Kate Middleton’s Struggle Revealed: Royal Duties Keep Her Away from Kids
0When the Royal Family steps into the public eye for major events, they do so with an awareness that the world is watching their every move. From meeting the public to engaging with charity representatives, they are expected to maintain a warm smile and an impeccable appearance. However, being part of the monarchy also requires significant personal sacrifices, including the suppression of their individual identities in favor of upholding their symbolic roles for the UK.
One royal in particular, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, has always performed her duties with grace and poise. However, a royal expert has shed light on the personal challenge she faces while fulfilling her public responsibilities, particularly during royal tours. Royal author and journalist Katie Nicholl, who has accompanied Prince William and Kate on numerous royal tours, revealed that while Kate handles the demands of royal life with ease, there is one aspect she struggles with: being away from her children for long periods.
“Kate wants to be a modern, hands-on mother and struggles with being away from her children during these tours,” Nicholl explained in an interview reported by Mirror.
Although the royal couple can afford nannies, Kate has often relied on her mother, Carole Middleton, to help care for Prince George and Princess Charlotte during her extended travels, which brings her comfort and peace of mind. Still, the emotional toll of leaving her children behind while carrying out her royal duties remains a challenge for Kate.
“Despite being the Duchess of Cambridge and being able to afford around-the-clock nannies and so on, she had her mum looking after Prince George and Princess Charlotte, which struck me as just really normal,” Nicholl said. “I could see how much comfort and confidence that gave her in getting on with her job, which she does brilliantly, but I think it is always such a wrench for her to leave her children behind.”
Kate’s desire to be present and hands-on with her children adds complexity to her royal role, making her tours more difficult than they may seem to the public. “Kate wants to be modern, she wants to be hands-on, she wants to be present,” Nicholl added, emphasizing how the royal mother’s parenting style contrasts with the demands of royal life.
Kate’s struggle echoes the experiences of other royal women who have faced similar challenges balancing public duties with personal hardships. The late Queen Elizabeth II, for example, was known for drawing a strict line between her public and private lives, maintaining a composed, symbolic role even as she dealt with personal matters. Princess Diana, too, faced immense emotional struggles, including mental health challenges, but continued to present a warm and radiant image in her public appearances.
Similarly, Meghan Markle revealed her own battles with emotional distress during her time as a working royal, even admitting to suicidal thoughts while pregnant. During an interview with Oprah, Prince Harry shared how, despite Meghan’s feelings, the couple had to attend a royal engagement, putting on a brave face for the cameras.
“The system that we were in, and the responsibilities and the duties that we had, meant we had a quick cuddle, then had to get changed and jump in a convoy for a charity event and pretend everything was okay,” Harry recounted. “The pressure was immense.”
The relentless expectations placed on royals like Kate, Diana, and Meghan have made it clear that while they may live lives of privilege, they also face extraordinary personal challenges behind the scenes.