Kate Middleton has truly become one of the most loved members of the Royal Family. As a key part of the royal duties, the Princess of Wales is also a caring mom to three kids. Along with Prince William, she is trying to raise Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis in a way that feels as normal as possible.
Kate went through a lot during her three pregnancies and had some tough moments. She once shared that she experienced a really bad sickness when she was pregnant with Prince George, and it was similar when she was expecting Princess Charlotte.
But there’s more to the story. When William and Kate were thinking about having a third child, they were advised by many that it might not be the best choice. Luckily, the future king and queen decided to go for it anyway, and that’s how Prince Louis came into the world.
In December 2012, Buckingham Palace shared the exciting news that Prince William and Kate Middleton were going to have their first baby. Then, in July of the next year, they celebrated the arrival of their first son, who will one day be king, Prince George.
Kate Middleton was ‘terrified’ after the birth of Prince George
Just a few hours after he was born, George made his debut in front of a large crowd outside the Lindo Wing in Paddington, London. His parents were super excited, but for Kate Middleton, having her first child and a future king was a bit overwhelming.
During an episode of Giovanna Fletcher’s podcast, Happy Mum, Happy Baby, the Princess of Wales shared that leaving the hospital felt “terrifying.”
On the podcast, she was asked how it felt to bring a new life into the world knowing that so many people were eager to catch a glimpse of the little boy.
“Yeah, slightly terrifying, slightly terrifying, I’m not going to lie. I like to decompartmentalize – what’s the word – compartmentalize, yes, the whole thing.” She also explained that she decided to follow in her late mother-in-law Diana’s footsteps and pose on the hospital steps with her little bundle of joy, as per the Mirror.
A lot of people were really helpful, and William and I knew that everyone was looking forward to this. We are super thankful for all the support from the public. It felt really important for us to share our happiness and gratitude with everyone.
“It wasn’t a place I wanted to hang around in”
The Princess of Wales shared, “It was a mix of feelings because we had a new baby, new parents who didn’t know what they were doing, and a lot of uncertainty about what was to come.”
Fletcher then asked Kate if she remembered how long it was between having George and when she posed on the steps of the Lindo Wing.
“Oh my gosh, I can’t really remember. Everything feels like a blur,” Kate said.
She added, “I think I stayed in the hospital for one night. I remember it was super hot, and there were big thunderstorms, so I didn’t get much sleep, but George did, which was awesome. I really wanted to go home because being in the hospital reminded me of my past experiences when I was sick, and I didn’t want to stay there. I was really eager to get back to normal life.”
In the end, William, Kate, and the rest of the royal family are just as human as everyone else. The Princess of Wales went through the same tough times that many moms do when they are expecting.
Back in 2012, while she was pregnant with George, Kate was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, which is a really severe form of morning sickness. It got so bad that she had to go to the hospital, and she described that time as “rotten.”
Kate had similar challenges when she was pregnant with Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. In 2014, she even had to cancel a royal trip because of her condition.
Kate Middleton revealed she “quite liked” labor
During a visit to the Orchards Centre in Kent in 2023, the Princess of Wales decided to open up about her experience with acute morning sickness.
As reported by the Daily Express, Kate spoke to a father whose wife went through the same thing, telling him: “I went through that. I know what that feels like.”
In 2020, Kate appeared on Giovanna Fletcher’s podcast called Happy Mum, Happy Baby, where she talked more about her health issues.
“It was really terrible. I felt very unwell,” she shared. “I wasn’t eating the right foods, but somehow my body still managed to take what it needed to create new life, which I find really interesting.”
She mentioned that William felt helpless because he couldn’t do much to ease her suffering. “It’s tough to watch someone you love in pain and not be able to help,” she said.
Kate also mentioned that she actually enjoyed labor because her pregnancy had been tough. “It was something I knew would eventually end,” she explained. “But I understand that some people have really hard experiences, so it’s not the same for everyone. Every pregnancy and every birth is unique.”
Moreover, Kate began meditating and deep breathing excercises, both of which helped.
“I saw the power of it really, the meditation and the deep breathing and things like that, that they teach you in hypnobirthing, when I was really sick,” she said. “I got very bad morning sickness, so I’m not the happiest of pregnant people.”
The birth of Prince Louis
Fletcher, the podcast host, later asked, “Did you experience it every time or just the first time?”
“Yeah, unfortunately, I did,” Kate replied. “A lot of people have it way worse, but it was definitely tough. It’s not just hard for me; it affects everyone in your family too. Being pregnant and having a newborn changes things for everyone around you.”
Princess Charlotte was born in 2015, and two years later, William and Kate decided they were ready for a third child. On September 4, 2017, they announced that the Princess of Wales was expecting again.
Prince Louis arrived on April 23, 2018, at the Lindo Wing of London St. Mary’s Hospital, just like his older siblings.
The announcement said, “Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge safely delivered a son at 11:01 AM. The baby weighs 8 pounds 7 ounces. The Duke of Cambridge was there for the birth. Both Her Royal Highness and her baby are doing well.”
Just seven hours after being born, Prince Louis was presented to the world. Yet before he was born, Prince William and Kate Middleton had been warned about having a third child.
As reported by Marie Claire, during a 2017 tour in Poland and Germany, Kate was given a baby toy in the Polish capital and told William: “We’ll just have to have more babies.”
Kate Middleton and Prince William was warned about having a third child
Not everyone agreed with the idea, though. Anne Green Carter Dillard, the Executive Director of the children’s organization Having Kids, which supports a “sustainable and child-centered family planning approach,” encouraged Prince William and Kate Middleton to reconsider their choice.
In an open letter to the royal couple, Dillard highlighted how important small families are for the planet’s resources.
“You know how much influence the British Royal Family has. Many studies show that public figures can be great role models for family planning. Your thoughts on having a bigger family bring up important questions about sustainability and fairness,” the letter stated.
“Large families are not sustainable.”
Kate Middleton has shared her memories of being a new mom several times. In 2022, during a visit to the postnatal ward at the Royal Surrey County Hospital, she reflected on Louis, saying, “I keep thinking Louis is a baby, but he’s a big boy now. It feels like just yesterday.”
Moreover, the Princess of Wales explained that giving birth was a “shock to the system,” and that it doesn’t matter how well prepared you might be.
Kate said to some moms at the hospital, “Even if everyone keeps saying what you should expect, it still hits you hard, right?”
“You have this idea of what will happen but every single birth is different.”
Kate Middleton craved odd food when pregnant with Prince Louis
Amy Stubbs, who is the deputy director of midwifery at Royal Surrey County Hospital, shared with People that the princess had a special bond with the new parents she met at the hospital.
“She was super relatable. She shared her feelings about becoming a mom,” Stubbs mentioned.
“She opened up about her own kids, including how they picked their names. Many of the new moms and dads were curious about naming their babies, and they chatted with her about how Kate and William decided on their names.”
