Being a mom in general comes with a lot of opportunities to feel guilt, and despite being the Duchess of Cambridge, not even Kate Middleton is immune to those kinds of feelings. Even she has had moments of feeling guilty while parenting her children with Prince William, proving that no matter who we are or where we come from, motherhood and all of the emotions that come with it can be complicated.
Read on for all the times Kate has opened up about her own experiences with mom guilt and the challenges that come with motherhood. Some of them are a little specific to her experience raising children as a member of the royal family, but many of them are universal things that most moms go through at some point or another.
But despite whatever guilt she might feel, so far, it seems like Kate's doing an amazing job raising her three kiddos. We can't wait to see all of her motherhood moments in the years to come — and to see what Charlotte, George, and Louis grow up to be.
Missing School Drop-Off
While on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast in early 2020, Kate shared that she felt guilt over being unable to drop her kids off at school that morning because she had to work.
"Yep — all the time, even this morning, coming to the nursery visit here — George and Charlotte were like 'Mummy how could you possibly not be dropping us off at school this morning?'" she said, reports Express. "It's a constant challenge — you hear it time after time from mums, even mums who aren't necessarily working and aren't pulled in the directions of having to juggle work life and family life."
Questioning Her Decisions
During the same interview, Kate also admitted that she's questioned all of her parenting decisions from the time her children were born.
"[You're] always sort of questioning your own decisions and your own judgements and things like that, and I think that starts from the moment you have a baby," she said at the time.
All of the Emotions
In a speech Kate made in 2017, she admitted that the emotions that come with motherhood aren't always pleasant ones.
"Nothing can really prepare you for the sheer overwhelming experience of what it means to become a mother," she said. "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."
How Hard the Toddler Years Can Be
While talking to other moms at the Family Action charity in 2017, Kate admitted that even though she has help at home, she felt like she got less and less help the older her kids got, particularly after they turned a year old.
“It’s so hard," she said. "You get a lot of support with the baby as a mother particularly in the early days, but after the age of one it falls away. After that there isn’t a huge amount — lots of books to read.”
Winging It
During an appearance in London in 2017, Kate shared that she had to learn how to wing it as a mom and figure things out while trying not to beat herself up too much if she felt she made a mistake.
"There is no rule book, no right or wrong — you just have to make it up and do the very best you can to care for your family," she said at the time.
She Lies to Her Kids Sometimes
During an appearance on BBC Breakfast, Kate admitted that she lied to her kids and kept going with homeschool through the Easter holidays during the lockdowns in early 2020.
"Don't tell the children, we've actually kept it going through the holidays," she said. "I feel very mean. The children have got such stamina, I don't know how. Honestly, you get to the end of the day and you write down the list of all the things that you've done in that day."
The Newborn Days
In 2017, Kate and Will talked about becoming new parents in a video released by Kensington Palace, and she confessed that in the early days of George's life, she had no idea what to do as a first-time mom.
"Remember the first few days with little George, you have no idea what really you are doing?" she said, via Hello! magazine. "No matter how many books you read, nothing can prepare you for it."
Too Sick to Take George to School
When George's first day of school at St. Thomas' Battersea rolled around, Kate wasn't able to take him because she was pregnant and suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, an extreme form of morning sickness. In a speech she made later, she admitted that it was difficult for her.
“As a mother, just getting used to leaving my own child at the school gates, it is clear to me that it takes a whole community to help raise a child," she said.
Leaving the Kids Behind
Will and Kate have a strict rule that prohibits their kids from going out on school nights, and that meant that in 2019 all three kids stayed home while mom and dad were out at the Royal Variety Performance. At the time, Kate even admitted that her kids would have loved to have been there, so there's no doubt she felt guilty for leaving them behind, as any of us would!
Handling Tantrums
Not even Kate knows how to perfectly handle her children's tantrums! During a video call in late 2020, Kate was asked how she manages tantrums in her home, and she replied that she doesn't have the answers.
"Yes, that's a hard one," she said, according to Pinkvilla. "I'd also like to ask the experts myself."
Not Granting All Their Christmas Wishes
Not everyone can celebrate the holidays with their family in 2020, and that includes Kate and Will's kids. According to what a source close to the royals told People, they weren't sure if they'd be able to gather with Queen Elizabeth at Sandringham for Christmas, which is a family tradition. We know Kate must feel some type of way about not being able to make this time exactly what they wished for.
"The children miss their great-granny, but it's the same rules for them as everyone," the source said.
Not Being Able to Give Them a Normal Childhood
In a lot of ways, George, Charlotte, and Louis have a way cooler childhood than "regular" kids. But, being royal does come with its drawbacks. However, it seems if Kate has any mom guilt about that she's doing what she can to quell it. In fact, according to The Daily Mail, Kate was even spotted taking her kids to visit the Imperial War Museum like any other mom would.
The Challenge of Homeschooling
During an appearance on BBC Breakfast in July 2020, Kate admitted that it's been a bit of a challenge to get the homeschooling rhythm down during lockdown — something that a lot of parents have been struggling with.
"Some parts have been really positive – spending extra time with the kids and everything like that, but it’s equally stressful," she said. "You're in confined spaces and having to homeschool. That was definitely a challenge. I always respected teachers before, but now I have a newfound respect for them."
Keeping Up With Her Kids' Energy
During the same interview, Kate also shared that she has a hard time keeping up with her kids — something that a lot of moms out there feel guilty about.
"The children have got such stamina, I don’t know how," she said. "Honestly, you get to the end of the day and you write down the list of all the things that you’ve done in that day. So, you pitch a tent, take the tent down again, cook, bake. You get to the end of the day — they have had a lovely time — but it is amazing how much you can cram into one day, that's for sure."
Preparing Them for the Future
George's fate as the future king is already sealed, and if Kate feels any guilt over the big responsibility he'll face she and Will are trying to get ahead of it, according to what a royal source told Closer.
"William and Kate have already talked to George and Charlotte about their future roles, but in a child-like way so that they understand without feeling overwhelmed," the insider said. "George knows there's something special about him and that one day he'll be the future king of England."
