Duchess Kate mourns the loss of her midwife Christine Hill, who died at the age of 74.

Duchess Kate (40) mourns the loss of a close confidant. Her obstetrician, Christine Hill, has died at the age of 74. A spokesman for the family confirmed this to the British “Daily Mail”: “She will be sorely missed. She has won many friends with her spirited, amusing and straightforward manner.”

Hill provided advice and support to Kate and her husband Prince William, 40, during their pregnancy with little Prince George, 8, in 2013. Because Kate didn’t attend a childbirth class for safety reasons, she reportedly attended one-on-one sessions with Hill. Together with William, she visited the specialist twice in her London apartment.