The Princess of Wales has regularly shown off her motherly instincts on royal engagements, drawing on her experience with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis when she interacts with kids in public.
But the one thing she can't anticipate is how they will behave. During an appearance at Hampton Court Flower Show in 2019, a group of young children kept her on her toes as she joined a treasure hunt through the gardens.
Dressed in an elegant green patterned Sandro Paris dress and cream espadrilles, Catherine was all smiles as she gently attempted to wrangle the group, who seemed intent on exploring in opposite directions! Watch the chaotic moment in the video above.
Princess Catherine's candid comments on motherhood struggles
Two years earlier, the then-Duchess of Cambridge delivered a speech at the launch of the 'Out of the Blue' film series with Best Beginnings and Heads Together at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, where she opened up about her own experience of feeling "ignorance" as a parent.
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"Personally, becoming a mother has been such a rewarding and wonderful experience. However, at times it has also been a huge challenge - even for me who has support at home that most mothers do not," the royal began.
"Nothing can really prepare you for the sheer overwhelming experience of what it means to become a mother. It is full of complex emotions of joy, exhaustion, love, and worry, all mixed together. Your fundamental identity changes overnight. You go from thinking of yourself as primarily an individual, to suddenly being a mother, first and foremost.
"And yet there is no rule book, no right or wrong - you just have to make it up and do the very best you can to care for your family. For many mothers, myself included, this can, at times lead to lack of confidence and feelings of ignorance."
Making memories with George, Charlotte and Louis
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Catherine has only shared snippets of her home life with her husband Prince William and three children, choosing to protect their privacy as they grow up in the spotlight. However, she insisted that behind the curated photos of their family appearances at royal events is an emphasis on quality time doing mundane things that make lasting memories.
On the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast with Giovanna Fletcher in 2020, she said: "Those moments with me as a mother, but also the family going to the beach, getting soaking wet, filling our boots full of water, those are what I would want them to remember. Not a stressful household where you’re trying to do everything and not really succeeding at one thing."
Addressing pressures parents feel to get everything right, she admitted that's not what matters most in retrospect. "Actually, if you really think about that, is it that I’m sitting down trying to do their maths and spelling homework over the weekend?
“Or is it the fact that we’ve gone out and lit a bonfire and sat around trying to cook sausages that hasn’t worked because it’s too wet? I remember that from my childhood – doing the simple things, going for a walk together, and that’s really what I try and do with my children as well because it totally strips away all the complications, all the pressures."