Did Sir David Attenborough help the Duchess of Cambridge with her "mum-guilt"?

Inside the Duchess of Cambridge’s challenges as a royal mum as we look at why we think the natural historian has been an aid to Kate...

Sir David Attenborough, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
(Image credit: Getty)

Without name-dropping who had helped her cope with her "mum-guilt", Kate revealed on Giovanna Fletcher's Happy Mum Happy Baby Podcast last week, '

The Duchess of Cambridge admits she too suffers from “mum-guilt”

She said, “A very wise man did say to me… 'We are more like animals than we think. We need people around us. The more people you have around your children who are safe and loving and caring, the better."

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Kate, who is mum to Prince George, six, Princess Charlotte, four and Prince Louis, one, explained, ‘It was a real weight off my shoulders that actually it’s not totally my responsibility to do everything, because you know we all have good days and bad days.'

And her choice of words got us thinking who it could have been and we suspect she got some sound advice from the legendary Sir David Attenborough.

What are the clues Sir David Attenborough could have helped Kate?

Firstly, if you were to choose words to describe Sir David, 93, "a very wise man" would be up there.

Secondly, he has often expressed his wise views on the world, having once made the connection to say, 'In moments of great grief, that's where you look and immerse yourself. You realise you are not immortal, you are not a god, you are part of the natural world and you come to accept that.'

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Thirdly, in the podcast Kate mentions the guilt and gives an insight into what happens if she doesn't do the school run. When asked if she suffers mum guilt? She replied, ‘Yes absolutely – and anyone who doesn’t as a mother is actually lying. All the time… even this morning [coming to an engagement] George and Charlotte were like, ‘Mummy, how could you possibly not be dropping us off at school this morning?’ it’s a constant challenge.'

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And what's most interesting, and timely, is that just days after Kate and Prince William had dropped their daughter Charlotte, four, off for her very first day at nursery, they were both on an official engagement with Sir David, over in Birkenhead Merseyside. And it's likely that in order to make the timings, they would have had to miss the school run that morning.

Fifthly, Sir David, knows what it's like to juggle parenting and his passions, he has two grown-up children, Robert and Susan. Meanwhile Kate revealed her children have a love of the nature as she often takes them to explore the outdoors.

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And finally, the engagement with Sir David, which involved christening a ship with a bottle of champagne, was notably last carried out by Kate for the naming of the Royal Princess cruise ship in Southampton, during one of her last engagements before she gave birth to Prince George in 2013 - and before any kind of mum-guilt could start creeping in.

Selina Maycock
Senior Family Writer

Selina is a Senior Family Writer for GoodtoKnow and has more than 16 years years of experience. She specialises in royal family news, including the latest activities of Prince George, Charlotte, Louis, Archie and Lilibet. She also covers the latest government, health and charity advice for families. Selina graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2006 with a degree in Journalism, and gained her NCTJ and NCE qualifications. During her career, she’s also written for Woman, Woman's Own, Woman&Home, and Woman's Weekly as well as Heat magazine, Bang Showbiz - and the Scunthorpe Telegraph. When she's not covering family news, you can find her exploring new countryside walking routes, catching up with friends over good food, or making memories (including award-winning scarecrows!)