Duchess of Cambridge expecting baby in April

Prince William and his wife Kate's second child, who will be fourth in line to the British throne, is due in April, an official statement said yesterday.

"Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to confirm they are expecting a baby in April 2015," said a statement from the couple's official residence, Kensington Palace.

It also said the 32-year-old pregnant duchess will make her first public appearance in more than two months today at a ceremony in honour of Singaporean President Tony Tan.

The duchess was last seen at a ceremony at the Tower of London on August 5 in honour of World War I victims and has been suffering from acute morning sickness.

The couple announced they were expecting last month and she has been forced to cancel several engagements since then, including a trip to Malta on what would have been her first solo foreign tour.

The prince's grandmother Queen Elizabeth II has said she is "delighted" at the news, which comes just over a year after the birth of the couple's first child, Prince George.