Duchess Kate may use subtle trick to hide her pregnancies before they're formally announced

News of Duchess Kate's pregnancy broke the internet earlier this week, but it really shouldn't come as a surprise to her biggest fans -- here's why.

In Monday's announcement, Kensington Palace revealed that the news of the royal couple's third child was announced sooner than they would've liked because Kate had been suffering from Hyperemesis gravidarum -- an intense form of morning sickness -- and therefore had to cancel an official engagement at the last minute.

But one reporter recently pointed out a pattern in Duchess Kate's pregnancy announcements -- and it has to do with her hair. The Evening Standard's political reporter Kate Proctor made the bombshell revelation on Twitter, saying that Duchess Kate will change her hairstyle shortly before announcing that she's pregnant.

Is this a move to direct all the focus on her hair instead of her belly? Unintentional or not, we think it's a genius idea!

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And the photos don't lie! A photograph of Duchess Kate attending an event approximately nine weeks ago, most likely around the time she discovered she was pregnant, shows her with her longer brunette tresses. Just a few days later, she attended the opening tennis match at this year's Wimbledon where she debuted a shorter look.

When she was pregnant with Prince George in 2012, a similar pattern occurred. Shortly before William and Kate announced they were expecting their first child, the Duchess appeared at a dinner sporting her signature long locks.

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Just a couple of weeks later, Kate stepped out with a new hairstyle -- bangs! And then the following week, the royal couple announced they were expecting their first child, Prince George.

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Duchess Kate really pulled a fast one on us there! For more photos of her shorter look, check out the slideshow below: