Kate Middleton has spoken out about mental health awareness and how “difficult” it can be to raise children in today’s society.
In a new video released Friday, the Princess of Wales spoke to radio presenter Roman Kemp about the early years of child development and her latest campaign, Shaping Us. Kate is the mother of three children, Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince Louis, four, who she shares with husband Prince William.
Speaking to the royal family, Kemp spoke of the financial hardships faced by parents around the world as they juggle raising children and “keeping a roof over their heads”. Kate agreed with the statement, explaining the purpose of her campaign and acknowledging the challenges of parenthood.
“And this is the point, is that every family is different. The pressures we face are all different as the importance of early childhood is magnified,” she said. “This is not about putting extra pressure on families. It basically says that they need the support and help in re-prioritizing family life, family life and everything that is required in raising children these days because it is hard.
She added that the “relationships in the family” that children are surrounded by are “so important,” as is the space they grew up in.
“The environment you raise a child in is just as important as the experiences you engage them with,” continued Kate. “It’s not about the amount of toys they have or the number of trips you take them on. It’s just about having the right emotional support around them, and it comes from the adults in their lives.”
While Kemp acknowledged how grateful he was to be “dearly loved” throughout his life, he also said it would be “nice” if this were more of a “normality”.
The princess agreed, adding: “Yes. And love goes far. It’s very true.”
The 41-year-old first launched Shaping Up earlier this week, a project said to be her “life’s work.”
“The campaign is essentially about highlighting the critical importance of early childhood and how it shapes the adults we become,” she said during her speech as she unveiled the campaign at Bafta’s London headquarters. “During this time we are laying the foundations and building blocks for life. And that is when we learn to understand ourselves, to understand others and to understand the world we live in.”
She further emphasized how vital it is to not only “understand the unique importance of our earliest years” but to learn how to “help raise future generations of happy, healthy adults.”
The princess also outlined the scope of her “long-term” project, which will “deep into the interests of a child’s social and emotional world”.