How ‘party loving’ Carole Middleton raised kids to think they can ‘do anything’ – as Princess Kate’s mum turns 70 today
CELEBRATIONS are in order for Princess Kate’s mum Carole Middleton who turns 70 today.
According to a royal expert, “party loving” Carole will ring in the day with a “themed event.”
The mum-of-three may live in the £4.7million Bucklebury Manor with a future Queen for a daughter, but she had humble beginnings.
Carole had originally planned on becoming a teacher, but was unable to when her parents couldn't put her through university.
She subsequently worked as a shop assistant for John Lewis, before joining British Airways.
By the time of her marriage to British Airways manager Michael in 1980, she was also working for BA as a flight attendant - and the couple are now parents to Princess Kate, 43, Pippa, 41, and James, 37.
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Editor in Chief of Majesty Magazine Ingrid Seward told Fabulous: “Above everything else Carole Middleton is fun.
“She loves to party; she loves to have a few drinks, and she loves to enjoy herself.
“She will certainly have an amazing themed 70th birthday. She once told me that she had made a lot of money and was now determined to enjoy it.”
Carole changed her fortunes around in 1987 when she launched Party Pieces, after Carole realised she could make some money from creating party bags.
She grew the firm into a multi-million-pound business, which helped fund her kids attending the elite boarding school Marlborough College.
Ingrid added: “Her love of including everyone else in this inspired her to start her own party business, focused on children’s parties.
“She saw a gap in the market when she was looking for party plates for her own kids.
“She is very strong and determined and brave.
“Determined to bring her kids up to be able to do absolutely everything. From cooking and playing tennis to hiking up a mountain and skiing down.
She [Carole] will certainly have an amazing themed 70th birthday. She once told me that she had made a lot of money and was now determined to enjoy it
Ingrid Seward
“She is competitive like both her daughters and I somewhat insecure, which makes her more determined to win.
“She has managed to do what all mums secretly want to do – make sure her daughters have successful marriages – Pippa married a young millionaire and Kate married a Prince.”
Business heartbreak
It wasn’t such a fairytale ending for Party Pieces, however, which was badly hit by Covid restrictions.
In April 2023, the company called in advisers at restructuring firm Interpath to try to raise fresh funds for the business.
However, the family decided to move on from the company and in May 2023 the business sold in a pre-package deal to the Essex-based entrepreneur James Sinclair.
Kate’s strength
Carole is relentless in her efforts to support her family, and has been particularly pivotal in the last 12 months following Princess Kate’s cancer diagnosis.
Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, Vanity Fair’s royal correspondent Katie Nicholl said: “The Middletons have been very, very welcomed into the royal fold.
She [Carole] has managed to do what all mums secretly want to do – make sure her daughters have successful marriages – Pippa married a young millionaire and Kate married a Prince
Ingrid Seward
“They have a very close relationship, and they had a lovely relationship with the late Queen.
“And I think there's, I think there's a good relationship between the King and the Middletons.
“The Middletons have been so pivotal and important this year.”
Despite playing a role largely behind the scenes, Carole has spoken about how family comes first for her.
Inside Kate Middleton's £4.2millon Bucklebury family home - owned by Carole and Michael Middleton
IT may not be a royal palace, but Kate Middleton’s parents’ £4.2million home is also very impressive.
Carole and Michael Middleton bought the grand Bucklebury Manor in 2012 and it has a number of impressive features.
The grade-II listed Georgian property boasts seven bedrooms, five reception rooms - including a drawing room and library - and 18 acres of land complete with a tennis court and outdoor swimming pool.
Traditional log fireplaces, a kitchen with a large wooden dining table, and a conservatory with enormous floor-to-ceiling windows have previously been shown in rare pictures shared from inside the house.
With such a beautiful home, it would understandably be hard to pick a favourite feature, but Carole revealed that their kitchen is a focal feature.
In an interview with , Kate’s mum said: “It's a kitchen/dining/sitting room and it's the heart of the house. I love a kitchen supper.
"Where I have a small number of guests. I'll cook something delicious and make it look lovely, then we'll finish with a kitchen disco."
In an interview with , she said she still feels young and wants to "run down the hills, climb the trees and go through the tunnel at the playground".
She said: "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."
Royal expert Phil Dampier previously told Fabulous: "Prince George goes out a lot with his grandmother Carole.
"They go to the beach there and they are very close.”
William's bond
While William was just 15 when his mother Diana died, Carole has been able to nearly become the mother he lost.
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The Prince of Wales was allegedly seen popping into a pub in Norfolk with Carole last April during the family's Easter break at Anmer Hall.
Angela Levin, a royal biographer, told The Sun in 2021 that she believes that William's "dysfunctional family background" gave him "barely a clue of what a normal family life was like".