'Exhausted' Meghan pulls out of royal trip with Harry to Zambia amid fears over Zika virus

An 'exhausted' Duchess of Sussex has pulled out of a visit to Zambia over fears about the Zika virus - deciding to spend quality time with her mother Doria instead.

Prince Harry will now complete the two-day tour of the African country alone while his pregnant wife rests up with her mother, who is visiting Britain.

Officially, Harry was always supposed to make the trip alone but palace insiders say that it was intended to be a joint visit.

An insider told the Sun: "As far as those on the ground in Zambia were concerned both Meghan and Harry were going. But Meghan is exhausted and, understandably, expressed serious concerns about travelling to a country with even the smallest Zika threat.

"In the end it was agreed Harry would go it alone and Meghan could rest-up and spend some quality time with Doria, who is down in the UK visiting."

The latest foreign trip comes less than a month after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.

In October, Public Health England warned pregnant women not travel to a region of India amid fears they could be struck down with Zika.

Zika can cause microcephaly for children in the womb, causing babies to be born with abnormally small skulls.

What is Zika?

• The Zika virus is spread by mosquito bites, between people during unprotected sex, and from pregnant mothers to their children.

• It cannot be cured or prevented with medicines. Although most adults do not become seriously ill from the infection, it can cause serious birth defects if pregnant women get it.

• Foetuses' brains can be affected by the virus when it is passed on from the mother and it can cause microcephaly.

• Microcephaly is a condition in which babies' heads are unusually small, which can lead to seizures, delayed development and other disabilities.

• The virus can also increase the risk of unborn children developing Guillain-Barre syndrome – an uncommon illness in which the immune system attacks the nerves and can cause muscle weakness and paralysis.