a ceremonial welcome for the President of Singapore at Horse Guards Parade in London, England.
At around 15 weeks pregnant with Princess Charlotte, Princess Kate went on an oil refinery tour at Pembroke Refinery with her husband, Prince William.
Kate Middleton was around five months pregnant with Princess Charlotte when she attended the St. Andrews 600th Anniversary Dinner on December 9, 2014 in New York City with her husband Prince William.
As a Royal Patron, Kate visited Barlby Primary School in London, England to bestow an official name to the school’s art room while pregnant with Princess Charlotte.
During her pregnancy with Princess Charlotte, the Duchess of Cambridge had the honor of formally opening the Kensington Leisure Centre in London, England, where she is pictured here.
Around seven months into her pregnancy with Princess Charlotte, Kate Middleton stopped in Portsmouth, England to visit the new home of Ben Ainslie Racing and the 1851 Trust to view an art project by the local community.
During a visit to Stoke on Trent, the Duchess of Cambridge shopped at the Emma Bridgewater Factory while pregnant with Princess Charlotte.
Kate Middleton attended the Commonwealth Observance Service at Westminster Abbey when she was about eight months pregnant with Princess Charlotte. Her husband, Prince William, was also by her side.
Prince William and Kate Middleton attended a Service of Commemoration for troops who were stationed in Afghanistan in London when the Duchess of Cambridge was eight months pregnant with Princess Charlotte.
In her first public appearance after announcing her third pregnancy, Kate Middleton appeared at an event in support of World Mental Health Day at Buckingham Palace.
At around four months pregnant with Prince Louis, Kate attended the annual Place2Be School Leaders Forum at UBS London in London, England. The Duchess of Cambridge is a Patron of Place2Be, a National Children’s mental health charity.
When she was about five months along in her pregnancy with Prince Louis, Kate Middleton attended the Children’s Global Media Summit at Manchester Central Convention Complex in Manchester, England, to support her husband Prince William, who delivered a keynote speech at the summit which explored the impact the digital technology would have on children’s lives.
At six months pregnant with Prince Louis, Kate Middleton spent the day in Coventry with her husband, Prince William, where they visited the famed cathedral, met with university students, and visited a youth center for mental health.
The Duchess of Cambridge paid a visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, England, when she was six months pregnant with Prince Louis. She met with families and spent time playing with young patients at the hospital’s opening event.
Nearly seven months into her third pregnancy, Kate and William embarked on a royal tour to Sweden. Here, they are pictured outside of the Karolinska Institute, where they met with academics and practitioners to discuss Sweden’s approach to managing mental health challenges.
During their royal tour to Sweden and Norway, Kate Middleton visited the Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park, which opened in 2017 to mark the 25th anniversary of The King’s reign.
At seven months pregnant with Prince Louis, Kate Middleton attended the opening for the new Action On Addiction Community Treatment Centre in Essex.
At eight months pregnant with Prince Louis, the Duchess of Cambridge attended a symposium at the Royal Society of Medicine about early mental health intervention for children and families. This marked one of her last official engagements before giving birth her youngest son.
For her last appearance before giving birth to Prince Louis, the Duchess of Cambridge attended Easter Service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, England with the rest of the royal family.
