Motherhood can be lonely – Kate
The Duchess of Cambridge has followed the footsteps of Prince Harry and made a heartfelt confession that motherhood has been “lonely” at times.
Kate, the mother of Prince George and Princess Charlotte, opened up during a visit to a west London high school, where she joined a discussion on the issue of mental health.
The group also included William, the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry, students, and Jamie Theakston and Emma Bunton, who had presented their Heart radio breakfast show from the Global Academy in Hayes.
Kate also suggested to the group that starting conversations about mental health with children should happen when they are younger.
She said parents should be helped “to start these conversations from a much earlier age but through play, if their language hasn’t yet developed”.
After two mothers, supporters of the royal trio’s Heads Together mental health campaign, discussed how they became friends after bonding through mutual loneliness, Kate replied: “Yes, it is lonely at times and you do feel quite isolated, but so many other mothers are going through exactly what you are going through. It is being brave enough, like you obviously were, to reach out to those around you.”
Kate was chatting to Katie MassieTaylor and Sarah Hesz, who have launched an app to help mothers of young children make friends with others in a similar situation.
Commenting on the duchess’ admission, Ms Hesz said: “It’s not surprising because we know all mums feel that, and it doesn’t matter where you live. It is something you go through when you become a mum.”
William, Kate and Harry have spent the past few days championing their Heads Together campaign, which aims to encourage people to talk about their mental health problems or be a sympathetic ear for someone in need.
On Wednesday, Harry spoke of his decision to talk about the issues he faced after his mother’s death, saying it was “only right” that he aired his experiences as he wanted to encourage others to “smash that stigma” around talking about mental health.
He was praised by the duchess, who described him as “brilliant” for revealing in an interview with the Daily Telegraph that he spent nearly 20 years “not thinking” about the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and eventually got help after two years of “total chaos”.