Princess Michael Of Kent Says Breastfeeding Is A 'Dreadful Practice'

Princess Michael Of Kent Says Breastfeeding Is A 'Dreadful Practice'
ASCOT, UNITED KINGDOM - OCTOBER 18: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Princess Michael of Kent attends the QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse on October 18, 2014 in Ascot, England. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
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ASCOT, UNITED KINGDOM - OCTOBER 18: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Princess Michael of Kent attends the QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse on October 18, 2014 in Ascot, England. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Princess Michael of Kent has been slammed for describing breastfeeding as a 'dreadful practice'.

The Princess, who is married to the Queen's cousin Prince Michael of Kent, was quoted in the Mail as saying: "My advice to women is don't breastfeed - it's a dreadful practice. I didn't breastfeed. My nanny said it was disgusting."

Czech-born Marie-Christine – who the Mail says had difficulty breastfeeding her son Lord Freddie Windsor and daughter Lady Gabriella Windsor - later issued a statement saying: "It's not something I would do in public but everyone has a free choice."

But Emily Slough, of the Free to Feed campaign group, said it was damaging for mothers to face negative comments about breastfeeding.

Emily, from Rugeley, Staffordshire, who founded Free to Feed in March after she was labelled a 'tramp' on Facebook for breastfeeding in public, said: "I just think somebody with that kind of social standing should think about what they're saying.

"It's incredibly damaging for women trying to breastfeed their children and trying to do the best for them to hear negative comments about breastfeeding.

"I don't understand what the logic is. It's not disgusting. It's not dreadful. That's how we're supposed to feed our children.

"If they can't get over the whole women and breasts things - it's just babies eating."

The Duchess of Cambridge is thought to have breastfed Prince George, and Diana, Princess of Wales, breastfed her sons. The Queen is also said to have breastfed Prince Charles until she contracted measles when he was two months old.

But Queen Victoria, a mother of nine, called breastfeeding 'a horror' and employed wet nurses instead.

Princess Michael is the latest high profile figure to criticise breastfeeding in public.

Last week, Ukip leader Nigel Farage used his LBC phone-in show to suggest mothers could 'sit in the corner' in restaurants to avoid offending people.

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