What’s Kate Middleton’s Mom, Carole Middleton, Like?
When Prince William wed Kate Middleton, the entire world rejoiced. Not only is she beautiful and classy, but she’s also incredibly kind, hard-working, and willing to go the extra mile when it comes to her family. (And, of course, thanks to Kate, we have all those adorable photos of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.)
While we know a lot about Kate, there’s another figure in her life we don’t often see — and that’s her mother. Here’s what Carole Middleton is really like.
Carole believes in working hard for what you want
There’s a striking physical resemblance between Kate and her mother, Carole — and it seems they both have a strong work ethic as well. Hello! explains Carole may be well-off now, but she lived quite a simple life and had an ordinary job prior to her own marriage and her daughter becoming a royal.
The publication notes her father was a builder growing up. And Carole worked as an air hostess for British airways for some time, too. It was during this job when she met her husband, a steward named Michael Middleton, whom she married in 1980.
She’s totally self-made with her own company
Even with kids and money of her own, Carole still had a dream of owning her own business — and thanks to her intelligence and drive, she made it happen. She opened Party Pieces, a party supplies store, in 1987 (this same year, Kate’s younger brother James was born). Carole noticed there were few party supplies available near her, and she wanted to make hosting kid’s celebrations a bit easier on busy families. By 1989, her business totally took off.
Party Pieces was growing quickly by the end of the ’80s into the ’90s — and most of her workers were other busy moms as well. Still, she made time to renovate an old building to accommodate her business that was taking off. Today, the company has over 40 employees and they still get thousands of orders per week. “It’s been a hardworking 30 years but I’ve loved every minute of it,” Carole wrote on the Party Pieces website.
She isn’t one for the spotlight
From Kate’s status in royal life to Pippa’s family to her other children’s accomplishments, Carole certainly has a lot to be proud of. Many have noticed, however, that she doesn’t crave the spotlight like some other famous parents might. People notes Carole will often attend major events, like royal weddings and the christening of her grandkids. But she’s never been on any official business trips with Kate and William.
In contrast, we’ve been seeing a lot more of Meghan Markle’s mother, Doria, than we ever did of Carole. But we’re sure Carole is still embracing many aspects of having a family member in the royal family (this trip to Balmoral Castle and picnic with the queen is a good example).
She’s warm, motherly, and loves her family
Though she’s not in the news nearly as much as Meghan’s extended family, Carole still comes off as an amazing mother and grandmother. Hello! explains those who know the Middleton family think of her as warm, loving, and motherly. As the publication says, she’s “fun-loving enough to be the last one on the dance floor at the wedding, but also a tireless worker, who built up a multi-million pound firm started from her kitchen table.”
We also know she loves her little grandchildren, too. She’s taken Prince George on special outings, and she totally spoils both George and Charlotte. As Town & Country notes, “Kate understands only too well that it is a grandparent’s prerogative to spoil their grandchildren.” And there are many tales of Carole giving candy and junk food to the little ones as a special treat.
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