All The Times Kate Middleton Was Just A Totally Relatable Mom — & The Photos To Prove It

She Flubbed Some Photoshop

…Maybe. In an attempt to dissuade outlandish conspiracy theories that popped up a couple of months after Kate’s “abdominal surgery,” the palace released a photo of her and her three kids with huge smiles on their faces.

And huge irregularities. News organizations pulled the photo after realizing it had been tampered with.

The Princess of Wales (or someone from her team) then wrote on X, “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C.”

People aren’t buying that it was Kate who edited the photo and the whole thing is just fanning the conspiratorial flames. But there is [at least] one person who believes her.

Whoopi Goldberg. “I’m sorry, I know very few people who don’t manipulate their own photos,” Goldberg told her cohosts on The View. “I mean all you gotta do is swipe — none of those people look like those people look.” And, if the Photoshopping story is true, then Goldberg isn’t wrong. We have all been there.

She Leans On Her Village

Even moms need their moms. And Kate Middleton turned to her mom Carole Middleton for support during her recovery. Sources say Carole and Kate’s dad Michael will be a “reassuring presence” during her recovery.

Other sources of support include Kate’s kids, of course. “She must be looking forward to [returning to her duties],” royal author Robert Jobson told Hello! “but she also feels lucky to be able to have this time with the children and to put her recovery first.”

She Knows How Lonely It Can Be

In 2017, Middleton got candid about how mothers often feel alone. “It is lonely at times and you do feel quite isolated, but actually so many other mothers are going through exactly what you are going through,” she said. “Nothing can really prepare you for you the sheer overwhelming experience of what it means to become a mother.”

She Shares This Key Lesson

Jo Frost, a global parenting expert who you may know from Suppernanny, told Hello! that Kate teaches her kids something that we should all remember.

“They’re raised with an understanding of royal procedures and protocols. And they’re raised to understand, there’s a time and a place,” Frost said.

There are times when you can shoot a bow and arrow and make a s’mores, but there are other times when you need to play a pivotal role in your grandfather’s coronation. That last part doesn’t apply to most kids, but the premise still tracks.

She Knows The Neighbors

An insider told People that not only does the royal family attend regal balls with foreign dignitaries, but they attend little kids’ birthday parties too. An insider told People that when Kate’s family is living at  Anmer Hall — their home in the country — they go to birthday parties for their kids’ friends. It’s all part of Kate and Prince William’s strategy to give their kids as “normal” a life as possible given their, well, abnormal circumstances.

And while you might think Kate has a royal secretary who keeps tabs on all the neighborhood kids, she has reportedly surprised locals by remembering everyone’s names herself. That’s relatable in the sense that we try to do that too, but she actually succeeds?! The Princess of Wales deserves a round of applause.

She Gets It

When Kate Middleton cut the ribbon for a new surgery unit at Evelina London Children’s Hospital in Dec. 2023, she spoke to parents there in a way that proved she knows what it’s like to have a sick or hurt child.

“It’s always nerve-wracking as a parent; I’ve taken mine into hospital for different things. You’re always at least worried … We have to keep our cool. It’s so hard.”

Making Sure Everyone Is Together

Even the Princess of Wales has to keep her kiddos in line, and ensure they don’t run off with the subtle hand-holding! Plus, it’s just adorable.

Teaching Volunteer Work

Throughout their time at the Big Help Out, Kate was seen showing her children the ropes and how to help out on big volunteer events!

Teaching Camping Essentials

During the Big Help Out, Kate showed Louis how to do a camping essential; how to roast the perfect marshmallow!

Consoling Bored Children

During a visit to the Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford on July 14, 2023, Kate was seen trying to cheer up and excite young Prince Louis, who looked like he’d rather be anywhere but there!

She Loves The Little Things

Kate Middleton shared a sweet and intimate moment in Oct. 2023 when talking with an 8-year-old refugee at the Vsi Razom Community Hub. “I heard my daughter singing this morning and it’s a song called ‘Shine Jesus Shine’ and that made me very happy this morning,” Kate said (find the video HERE).

Having Silly Moments

Kate and Charlotte looked as happy as can be, laughing and goofing off in a rare moment during the 2023 Wimbledon games.

Explaining Sports to the Kiddos

Like Prince George’s Wimbledon debut, Kate also talked Princess Charlotte through what was happening at the legendary games during her debut in 2023!

Laughing Through The Pain

The phrase, “If you can’t laugh, you’ll cry” is so real, so we weren’t surprised to see Kate Middleton let out a giggle while Prince Louis screamed on the balcony at Buckingham Palace after King Charles III’s coronation.

Whispered Reminders

That look says, “I know it’s hard, but you have to sit still and be quiet.”

Holding Hands

Kate Middleton might have needed that hand for waving, but Prince Louis had other ideas.

Answering Questions Always

Even at King Charles III’s coronation, Kate Middleton played supermom, answering Prince Louis’ questions and keeping him in his seat during the ceremony. For her sake, we hope he didn’t have to go to the loo.

Ditto

We meant it when we said “always.”

Double Checking

Kate Middleton turned around at King Charles III’s coronation, making sure everyone was still following and hadn’t run off with Katy Perry or one of the other celebrities in attendance.

Being Awoken by Her Kids at the Crack of Dawn

While chatting up the crowd en route to the Christmas Day service at Mary Magdalene Church, Kate was overheard saying she had “quite an early start” that morning. Apparently not even a royal mom can get the chance to sleep in on Christmas morning!

Using Her Hand as a Napkin

During the 2022 Platinum Pageant on The Mall — part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations — Kate pulled the ultimate mom move: Using her hand as a napkin to clean off Prince Louis’ face. It really doesn’t get more relatable as a mom than that.

Homeschooling Her Kids During COVID

Surprising as it may be, Kate took on the role of teacher during the COVID-19 lockdowns like other non-royal parents all over the world. She said on ITV’s This Morning, per People, “We’re stuck into homeschooling again. George gets very upset because he just wants to do all of Charlotte’s projects. Spider sandwiches are far cooler than literacy work!”

The princess also got candid with other parents during a 2020 video chat, sharing, “As parents, we have day-to-day elements of being a parent but, I suppose, during lockdown we’ve had to take on additional roles that others in our communities or in our lives would have helped us with.” She continued, “I’ve become a hairdresser this lockdown, much to my children’s horror. We’ve had to become teachers. I, personally, feel pulled in so many different directions.” 

And That’s Not All

She also cut the young royals’ hair during the height of the pandemic! “I have become a hairdresser in lockdown – much to my children’s horror!” she revealed.

Showing She’s Not Above It All

Kate Middleton may be one of the most highly-ranked royals on the planet, but she’s also just an every day woman and mom. Take Prince William’s 2015 Gigaset Charity Polo Match — while some may have expected her to demand a blanket or chair to sit on, she happily sat in the grass while watching Prince George while her husband competed in the philanthropic game.

Making Scary Moments All Better

When Princess Charlotte lost her balance and nearly toppled over during the 2018 Trooping of Colour fly-over, she got pretty spooked. But lucky for her, Princess Kate came swiftly to the rescue, comforting her back to calm alongside her brother and cousins.

Taking the Kids to School

Being a royal doesn’t deter Kate from being involved in the day-to-day of her children’s school lives — including the drop-off and pick-up routine. Here, the mom of three walks hand-in-hand with her boys, dressed in dapper school uniforms for their first day at Lambrook School in Bracknell, England. 

Putting on the “Mom Face”

Sometimes, when your kids are acting like feral animals, you have to talk to them through your clenched teeth so you don’t also turn into a raging wildebeest. Kate, in all her royal pomp, is familiar with the “mom is losing her s—t facial expression,” just like the rest of us.

Snapping First Day of School Photos

Kate knows that there’s a limit to “first days of school,” so she makes sure to capture every single one! The proud mum, who’s an avid photographer, has been known to display her kids’ first-day photos at home, as she did here.

Managing Antics

If you watched the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, you probably caught a glimpse of Prince Louis and his stageside antics. You also probably felt all the relatable mom pangs as Kate tried her very best to calm him down (while being on live TV, no less!)

It cannot be remotely easy to negotiate with and discipline your antsy kid while being watched by countless people around the world. We tip our mom hats to her big time. And if you need further proof of Kate’s graceful handling of the situation, check out the video here. 

Keeping Calm & Carrying On

Kate Middleton unlocked ultimate parenting goals at the Maserati Polo Match in 2018 when Princess Charlotte tried to run away. The Duchess didn’t bat an eye as she grabbed the back of her daughter’s skirt to stop her from jetting down a grassy hill. 

We’ve all been there. 10/10 capturing form. 

Easing Temper Tantrums

While finishing up a tour of Germany in 2017, Princess Charlotte had a bit of a crying spell. We are all Kate in this photo, bending down, trying to get the tears to stop as quickly and cleanly as possible before it elevates into a full-blown meltdown. 

Sharing Snacks

We don’t know what snacks Middleton had prepared for the kids during a charity polo match in 2019, but we really love that she doled some out for herself. Those family outings can get long and, honestly, some kids’ snacks look pretty damn good. Sharing is caring. 

Dealing With Cheeky Poses

Did Kate plan for a photo with Princess Charlotte’s tongue out? Nope, probably not. But we can all relate to the countless family pictures taking a much sillier route than we originally planned and having to make peace with the results. 

Juggling Multiple Kids & Multiple Emotions

When the royal family arrived in Canada in 2017 after a 9-hour flight, Prince George was not in the greatest of moods. Kate comforted the little one, all while holding Princess Charlotte in her arms, a feat that few superheroes could probably accomplish but we’ve gotten down (relatively) pat. 

Proud Mama Photographer

Do you have roughly 1,000+ photos on your phone of your kids? Middleton is right there with you. The royal has been known to snap some really stunning shots of her three children, which she shares via her official Instagram account, including this recent one of Prince Louis on his fourth birthday. 

Family Bonding, FTW

Ahead of the Jubilee, Kate got some family time with her three kids in the kitchen. The royal couple’s Instagram account shared a sweet video of everyone bustling around and cooking. “Baking cakes for the local community in Cardiff to enjoy at a Platinum Jubilee street party taking place today! 🎉,” the caption read. “We hope you like them! 🧁”

While we might not have been able to make it to the Jubilee, family bonding time is certainly a relatable favorite — just like the flour all over Prince Louis’s arm.