Why Prince William might miss the birth of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal baby

Prince William could miss the birth of his brother's first child.

Kensington Palace announced on Thursday that the Duke of Cambridge will travel to New Zealand in late April on behalf of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, "to honour the victims of the Christchurch mosques terrorist attack." The palace added that "the visit in late April will be made at the request of the Prime Minister of New Zealand."

"The Duke will meet with those affected by the attack and will pay tribute to the extraordinary compassion and solidarity that the people of New Zealand have displayed in recent weeks," the statement went on. "The full programme for the visit will be announced in due course."

SEE ALSO: Royals release statements on 'horrifying' New Zealand mass shooting

The announcement of William's impending travel comes as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle prepare to welcome their first child together, estimated to be due at the end of April. Back in January, during a visit to Birkhead, England, the Duchess of Sussex reportedly told a well-wisher that she was about six months along in her pregnancy and expected to welcome her baby in late April or early May.

Of course, William missing the child's birth would be for a commendable cause: The March 14 coordinated mosque attack was the worst mass shooting in New Zealand's history.

Following the devastating attacks, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released a joint statement publicly condemning the attack on the country, which is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

"Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the people who lost their lives in the devastating attack in Christchurch," they said in a joint statement. "We have all been fortunate to spend time in Christchurch and have felt the warm, open-hearted and generous spirit that is core to its remarkable people. No person should ever have to fear attending a sacred place of worship."

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"This senseless attack is an affront to the people of Christchurch and New Zealand, and the broader Muslim community," the statement continued. "It is a horrifying assault on a way of life that embodies decency, community, and friendship. We know that from this devastation and deep mourning, the people of New Zealand will unite to show that such evil can never defeat compassion and tolerance."

"We send our thoughts and prayers to everyone in New Zealand today," the two couples ended.