Neil Mockford/GC ImagesKate Middleton expressed her sympathy Thursday for those affected by the recent terror attack in London, before speaking candidly about another issue close to her heart: Motherhood.
A driver mowed down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge Wednesday, killing two people and injuring at least 40 more, including teenagers, before he burst through the gates of the British parliament building and fatally stabbed an unarmed policeman before officers shot him dead. It marked the deadliest attack in London since four Islamic suicide bombers killed 52 people on the city's transport system in 2005.
"I know you would all want to join me in sending our thoughts and prayers to all those sadly affected by yesterday's terrible attack in Westminster," the Duchess of Cambridge said at the launch of a film series about parental mental health at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in London. "We will be thinking of all the families, as we discuss the important issues we're here to talk about."
At the event, which took place days before the U.K.'s Mother's Day, Kate, a 35-year-old mother of two, then gave a speech about the challenges of motherhood.
"Personally, becoming a mother has been such a rewarding and wonderful experience," Kate told the crowd. "However, at times it's also been a huge challenge. Even for me, who has support at home, but most mothers do not. Nothing can really prepare you for the sheer, overwhelming experience of what it means to become a mother. It is full of complex emotions like joy, exhaustion, love and worry all mixed together."
"Asking for help is not a sign of weakness," she added.
During her visit, Kate also spoke to mothers who shared their experiences with postpartum depression and psychosis.
Kirsty bravely sharing her emotional story telling the #DuchessofCambridge how finding support and talking has helped her #headstogether pic.twitter.com/XaW4RSUVYS
— Best Beginnings (@bestbeginnings) March 23, 2017
Kate and husband Prince William are parents to son Prince George, 3, and daughter Princess Charlotte, 1. Last November, William opened up about parenthood in a rare, candid interview during a trip to Vietnam.
"There's wonderful highs and there's wonderful lows," he said. "It's been quite a change for me, personally. I'm very lucky in the support I have from Catherine. She is an amazing mother and a fantastic wife."
"But I've struggled at times, the alteration from being a single, independent man to going into marriage and then having children is life-changing," he added. "I adore my children very much and I've learned a lot about myself and about a family, just from having my own children and it's amazing how much you pick up from just in those moments."
The new film series, Out of the Blue, aims to raise awareness of maternal mental health challenges and the well-being of families. It was created by Best Beginnings, a charity partner of the Heads Together Campaign, which Kate, William and his brother Prince Harry have spearheaded to try to end stigma around mental health.
Kate attended the film series launch event wearing an Eponine London red and white tweed cropped jacket and matching fit and flare skirt, an outfit she was previously photographed in last year, paired with nude pumps and a gold L.K Bennett clutch,