PHOTO: MAX MUMBY/INDIGO/GETTY
Being a part of the British Royal Family comes with immense privileges—wealth, influence, and the ability to champion meaningful causes. However, it also demands sacrifices, particularly the need to suppress personal identities in public, as members of the monarchy fulfill their symbolic role for the UK. One significant challenge for royals is maintaining a flawless public image, especially during high-profile events where the world’s eyes are on them.
Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, is no exception. While she often appears composed and engaging during royal duties, a royal expert has revealed that Kate faces personal challenges, especially during royal tours. Royal author and journalist Katie Nicholl, who has accompanied William and Kate on many of these tours, shared with Mirror that Kate 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, emphasizing that Kate’s difficulty lies not in the public attention, but in the emotional strain of leaving her children behind. Despite her ability to afford nannies, Kate often relies on her own mother to care for Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis during these trips, which provides her with comfort.
“Kate wants to be modern, she wants to be hands-on, she wants to be present,” Nicholl added. “I think it is always such a wrench for her to leave her children behind.”
Though Kate performs her royal duties with grace and professionalism, this emotional pull remains a significant challenge. Nicholl further explained, “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. I could see how much comfort and confidence that gave her in getting on with her job, which she does brilliantly.”
This emotional tug-of-war mirrors the experiences of other prominent royal women. The late Queen Elizabeth II, for example, was known for her ability to maintain a clear divide between her public responsibilities and private life. She carefully guarded her personal side in order to uphold the symbolic role of the crown, and many royal women, like Princess Diana, followed her lead, despite facing immense personal challenges, per the Daily Mail.
Princess Diana, despite her struggles with mental health and an eating disorder, radiated warmth and grace in her public appearances. It wasn’t until her marriage collapsed that she openly discussed the emotional toll she had been enduring behind closed doors. Similarly, Meghan Markle revealed her own struggles during her time as a working royal. Meghan admitted to experiencing emotional distress, including suicidal thoughts while pregnant.
In an interview with Oprah, Prince Harry shared that, despite these feelings, they still attended public engagements. “Because of the system that we were in and the responsibilities and the duties that we had, we had a quick cuddle, then we had to get changed and jump in a convoy with a police escort and drive to the Royal Albert Hall for a charity event,” Harry shared. “There wasn’t an option to say, ‘You know what, tonight we’re not going to go’.”
The immense pressure of royal responsibilities eventually became overwhelming for Harry and Meghan, leading to their decision to step back from their roles as full-time working royals. As Kate continues to navigate her royal duties, her desire to be a modern, hands-on mother remains a priority, but the emotional toll of balancing both roles is clear.
