Why does Kate Middleton leave the hospital so quickly after giving birth?

Kate Middleton gave birth to her third child only a few hours ago — but she’s already left the hospital to go back home to Kensington Palace. Why does Kate make such a quick exit? In the U.S., new mothers average two days in the hospital before heading home. However, in the U.K., new moms average a day and a half — the shortest postpartum hospital stays of any high-income country, according to a 2016 article in the Guardian. Though Kate did spend the night after giving birth to Prince George in 2013, she left less than 10 hours after welcoming Princess Charlotte in 2015.