Kate Middleton has been a member of the Royal Family since she married Prince William in 2011 and the Duchess of Cambridge is known for her elegance and poise
Catherine, Princess of Wales (Image: WPA Pool, Getty Images)
Kate Middleton broke with Royal convention by sharing a deeply personal insight following the arrival of Prince Louis.
At 43, Kate, along with her husband Prince William, cherish their three children: 11-year-old Prince George, Princess Charlotte who is 10 and seven-year-old Louis. It wasn’t until two years after welcoming Louis into the world that Kate felt ready to be candid about her pregnancy experiences.
In a conversation with Giovanna Fletcher on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast, the princess disclosed her struggles with hyperemesis gravidarum during each pregnancy, which left her feeling considerably less than cheerful as an expectant mother.
Yet, she was able to find solace in hypnobirthing techniques, which allowed her a profound appreciation for the power of “mind over the body”.
According to Channel 5’s William and Catherine: Putting Family First, Kate’s decision to share intimate details about her giving birth was something “no Royal had ever done before”.
Victoria Murphy, Town and Country magazine’s contributing editor, chimed in on this topic during the documentary, stating: “She was really open about her experiences of pregnancy and of labour.
Kate Middleton earlier announced that she is undergoing cancer treatment(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
“She spoke about hypnobirthing techniques she had used, she spoke about the power of using breathing and she also made some quite funny comments about William saying, ‘I’m not going to say William was there chanting sweet nothings at me’.”
Murphy continued, noting Kate’s expressed desire to pursue something meaningful for herself: “And she went on to say this is something she wanted to do for her, which I think is something a lot of women can relate to but it was a really intimate revelation about her own personal experiences,” reports Edinburgh Live.
In a 2020 interview, Kate revealed that the meditation techniques she learned through hypnobirthing had helped alleviate her morning sickness. She recalled: “I’m not going to say that William was standing there sort of, chanting sweet nothings at me.
“He definitely wasn’t. I didn’t even ask him about it, but it was just something I wanted to do for myself.
“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, and actually I realised that this was something I could take control of, I suppose, during labour. It was hugely powerful.”
Kate Middleton swears by two superfoods(Image: Getty Images)
Kate also fondly remembered her childhood in Berkshire, where she spent time doing arts and crafts and visiting the greenhouse with her grandmother. She aims to draw on these happy memories when raising her own children.
Royal expert Daniela Relph wrote on the BBC News website: “These are some of the most open and candid words we’ve heard from the Duchess of Cambridge. She speaks personally about her childhood and reflects on the value of her stable upbringing.
“Many will relate to her honest accounts of pregnancy and motherhood, from the struggles of severe morning sickness to the benefits of hypnobirthing, the uncertainty of caring for a newborn, and the guilt of balancing work and relying on others for support.”
The documentary William and Catherine: Putting Family First airs tonight on Channel 5 at 7:30pm (May 17) and is also available to stream.