The five-week-old son of Prince Edward and his wife Sophie was diagnosed with an allergy today after being rushed to hospital for tests.

Buckingham Palace confirmed reports that the couple's son, James, underwent tests at Great Ormond Street Hospital late last night after he suddenly became unwell. The Countess, 42, stayed overnight to await the results.

Tonight, a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman issued a brief statement saying that the baby had suffered "a minor allergic reaction". She added that it was "not life-threatening and it’s not serious".

No other medical details were given about the condition of the baby, or what caused the reaction.

James - Viscount Severn and eighth in line to the throne - was born by Caesarean section on December 17.

He was born weighing 6lb 2oz, and was delivered by caesarean section at Frimley Park Hospital near the couple's home in Bagshot, Surrey.

He was conceived naturally - even though the royal couple had suffered from several failed IVF treatments and had a history of difficult pregnancies.

In 2002, two and a half years after the couple married at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, the Countess lost her first child when she suffered an ectopic pregnancy. She was airlifted to hospital where she underwent surgery to have the foetus removed from a Fallopian tube.

The following year, she became pregnant again after undergoing fertility treatment but in her 36th week she was admitted to Frimley Park Hospital after complaining of severe internal pains.

Doctors found the Countess dangerously ill from blood loss and were forced to perform an emergency Caesarean operation to deliver the first royal child born on the National Health Service.

When she was born, Lady Louise, the couple's first child, weighed only 4lb 9oz, and spent two weeks in intensive care in a specialist neonatal unit at St George’s Hospital, Tooting, South London. Both mother and child almost died during the birth.

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