Kate Middleton heartache following death of friend and close confidant

Kate Middleton heartache as she mourns the death of friend and close confidant.

• Kate Middleton is said to be saddened by the news her friend Christine Hill has passed away.
• The Duchess of Cambridge was prepared for birth by the antenatal expert.
• This royal news (opens in new tab) comes as 'Frail' Queen leaves royal fans emotional in photos of latest engagement (opens in new tab).

Kate Middleton is expected to be saddened by the loss of her friend and close confidant.

The Duchess of Cambridge has received some heartbreaking news that Christine Hill, an antenatal expert who helped the Duchess prepare for the birth of her first child Prince George (opens in new tab), has passed away.

Baby expert Christine spent time with both Prince William and Kate Middleton ahead of his July 2013 birth and they even visited her west London home twice to seek advice.

A spokesperson for Christine's family told the Daily Mail's Eden Confidential column, "She will be achingly missed. Her feisty, amusing, straightforward demeanour won her many friends."

And Christine previously spoke highly of Duchess Kate, she once told the Telegraph, "Kate is a delightful girl. What you see is what you get."

She also noted that in Prince William and Kate's relationship (opens in new tab) they are "a very strong team," and said she imagined the father-to-be would provide all the support his wife needed when Kate goes into labour. "Prince William will be doing the right stuff on the day," she added at the time.

Kate Middleton, who is mum to Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte (opens in new tab), seven, and Prince Louis, three, has spoken out about her births, admitting she had a difficult pregnancy (opens in new tab) with Prince George. She revealed she suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum - extreme morning sickness - but during her pregnancy with Prince George she had to be hospitalised.

Kate admitted on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast, that it had been "terrifying" to give birth to her first child.

"It was slightly terrifying; I'm not going to lie. Everyone had been so supportive and both William and I were conscious that this was something that everyone was excited about, and we are hugely grateful for the support that the public has shown us, and actually for us to share that joy and appreciation with the public was equally important.

"But equally, it was coupled with a newborn baby and inexperienced parents and the uncertainty about what that held. So, there were all sorts of mixed emotions."