HER parents are embroiled in a bitter war of words, with Peter Andre blasting Katie Price’s claims she’s being publically kept apart from daughter Princess as ‘lies’.
Yet behind this battle lies a secret that the 18-year-old has been desperately trying to keep from her mum for years – and the truth is likely to devastate Katie.
Princess has struggled for years to keep her close bond with stepmum Emily MacDonagh a secret from Katie, pals say – yet now feels it’s the time to be open about their relationship.
Heartbreakingly, one source claims that Princess considers Emily “closer than a mother”.
“Emily and Princess are like best friends and soulmates and have been for many years,” they explain.
Emily, who has been married to Katie’s ex and Princess’ dad Peter Andre for ten years, features heavily in the new ITV show – while Katie, 47, was allegedly banned from filming by bosses for being “too trashy”.
Katie also claimed Peter and his management won’t allow her to do any publicity with her daughter at all.
“Unfortunately, the management team and Pete won’t allow me to be near her,” she ranted last week.
“They have made it clear, they won’t allow Princess to do photoshoots with me , they won’t allow me to go to any events with Princess – because they think I am trash basically.”
This week Peter hit back at Katie’s claims, slamming her in a furious Instagram statement.
Peter wrote: “For sixteen years I have stayed silent in the face of repeated lies from my ex-wife and her family, out of respect for my children and loved ones, but staying silence has been incredibly frustrating.”
He continued: “That ends today.”
According to pals, while Peter, 52, is wary of Katie, the reality is that Emily, 36, is very much a positive influence in Princess’ life.
However, it’s likely to have been a constant source of stress for the teen, who is, no doubt, desperate to keep everyone happy and knows how much their tight bond would upset Kate.
“Emily gives Princess stability and a lot of love, but Princess knows she can never praise Emily or share stories about her life at home with Katie,” the source says.
“And that’s very difficult when you love someone so much. Princess probably feels she’s forced to hold back.”
Emily and Princess’ deep connection, formed when Princess was just three years old, has only grown stronger as the youngster grew up, the source says.
When Emily was thrust into the limelight upon meeting Peter in her early twenties, she handled her new role as a celeb girlfriend and stepmum with grace and dignity, concentrating on her job as a trainee NHS doctor and her newfound family.
“Emily was so young when she became a stepmum to Princess and, as she gets older, Princess has even more respect and admiration for her,” the source continued.
“She understands how it must have been hard for Emily, but she never showed it, and it’s become even clearer to Princess how special Emily is.
“She’s provided a safe and happy home for Princess and her brother, Junior.
“Emily has cared for and loved them like her own, always helping them with homework and always there when they’ve needed a shoulder to cry on.
“Now they’re older, they’re so close they talk about anything and everything.
“They read books together, they discuss work and career ambitions, and Emily continues to be the best influence on their lives they’ve ever had. Princess knows how lucky she is to have Emily.”
Indeed, last year in an interview with Fabulous , Princess praised Emily, saying, “She’s the perfect stepmum. I couldn’t have asked for better” – but tactfully didn’t go into too much detail.
While Katie and Pete might be at loggerheads, apparently Katie is a fan of Emily.
The source said: “ Katie has actually always liked Emily – she appreciates how much she’s been there for her children and how she’s looked after them at difficult times in her life when she couldn’t be the mum they needed.
“She also appreciates that Emily keeps out of her business – they have nothing to do with each other.
“She hates the fact Emily is so sweet and perfect, but at the same time, she knows she’s lucky her kids have her as such an amazing, strong role model.”
According to our insider, Emily, on the other hand, has found living in Katie’s orbit “difficult”, especially as she also has her hands full with her and Peter’s children, Amelia, 11, Theo, eight, and one year-old Arabella.
“No matter what, Emily is on Pete’s side and fully supports all of his decisions with the children,” the source continued.
“It’s been incredibly difficult for Emily having someone like Katie with all her drama and problems in the background, but Emily has handled it remarkably well – somehow she’s managed to block out the noise and be the best mother in the world to FIVE children.”
Last month, Emily admitted that being a parent was tough while speaking on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast.
Who is Princess Andre and what's her job?
Princess Andre born June 29, 2007, is the daughter of Mysterious Girl singer Peter Andre and former glamour model Katie Price .
The pair also welcomed a son while they were together, Junior , born on June 13, 2005.
Katie and Peter then split in early 2009, with their divorce being finalised in October of the same year.
Princess also has six half siblings, four from Katie and two from Peter.
As of June 2024, Princess has an impressive 750,000 followers on her Instagram account, @officialprincess_andre .
Ahead of her 16th birthday , in June 2023, Princess opened up about what she wants to do with her future during a Q&A with fans and followers.
The teen said she is seeking out “financial freedom” through her beauty and fashion brand deals, as well as her own jewellery brand named ‘Sparkle’ by Princess Andre .
“I like the closeness of a family unit, but it’s not always easy, you know?” she said. “I think I didn’t quite realise how tough it can be being a parent.”
Clearly, though, Princess doesn’t have any complaints. And in a candid interview from 2020, Peter revealed the extent of the bond between his wife and daughter, admitting Emily stepped up to have the difficult chats with the then 13-year old Princess that he couldn’t.
“Emily’s incredible, and she has great conversations with Princess that maybe I wouldn’t necessarily feel that comfortable having – although I’m trying to get better at it,” he said.
Although they are words that would sting Katie, there’s no doubt Emily’s love for Princess has helped shape the young woman she’s become.
“Oh, Emily’s done the best job with Princess,” our source concluded. “They adore her and she’s an incredible person.”
