Carole and Michael Middleton were ‘crucial’ in helping to raise Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis when they were younger, a new book has revealed.
In a new book by The Mirror’s royal editor, Russell Myers, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, it is revealed how the Princess of Wales’s parents have provided invaluable support for the family over the years.
Russell explains that Carole, 71, and Michael, 76, who live at Bucklebury Manor in Berkshire, would often stay with the Waleses for weekends in Norfolk. Prince William especially was said to appreciate their support “beyond measure”, telling an aide it gave them all “more room to breathe”.
Russell writes: “The Middleton family, who had become a constant presence in their lives, were crucial to this. William appreciated their involvement beyond measure, enjoying their company and the normalcy of the environment, whatever the circumstance. ‘More room to breathe’, he once told an aide.
“Michael and Carole enjoyed visiting the couple in Norfolk and would often stay for weekends, providing much-needed extra support for the young family. Of course, William would have to explain why people bowed or curtseyed to his grandmother, why on occasion they went to visit her in a castle, or who the men in the front of their cars and outside guarding their houses were, but the time to address George’s future certainly wasn’t now.”
© GettyCarole Middleton and Michael Middleton are close with the Waleses
Carole Middleton’s adoring role as grandmother
Mother-of-three Carole has a brood of seven grandchildren. Pippa Middleton is mother to Arthur, Grace and Rose, whom she welcomed with her husband, James Matthews. James and his wife, Alizaee, have a son called Inigo.
Carole has clearly been an involved grandmother from the start and told Good Housekeeping she wants to “run down the hills, climb the trees and go through the tunnel at the playground” with the children.
© Getty ImagesKate Middleton, her mother Carole and sister Pippa Middleton arrives at The Goring Hotel after visiting Westminster Abbey on April 28, 2011 in London, England.
She added: “As long as I am able to, that’s what I’ll be doing. I cook with them, I muck around dancing, we go on bike rides.” The Middletons’ family business, Party Pieces, which they set up in 1987, went into administration last June.
“I don’t see myself stopping [work]. If I did I’d have to have so many projects on. I’d have to redecorate the house. I’d love to travel, but then I’d miss the grandchildren,” she said in an interview with The Telegraph in 2018.
How Carole has been a ‘rock’ for Kate
Carole has been by her daughter, the Princess of Wales’s side every step of the way as she enters royal life, from the media scrutiny following her engagement to her wedding day. Carole has attended several high-profile events with her daughter, including light-hearted outings such as Royal Ascot and Wimbledon, as well as key royal occasions including the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Committal Service and King Charles III’s coronation.
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Carole’s unwavering loyalty has sustained Kate throughout the toughest times of her life, including her long recovery following her cancer diagnosis. For example, she was spotted driving her daughter in a 4×4 on the Windsor estate in March 2024, the first time she was seen in public after having abdominal surgery.
She and Michael were seen playing cards with the family in a video released to signal the end of the Princess’s chemotherapy, while Prince Louis wrote a sweet thank-you message to “granny and grandpa” for “playing games with me” at the Christmas carol service that year.
“Carole has always been a rock for Kate, especially this past year – she’s been amazing,” royal expert and author Ingrid Seward, told HELLO! previously.