Prince William and Kate are to make an official visit to Norway and Sweden next year, when the Duchess will be well into her pregnancy. Kensington Palace has announced that the couple will travel in early 2018, although exact dates have not been confirmed. The royals have been asked to undertake the Scandinavian visit on behalf of the Foreign Office.
William will also make a solo official visit to Finland next month from Wednesday 29 November to Thursday 30 November, also at the request of the Foreign Office. He will not be joined by his wife Kate, who is still suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum – a severe form of morning sickness.
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince William and Kate will go on tour in 2018
The palace had originally planned for William and Kate, both 35, to tour all three countries in November, but the Duchess' condition meant the trip to Norway and Sweden had to be postponed. William was always committed to visit Finland this year, as 2017 marks the centenary of the country's independence.
The British royals enjoy strong ties with the Norwegian and Swedish royal families. King Harald V of Norway and Elizabeth II are second cousins and the Queen's first ever state visit was to Norway in June 1955. The Windsors also have a close relationship with the Swedish royals through their shared ancestor Queen Victoria.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe couple are expecting their third child
Prince William and Kate most recently went on tour over the summer. The couple were joined by their young children, Prince George, four, and two-year-old Princess Charlotte, as they spent a few days in Poland and Germany. It was then that Kate joked she and William should have a third baby.
The Duchess was forced to announce her pregnancy before the 12-week mark in early September, when she had to pull out of an engagement last-minute due to severe morning sickness. Kate is thought to be due around April time, meaning she could be in her third trimester when she embarks on her Scandinavian official visit next year.
