Gwyneth Paltrow admits she's feeling a 'deep sense of impending grief' as she prepares for son Moses, 17, to leave home for college: 'I've been defined by motherhood'

Gwyneth Paltrow has admitted she's preparing to 'grieve' the loss of son Moses when he goes to college this autumn. 

The actress, 51, shares her 17-year-old son with ex-husband Chris Martin and later this year she will become an empty nester when Moses follows in the footsteps of sister Apple, 19, by leaving home for further education. 

Her stepson Brody - husband Brad Falchuk's youngest child - will also be leaving for college at the same time. 

Asked by The Sunday Times how she feels about the situation, Gwyneth confessed: 'On the one hand incredible sadness. A deep sense of impending grief.

'On the other hand this is exactly what should be happening. Your kids are supposed to be, you know, young adults who can achieve and cope and make connections and be resilient. That's exactly what you want. And that means they leave the house.'

Gwyneth Paltrow has admitted she's preparing to 'grieve' the loss of son Moses when he goes to college this autumn (pictured with her son in a post she shared this month) 

Detailing her 'complicated' emotions, Gwyneth continued: 'I've been so defined and so fulfilled by motherhood. It's been kind of the central… it's been like the central kind of… I don't know even how to articulate it! It's like the guiding force. It's what I return to.' 

While she admitted she's been turning down social plans with friends in order to make the most of the her time left with Moses, she added that in some ways it's 'exciting' because it will be the first time in two decades that she hasn't been 'beholden to a school calendar'. 

Earlier this month, Gwyneth shared a rare snap with Moses after a fan asked her to post her 'favourite' shot with her son. 

She looked radiant as she went makeup-free in the selfie while resting her head on Moses' shoulder.

The teen looked the spitting image of dad Chris in the snap, as he smiled for the camera while clad in a black knit sweater and tiny hoop earrings.

'Not fave but recent,' Gwyneth captioned the shot.

Gwyneth and Chris ending their marriage by 'consciously uncoupling' in 2016 but their children have remained the greatest achievement. 

The Goop founder previously told British Vogue: 'We just didn't quite fit together. But man, did we love our children.'

Detailing her 'complicated' emotions, Gwyneth shared: 'I've been so defined and so fulfilled by motherhood. It's been kind of the central… It's like the guiding force. It's what I return to'

The Oscar winner shares Moses, 17, and daughter Apple, 19, with her ex-husband and Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin 

Speaking about their split, Gwyneth added: 'Between the day that I knew and the day we finally relented to the truth, we tried everything. We did not want to fail. We didn't want to let anyone down. 

'We desperately didn't want to hurt our children. We didn't want to lose our family.'

In 2018, Gwyneth married screenwriter Brad after hitting it off on the set of Glee.

Meanwhile, Chris is in a relationship with actress Dakota Johnson since 2017 and earlier this month, reports emerged that the pair are engaged. 

It's been claimed the singer, 47, proposed to Dakota 'a while ago' and has the full blessing of ex-wife Gwyneth and their children.

Gwyneth's stepson Brody - husband Brad Falchuk's youngest child - will also be leaving for college at the same time (pictured together)