Emily MacDonagh has spoken publicly about her role as stepmother to Princess and Junior Andre for the first time following Katie Price’s recent outburst about being excluded from her daughter’s 18th birthday celebrations.
The 35-year-old doctor, who shares three children with Peter Andre, appeared on Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, where she candidly discussed her relationship with her stepchildren.
Her comments come after Price, 47, launched into a tirade on her own podcast last week, claiming “certain people” were preventing her from attending Princess’s birthday party and appearing in her daughter’s new documentary.
MacDonagh, who rarely discusses her stepchildren publicly, revealed she sees herself as “more like a big sister” to Princess and Junior rather than trying to fill a maternal role.
Price expressed her frustration during an episode of The Katie Price Show, recorded on Princess’s 18th birthday, stating: “Everyone knows she’s doing this documentary – and I’m not in it.
“Certain people don’t think it’s good for Princess to be seen with me. Certain people that used to look after me.”
The former glamour model claimed she wasn’t invited to her daughter’s birthday party because “it was for filming” and lamented that she couldn’t celebrate with Princess despite her now being an adult.
“It’s pathetic. I’m her mother,” Price responded when her sister Sophie suggested she was “too risky” and not “on brand”.
Price appeared to reference tensions with the management agency she previously shared with Andre, which still represents him and their children.
During the podcast interview, MacDonagh explained her approach to her relationship with her stepchildren, saying: “I always feel like, you know, I’m not their mum, and that’s something I always have to make sure I tread carefully with.
“I always see it, I think I would see it a bit more like being a big sister.”
She acknowledged the delicate nature of her position, adding: “I don’t know if that’s the right way to look at it, but I think, you know, I always try and give them guidance, but I wouldn’t overstep that.”
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MacDonagh emphasised that whilst she supports Princess and Junior as she would her own children, she remains conscious of boundaries and her role within the blended family dynamic.
Andre’s wife revealed she maintains different rules for her stepchildren compared to her biological children, particularly regarding screen time restrictions.
“I’m quite strict though, on my kids. That’s what I would say to the older kids – it’s lucky there’s an age gap, you know?
“Because then you guys don’t need to worry about, like, silly rules I have – screen time and stuff like that,” she explained.
She noted that the age difference between her stepchildren and her own children helps avoid potential conflicts over household rules.
“I’m like, you guys can be exempt because you’re older. The age gap is enough that my kids don’t ask the question, ‘Well, why are they allowed to have the screens?'” MacDonagh added.