Since Prince George was born in 2013, we’ve seen Kate Middleton and Prince William become parents — and pretty good ones at that. When it comes to parenting George, Charlotte, and Louis, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are doing an amazing job, especially Kate. So far, one of the things we love most about watching Kate’s motherhood journey is how honest she’s been about it. Motherhood is so rewarding, but it’s also challenging, and Kate’s never been afraid to admit when the struggle gets a bit too real.
Of course, we feel less alone when anyone shares the ways they struggle with parenting, but it hits a little differently when Kate, a member of the British royal family, does it. We know she has a lot of help in the form of nannies and her palace staff — and her husband (duh) — but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t face the same challenges many of us do when taking care of our kids, especially when it comes to being a new mom.
It’s a universal struggle!
Here are Kate’s most relatable motherhood confessions, whether they’re about what it was like to become a mom for the first time in the public eye, her mental health, or even how messy her little ones can get. It’s comforting to know that even the Duchess of Cambridge isn’t a perfect mom, because, in the end, there’s no such thing.
And when it comes to how difficult being a mom can be, Kate Middleton is always willing to tell it like it is.
Being a New Mom Is Emotional
When Kate was on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast in early 2020, she shared that she was nervous to become a mom to Prince George for the first time — just like anyone would be when they have their first child.
She revealed:
“Everyone had been so supportive and both William and I were really conscious that this was something that everyone was excited about … and actually for us to be able to share that joy and appreciation with the public, I felt was really important. But equally it was coupled with a newborn baby, and inexperienced parents, and the uncertainty of what that held, so there were all sorts of mixed emotions.”
Pregnancy Can Be a Challenge
On the same podcast, Kate opened up about her hyperemesis gravidarum, and how challenging the extreme form of morning sickness has made each of her pregnancies for her — and for the rest of her family at the same time.
“I got very bad morning sickness, so I’m not the happiest of pregnant people,” she said. “Lots of people have it far, far worse, but it was definitely a challenge. Not just for me but also for your loved ones around you — and I think that’s the thing — being pregnant and having a newborn baby and things like that, impacts everybody in the family.”
Her Kids Eat Bugs
Prince George might be the future king of England, but he’s like every other kid out there, and fortunately, Kate is able to laugh at it! At last year’s King’s Cup Regatta, adventurer Bear Grylls commented that George had eaten an ant while cheering his parents on … and onlookers reported that Kate laughed upon hearing that.
At least she takes it all in stride!
Prince Louis' Daredevil Ways
We all know the struggle of keeping track of our kids at the playground … and the momentary heart attack we have when we can’t see them right away! Kate admitted that’s happened to her before while talking to people at event last year, sharing that Louis is “keeping us on our toes.”
“I turned around the other day and he was at the top of the slide — I had no idea!” she said at the time.
Dealing With a Messy Kitchen
While she and her family have been spending more time at home than usual in 2020, a source close to the royals has said that means Kate baking with the kids almost every day … and of course, that leads to quite a mess. “The kitchen is always a complete mess by the end of it, but it’s all part of the fun — that’s how Kate sees it. They also enjoy gardening together and planting seeds,” the source said.
Kids Are 'Bottomless Pits'
According to what Kate said on BBC Breakfast, her kids are eating her out of house and home … and because George, Charlotte, and Louis seem to be pretty active little ones, it’s no surprise that they seem to be running up the grocery bill!
“My children have bottomless pits,” Kate said. “I feel like a constant feeding machine for them.”
Louis Struggles With Social Distancing
The need to practice social distancing can be hard to explain (and enforce) when it comes to toddlers, and Prince Louis is no exception! In fact, as Kate said in the same BBC Breakfast interview, Louis isn’t the best at staying 6 feet away from others.
“Louis doesn’t understand social distancing,” the duchess said. “He goes out wanting to cuddle anything. Especially babies younger than him.”
Dealing With Clingy Kids
Sometimes, kids go through phases where they become stage five clingers … and royal kids are no exception! Kate has said that Louis loves going everywhere with her, which is just too sweet. “You remind me of my little Louis, he keeps saying, ‘Me, me, me,'” Kate said to a child she met when she visited a Christmas tree farm in December 2019. “And he wants to come everywhere with me!”
The Struggle of Being a First-Time Mom
During that same appearance, Kate admitted that while at first, parents do have resources that help them as they venture into caring for a baby for the first time … but then, it can be difficult as that support drops off, and that’s when they need the help the most.
“In the first few months, there’s a huge amount of support from midwives and health visitors and things,” she said. “But from then onwards there’s a massive gap before they then start school.”
Getting Help From Her Mom
When it comes to raising her three kids, it seems like Kate isn’t afraid to ask for help. In fact, reportedly, Carole Middleton has been helping Kate and Will more than usual in 2020, since they’ve been busier with work after Meghan and Harry made their royal exit. We love that Kate is willing to ask her own mom for a little boost when she needs it!
Motherhood Is Overwhelming
During a speech Kate made in 2017 at an event about supporting the mental health needs of mothers, she admitted that becoming a mom can be overwhelming.
“Nothing can really prepare you for you the sheer overwhelming experience of what it means to become a mother,” she said at the time, according to Self. “It is full of complex emotions of joy, exhaustion, love, and worry — all mixed together. Your fundamental identity changes overnight. You go from thinking of yourself as primarily an individual to suddenly being a mother, first and foremost.”
... And Stressful, Too
At the same event, Kate said that it’s OK to admit how stressful being a parent can be.
“It is right to talk about motherhood as a wonderful thing, but we also need to talk about its stresses and strains,” she told the audience. “It’s OK not to find it easy, and asking for help should not be seen as a sign of weakness … Our children need us to look after ourselves and get the support we need.”
Being a New Mom Can Be Isolating
While talking to people at a children and parents’ center in early 2020, Kate admitted she felt isolated when she became a mom to George for the first time while William was still in the military.
“It was the first year and I’d just had George — William was still working with search and rescue — and we came up here and I had a tiny, tiny baby in the middle of Anglesey,” she said, according to People. “It was so isolated, so cut off. I didn’t have any family around, and he was doing night shifts.”
Protecting Her Kids' Mental Health
In 2016, Kate wrote a guest blog for HuffPost about how important it is to make sure her kids’ mental health was in a good place. She wrote:
“Like most parents today, William and I would not hesitate to seek help for our children if they needed it. We hope to encourage George and Charlotte to speak about their feelings and to give them the tools and sensitivity to be supportive peers to their friends as they get older.”
Figuring Out a Swaddle
For first-time parents, the art of swaddling can seem complicated … and according to what Kate said on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast, she and William practiced on a doll before they took George out of the hospital to meet the public — so they’d look like they knew what they were doing.
“We were like ‘What do we do? In a swaddle? How’s this supposed to work?!’ We’d even tried to practice with a little baby, like a little doll, at home but you know it just never works out the way you planned it so it was quite hard to do that on the world’s stage, but no, he did a very good job,” she admitted.
