Why Kate Middleton Was A ‘Naïve’ Parent When George Was Born

Kate Middleton isn’t the perfect mother. She revealed that when she was a new mother, the Duchess of Cambridge was “naïve” when it came to mental health education.

The mother of three spoke on Wednesday at The Royal Foundation’s Mental Health in Education conference in London. She was there to discuss the importance of mental health training for teachers. That’s when Kate admitted that she wasn’t as educated as she felt she should’ve been about the role of mental health education in children’s lives.

“When I first started out, and I’ve learned a lot in a short period of time working with organizations, I was very naïve myself as a parent, of really just how important particularly the early years are for children’s futures,” Middleton said (via Hello). “And how critical it is, everyone looking after children at a critical time, teachers, parents, and everyone who’s caring for them, how important it is that we get it right.”

Middleton has come a long way since then. She is now mother to Prince George, 5, Princess Charlotte, 3, and Prince Louis, 9 months, and she is an active mental health advocate.

The Duchess of Cambridge has made mental health her priority since joining the royal family. She spearheads the Heads Together campaign along with Prince William and Prince Harry. The campaign aims to “tackle stigma and change the conversation on mental health with fundraising for a series of innovative new mental health services.”

Since becoming an active patron of mental health charities, she has learned more about the root of mental health issues. During an “impromptu speech,” Middleton thanked attendees for their participation in the event and emphasized that children’s early years can have a massive impact on their mental health.

“Over the last eight years working with charities I've met some of our leading experts in mental health, addiction, family breakdown, homelessness and education. They have taught me over and over again that the root cause of so many of today’s social problems can be traced right back to the very earliest years of a person’s life and often over generations,” she added.

The serious event comes just days after a fun night out. She and Prince William attended the BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday night. The Duke is president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.