The royal lifestyle isn’t always easy. Kate Middleton recently opened up about the pressure that she and Prince William felt before the births of their three children—especially when it came to naming them.
Even In The Hospital, She ‘Was Very Relatable’
During a visit to the Royal Surrey County Hospital’s maternity ward, the Princess of Wales met with nurses and mothers in the unit. Amy Stubbs, the hospital’s deputy director of midwifery, shared that Middleton was easy for new moms to connect with.
“She was very relatable,” Stubbs said. “She talked a lot about how it felt for her when she became a mother.” Part of that included sharing her own stories about being a mom to Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 4.
How Middleton And William Chose Their Children’s Names: ‘[It Was] Quite A Big Pressure!’
Stubbs continued, “She just really talked about her own children including how they chose their names. A lot of the new mums and dads are thinking about how to choose names for their babies, and they spoke with her about how Kate and William made their choice.”
Obviously, there was a lot of interest in what the Prince and Princess of Wales would end up naming their children at the time, but Middleton revealed that the couple went with their “favorite names.” Stubbs laughed, “She said…the world was waiting for them to name their children—and that felt like quite a big pressure!”
Middleton’s Passion For Maternal Mental Well-Being
In addition to meeting new parents at the hospital, Middleton also learned more about new developments in maternity care. Stubbs said, “She was just delightful. She spent a lot of time talking to a lot of the staff and meeting mums and dadas and new babies across the whole service. It was really joyful for everyone to have that opportunity and hugely validating for us as a service for her to take the time out to visit us.”
“She was particularly interested in maternal mental health and how we are supporting maternal mental wellbeing through pregnancy and in the early postnatal periods,” Stubbs continued. “She particularly spent a lot of time talking to staff and families about that aspect of care and how that felt for them.”
Middleton’s easy way of connecting with the people she meets, plus her passion for promoting awareness about the importance of early childhood development, has made the princess one of the world’s favorite royals.