Kate Middleton Talked About How "Overwhelming" Motherhood Is

Kate Middleton is a duchess, but she's never given the illusion that her life is perfect — and we love her for it. Middleton's been outspoken about mental health in the past, and now she's opening up about the realities of parenthood.

On Thursday, Middleton introduced a documentary series in London, Us Weekly reports. The Out of the Blue films will focus on "mental health during the early years of parenthood," according to the magazine. (She and Prince William, of course, are parents to three-year-old Prince George and 22-month-old Princess Charlotte.)

"Personally, becoming a mother has been such a rewarding and wonderful experience. However, at times it has also been a huge challenge — even for me who has support at home that most mothers do not," the duchess said at the film event. "Nothing can really prepare you for you the sheer overwhelming experience of what it means to become a mother. It is full of complex emotions of joy, exhaustion, love and worry, all mixed together. Your fundamental identity changes overnight. You go from thinking of yourself as primarily an individual to suddenly being a mother, first and foremost."

We're thrilled to see Middleton being so open about what motherhood is like. Yes, it's "rewarding" — you brought a new life into the world! — but it's not always a walk in the park. And that's true for all parents, even the royal ones.

Middleton also said in her speech that there's no parenting "rulebook" — a lot of it's just learned on the job. "You just have to make it up and do the very best you can to care for your family," Middleton said.

"For many mothers, myself included, this can, at times lead to lack of confidence and feelings of ignorance," the duchess added. "Sadly, for some mothers, this experience can be made so much harder due to challenges with their own mental health."

She encouraged parents who may be suffering with mental health issues not to see it as a "sign of weakness."

"Mothers take on an overwhelming responsibility of caring for their families. Their role is vital in providing unconditional love, care and support at home, particularly in the early years of a child’s development," Middleton said at the event. "We therefore should do everything we can to support and value their hard work."

We're glad the duchess is using her platform for good — hopefully statements like these will help end the stigma that's too often associated with mental illness.