Princess Kate Reveals "Terrifying" Moment After Prince George's Birth
"There were all sorts of mixed emotions..."

Being a new mom is scary—whether you're a royal or not. Princess Kate recently admitted that she was fearful during a famous moment after she gave birth to her first son, Prince George, 9. After his arrival on July 22, 2013, the future king made his public debut outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, Central London.
The Princess of Wales shared that greeting Londoners only a few hours after giving birth was "slightly terrifying," she revealed while on the podcast "Happy Mum, Happy Baby" with former I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here winner Giovanna Fletcher.
Fletcher asked Kate, "What was it like knowing that so many people outside after you've given birth and you're in your little cocoon with your new family? What's it like?"
"Yeah, slightly terrifying, slightly terrifying," Kate replied. "I'm not going to lie. I like to decompartmentalize—what's the word?—compartmentalize, yes, the whole thing."
She added, "Everyone had been so supportive. Both William and I were really conscious that this was something that everyone was excited about, and you know, we're hugely grateful for the support that the public had shown us, and actually for us to be able to share that joy and appreciation with the public. I felt was really important. But equally, it was coupled with a newborn baby, inexperienced parents, and the uncertainty of what that held, so there were all sorts of mixed emotions."
George's 10th birthday is this Saturday, which means the little royal isn't so little anymore. The eldest child of Kate and Prince William was old enough to serve as one of four Pages of Honor for King Charles at his May 6 coronation at Westminster Abbey.
On the podcast, Fletcher asked Kate how long she waited to greet the public after giving birth. "Oh my gosh, I can't remember. Everything goes in a bit of a blur," Kate said. "I did stay in the hospital overnight. I remember it was one of the hottest days and nights with huge thunderstorms, so I didn't get a huge amount of sleep, but George did, which was really great."
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
She added, "I was keen to get home because... I had all the memories of being in the hospital because of being sick, so it wasn't a place I wanted to hang around in. I was really desperate to get home and get back to normality."
Paulina is the Weekend Editor at Cosmopolitan.com. When she isn’t covering celeb and pop culture news, she can be found listening to Taylor Swift, watching a teen drama (One Tree Hill is her favorite), or perfecting her skincare routine.
-
Princess Diana's Niece Amelia Spencer Reveals Secret Fifth Bridal Outfit
Royal (adjacent) wedding goals, period.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Meet the Model-Off-Duty Hairstyle That Doubles as a Faux Face Lift
Jawline? Snatched.
By Emma Aerin Becker Published
-
Hailey Bieber's Sugar Cookie Pedicure Is Almost Too Sweet
The beauty founder is tapping back into a milky white nail trend.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Princess Kate "Put Her Foot Down" and Refused to Let George, Charlotte, and Louis Take Part in "Blooding" Tradition
The Princess of Wales is raising her kids on her own terms.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Kate Middleton Shares Astounding Artwork by Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis
The Princess of Wales showcased her own artistic prowess with a delicate drawing.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Why You'll Likely Never See One Photo of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
They aren't following in Prince William and Prince Harry's footsteps in one major way.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Princess Eugenie's Son August Is Taking After Prince George in One Very Important Way
He's following in the future king's footsteps.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Prince William and Princess Kate are Careful for Charlotte and Louis Not to Feel Like "Spares"
Royal expert Phil Dampier says the royals see Prince George as "first among equals."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Princess Kate and Prince William are "Keen Not to Make Life Difficult" for Other Parents at George, Charlotte and Louis's School
The royals try to keep it low-key when visiting Lambrook School.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince George Isn't Completely "Comfortable" With One of the More Overwhelming Aspects of Royal Life
"I don't blame him," a royal editor explained. "He's got a lifetime of it ahead of him."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Prince William Reveals the Hilarious, Blunt Responses George, Charlotte, and Louis Give Him About School
The Prince and Princess of Wales's kids certainly have a way with words.
By Amy Mackelden Published