Princess Andre says mum Katie Price 'couldn't look after us' as she opens up on dark side of her childhood
Warning: This article contains discussion of alcoholism, drug use and suicidal thoughts, which some readers may find distressing
Princess Andre broke down in tears after admitting that mum Katie Price was unable to look after her or her siblings due to drug use.
The 19-year-old was interviewed alongside brother Junior Andre in the former glamour model's new documentary, Katie Price: Nothing to Hide, which looks back on the 48-year-old's rise to fame, three decades in the spotlight and various controversies.
Princess and Junior appeared together to give an interview about life growing up with Katie, reflecting on how their mother's public breakdown and drug use impacted their childhoods.
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Recalling their mother's public breakdown after her separation from ex-husband Kieran Hayler in 2017, the siblings revealed they had to work out how to microwave meals and 'look after each other' and their younger siblings.
"She'd give me a blanket and spray her perfume on it and that was my attachment to her," Princess, who was around 10 years old at the time, said during the emotional interview.
"I used to go home and feel so lonely, I would just cuddle the blanket and cry."
21-year-old Junior called the period the 'most difficult time of my life,' saying: "When she was there, she wasn't there, and we as siblings just kind of looked after each other.
"I remember me trying to figure out if food was microwavable to feed us for dinner."
Junior then shared one particularly vivid memory from the period, recalling seeing Katie in the early hours of the morning while she was 'obviously on stuff'.
"I was in her bed waiting for her to come back and I woke up 3.30am to loud noises," he said.
"She came in the room, I'll never forget the look on her face. She was obviously on stuff and it scared me, I'd never seen my mum like this.
"That's when I started seeing the same pattern and her falling down the same hole. When she wasn't in the right headspace she really wasn't and she wasn't being a mum."
He continued: "The mum that I knew from when I was a little boy, the amount of love she gave me was so immense, that's what I missed so much.
"Mum was on drugs and she couldn't look after us and that was the reality of it."
Junior would ultimately decide to move in with dad Peter Andre at the age of 14, while Princess stayed, explaining that she wanted to be there to support her mother.
"I always wanted to be there for her but she didn't understand that at the time because she was so hooked up in her own problems," she said.
Katie also shared her recollection of events during the documentary, explaining that using drugs was 'the only thing that blocked everything out' during a period where she hit 'rock bottom'.
"I was unwell. I couldn't even look after myself," she said. "I was more than rock bottom. I didn't want to be. I wanted to die. I felt worthless, suicidal thoughts all the time."
Things would come to a head when Katie crashed her car while driving under the influence in September 2021, leading to a 16-week suspended sentence and a two-year driving ban as well as a six-week stay in rehab, which she credits as helping save her life.
Commenting on the children's experiences during the difficult period of her life, Katie said: "When I hear what the kids, how they saw it, it breaks my heart. But they were still always looked after, I still had people around me looking after them, like helping me.
"But that's not good enough. Kids need their mum, kids need their mum's love, their mum's hugs, and I thought I was given that, but obviously I wasn't.
"It must have been horrible for them, horrible for them, and I'm just sorry to them that I put them through that and thought I was doing the best I could with them, but what could I have done?"
Katie Price: Nothing to Hide is available to watch on Sky and streaming service NOW.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123 or contact Harmless by visiting their website https://harmless.org.uk.
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can talk to FRANK. You can call 0300 123 6600, text 82111 or contact through their website 24/7, or livechat from 2pm-6pm any day of the week
Topics: Entertainment, Katie Price, Princess Andre
Brenna Cooper