The Duchess of Cambridge attended the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards

The Duchess of Cambridge attended the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards at the ExCeL centre in London. The Duchess of Cambridge attended the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday evening.

It was her first public appearance since she was hospitalised with severe morning sickness. She appeared on stage to present the top prize to Bradley Wiggins and second prize to Jessica Ennis. Andy Murray, who came third in the public vote, was unable to attend the ceremony at ExCel in east London. Lord Coe, the chairman of London 2012 organisers Locog, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Duchess.

Earlier the BBC's royal correspondent Peter Hunt tweeted: "Kate, according to her office, is keen to show her support to UK sportsmen and women at 'this prestigious event which caps a momentous year'."

The Duchess attended numerous London 2012 events, and watched alongside Prince William as Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford all won gold medals on the same night in the Olympic Stadium. The royal couple also visited Team GB at the Olympic village during the Games.

The Duchess, who is 12 weeks pregnant, was ordered to rest at home at Kensington Palace after she left King Edward VII's Hospital on 6 December.

She had not been seen in public since and was recently forced to miss several engagements, including a Centrepoint Royal Albert Hall fundraiser and the British Military Tournament.

Her time in hospital was overshadowed by a phone prank by two Australian DJs posing as the Queen and asking about the Duchess's medical condition. Jacintha Saldanha, one of the nurses who took the call - which was later aired on the radio - was later found dead.

This morning Mrs Saldanha's body arrived in the city of Mangalore, India, for burial.

The Duchess was not accompanied to the event by her husband, Prince William, who is working in Anglesey as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot.

It is believed that she did not attend the entire two-and-a-half-hour show but arrived in time to present the top awards.