Prince William’s wife Kate laid bare her “mummy guilt” during a landmark podcast on Saturday, recorded as part of her efforts to bring about a “generational change” in early-year childcare.
The duchess told the “Happy Mum, Happy Baby” podcast that she suffered anxiety about her performance as a mother “all the time,” adding that “anyone who doesn’t as a mother is actually lying.”
“Questioning your own decisions, and your own judgements, and things like that… I think that starts from the moment you have a baby,” said the mother-of-three.
Asked if she felt “mummy guilt,” the duchess – mother to George, aged six, Charlotte, four and Louis, 20 months, responded – “yes, absolutely.”
She said that she “definitely would have done things different… knowing what I know now” referring to her first pregnancy with Prince George.
The morning sickness that she suffered with all three of her children had strained the family, she said.
“William didn’t feel he could do much to help and it’s hard for everyone to see you suffering without actually being able to do anything about it,” she explained.
Despite the challenges, she said that since having children she had “found a new enjoyment out of life.”
Her experience of bringing up three children have led her to launch an early-year survey to help find answers about raising a “happy, healthy” generation.
“I think there’s a few things that really stand out for me,” she said.
“One is quality of relationships – so those moments that you spend with people that are around you. I remember that from my own childhood.”
When asked what she hopes that her three children will remember from their childhood, the duchess answered: “Going to the beach getting soaking wet, filling our boots full of water.”
Kate has previously spoken of worrying about how well she was adapting to motherhood, saying “it is lonely at times and you do feel quite isolated.”
Britain’s Prince William and wife Catherine Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, visit SOS Children’s village in Lahore, Pakistan on Thursday. The couple also had the chance to tell a story to children with finger puppets. Photo: IC
