The second you become a mother, your emotional centre of gravity shifts. My three daughters all have extraordinary characters and extraordinary lives. I struggle to keep track of which country they are in, but still wake in the night worrying about them. Cara will text, “Flying back to London!” And I’ll reply, “From where?!” To the world, she’s a supermodel and actress, but to me she’s still the little girl who insisted on wearing her football jersey everywhere.
Even as a child, all I ever wanted was to be a mother. I met my husband, Charles, at Royal Ascot when I was 22 and I fell in love with him instantly. A year later to the day, we married. And another year later to the day, our daughter Chloe was born. I could hardly believe that this little person was mine for keeps; I had what I had fantasised about for all those years.
At the same time, there’s no denying that having my first baby was a complete shock. It’s a spectacular and terrifying responsibility to be a parent – you have someone who cannot live without you. It’s pretty heavy, actually. Yet that’s nothing compared to the joy you get from watching your children grow.
Each of my girls had her own distinct personality from the start. Take their first days at school; all of which seem like yesterday to me. I had to stay with Chloe – fiercely intelligent even then, preferring to sit quietly and look at a book. Poppy, on the other hand, was the ultimate girls’ girl, making friends immediately and waving me off at the door. And then there was Cara, always fearless, marching through the school gates without a backward glance. Sometimes I look at them – so different and yet so close – and wonder how on earth I got so lucky. All I can say to any expectant parent is this: savour every moment. The only downside to new motherhood is that it goes too quickly.
