Kate breaks her silence
The secret she’s been hiding for 22 years
She fell in love with a prince, married into the royal family and has two beautiful children. But despite being the envy of women around the globe, the Duchess of Cambridge has not always lived a picture-perfect life. Now 35-year-old Kate has finally spoken out about a
secret heartache that has plagued her for more than two decades.
Tormented by school bullies, the duchess has revealed to close friends that her parents Michael and Carole Middleton were left with no choice but to put her into therapy when she was just 13 years old. It came after they were forced to pull their daughter out of the exclusive Downe House private school in the UK.
“Kate was seen as weak by the other girls because she was shy and somewhat timid,” a close pal reveals exclusively to
Woman’s Day. “She was very tall and skinny compared to her peers, and self-conscious. They picked on her all the time and made Kate’s life hell.”
For the Middletons, putting Kate in therapy was far from an easy decision and they worried it could make her even more of a target. “They agonised over it at the time because they didn’t want her to feel stigmatised,” adds Kate’s friend.
But after seeking help, Kate regained her confidence and flourished at her new school. “The therapy did do wonders,” her friend confirms. And as we reported in January, Kate has even used her experience to help husband Prince William deal with his grief over losing his mum, Princess Diana.
“When Kate met Wills, it was clear he hadn’t worked through his emotions at all,” reports a close insider. “So she urged him to seek some counselling and he finally agreed. He isn’t afraid of telling people that getting help is one of the best things he’s ever done.”
And friends say that Kate’s experience is what’s propelled her into action, working with William, 34, and brother-inlaw Prince Harry, 32, to draw attention to the work of mental health charities and facilities.
Brave crusade
The royal trio have created the Heads Together organisation, which aims to remove stigma around mental health and encourage young people to talk about their feelings. Earlier this year, Kate spoke at an event about the dangers of not seeking help. “Fear or reticence, or a sense of not wanting to burden another, means people suffer in silence,” she explained.
“Kate doesn’t want anyone else to go through what she did,” says her friend. “That’s why she holds the work of mental health charities dear to her heart. She’s determined that anyone being victimised gets all the support they need.”
Together with William, Kate is also determined to give her children – Prince George, three, and 22-month-old Princess Charlotte – every opportunity to talk about their problems. Despite their royal status, Kate says she and William “won’t hesitate” to get their little ones help, should they need it.
“Throughout Throughout mymy work work with family and child support organisations, one thing that has stood out to me time and again is that getting early support for a child who is struggling to cope is the best possible thing we can do to help our children as they grow up,” says Kate.
And her crusade appears to be paying off. She was thrilled recently when a host of stars agreed to be part of her movement – with singer Cheryl Cole, 33, even debuting her baby bump in a campaign aimed at reducing self-doubt.
Says her friend, “Of all her royal duties, this is what Kate is most passionate about and she’s starting to feel she can really make a difference. It’s driving her to work harder for the cause and everyone around her is so proud.”