Prince William to step in for Kate Middleton after she cancels Malta tour

LONDON, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- The duke of Cambridge will cover for his wife the duchess of Cambridge in her scheduled solo tour of Malta after the pair decided her morning sickness was too severe to carry on with the trip.

"The duchess of Cambridge will no longer visit Malta this weekend," the Buckingham Palace revealed in a statement. "The duke of Cambridge will undertake the visit instead. Her royal highness continues to suffer from the effects of hyperemesis gravidarum. The decision not to visit was taken by the duke and duchess on the advice of the duchess's doctors."

"The duke is honored to represent her majesty the queen on the visit, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of Malta's independence," the statement continued. "The visit itinerary remains unchanged."

The trip would've been Kate Middleton's first official solo tour overseas.

Earlier this month, the palace revealed Middleton had been experiencing severe morning sickness as a side effect of her second pregnancy. Middleton also had to cancel a scheduled engagement in Oxford earlier this month over the illness and her brother-in-law Prince Harry recently cancelled his 30th birthday celebration because he thought it "inappropriate" to celebrate while Middleton is sick.

The duchess dealt with similar issues while being pregnant with her first child. Middleton and Prince William welcomed their first son, Prince George, on July 22, 2013.