Very suspicious… People Magazine’s side-bar story on this week’s cover is all about Carole Middleton, mother to the Duchess of Cambridge. Carole has long been treated as an oddity in the British press, because she’s so unlike the “royal mothers” the press is used to. Carole was born working class, and through hard work and ceaseless social climbing, she entered the British middle class. Then she raised her kids to hob-nob with the aristocracy and the royal family. She married one daughter off to the work-shy man who will be king (maybe) and she’s about to marry off another daughter to a terribly rich middle class guy (after trying to marry her off to an aristocrat). So maybe it’s not that the British press hasn’t seen this before, it’s just that it’s been centuries since they’ve seen someone like Carole.
So, this People Magazine article. The headline is “Princess Kate’s Secret Weapon: Her Amazing Mom, Carole Middleton.” Oh, Carole. A bit obvious with that one, don’t you think? What, is the Daily Mail not taking your calls anymore? Did Katie Nicholl lose your number? Here’s the story about Amazing Carole’s Amazing Adventure.
When 3-year-old Prince George and 18-month-old Princess Charlotte arrive at granny Carole Middleton’s manor house in Bucklebury, they can’t wait to see what’s new in her menagerie. There, around a pond in the splendid garden, is a children’s paradise filled with ducks and chickens. “It looks absolutely beautiful,” a family friend tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “The children love to come and play.”
This haven of tranquility — 50 miles west of London — is where Carole, 61, and her husband Michael, 67, have lived their 36 years of married life. Today, it’s where their elder daughter, Princess Kate, and son-in-law, Prince William, turn when they need a home away from home. From backup childcare (it was Carole who looked after the kids during Will and Kate’s spring tour of India) to setting an example for her three children (Kate, 34, Pippa, 33, and James, 29), the former Carole Goldsmith —who once worked as a flight attendant before founding her wildly successful Party Pieces business with Michael — is her family’s rock.
“I don’t think anything fazes [Kate] — she just takes everything in her stride,” says the friend. “A lot of this comes from her mum. Carole’s lovely, and she just doesn’t let anything faze her.”
As the holidays approach and families gather for festivities, seasoned observers say Carole is taking on an unprecedented role in the upbringing of the next generation of royals. (She has even been welcomed into the front seat of Queen Elizabeth’s Range Rover!) Carole was also center stage when William visited Africa over Easter. George and Charlotte were taken to the local church in Bucklebury, with the little princess being held by Kate while George sat quietly in a pew.
“They all joined in with the hymns,” a villager tells PEOPLE, noting that the youngest family member experienced a few fussy moments. “Charlotte has certainly got a good voice! She had her moment. I think she believed the vicar went on a little too long with his sermon.” And, as is often the case, Carole was on hand to help soothe her.
Observes Robert Lacey, royal historian and consultant to the Netflix series The Crown, “Carole is doing the things a nanny or governess used to.”
“Some locals think that Carole has changed since Kate joined the royal family, but to me she’s still the exact same person,” says a third Bucklebury resident. “She still goes to the pub with her girlfriends for a glass of wine and a gossip and is always really fun and approachable, relaxed and happy. She’s just as much fun as anybody else.”
The family friend adds, “She adores being a granny and always tells people, ‘I’m loving it.’ “
I think Carole does love being a grandmother, although it will be fascinating to see if Carole is so obsequious with Pippa during Pippa’s wedding, marriage, pregnancies and child-rearing. Do you know what I mean? Carole devotes so much time to Kate, William, George and Charlotte. Carole’s mission is to make her eldest daughter’s marriage work and to keep the connection to royalty, no matter what the cost. I just don’t believe Carole will be the same way with Pippa and Terribly Rich James Matthews, partially because they don’t need Carole mother-henning them constantly and partially because Carole will still be so focused on Kate and William. As for this piece of Middleton propaganda… why now? Why this very moment? Hmm…
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet and Pacific Coast News.
I find the term “Secret Weapon” very odd.
Right? Secret weapon for what exactly?? Wearing cute dresses and going on holiday?
Secret weapon from the Big Bad Windsors..?
That struck me too. Secret weapon? Why does a grown woman need her mom as a secret weapon?
IKR. Secret weapon? More like mastermind.
Am just rather curious. In the US, I am vaguely upper class from my family, education, and funds. Middle class seems to have a different meaning in Britain? Just no titles?
Professional but not titled
+100 on that – a backhanded “compliment” if I ever read one, and frankly, enough to ruin Thanksgiving dinner.
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.
I come from a family of matriarchs but none of them are like Carole, thank heavens. They expect their cheese on toast made for them: they don’t make it for spoiled idiots of sons-in-law.
I am beginning to think you guys are right: all this distraction is from something, and that something is most likely the state of the Cambridge marriage.
Not to mention all the good US press that Meghan and Harry are getting, they goats to get some of that too. But yes ITA their is serious trouble brewing in that marriage and the press are snooping around. Me thinks Willy has a side piece he’s serious about, he seems different lately and is making an effort with his appearance which is not down to Waity.
The distractions r nothing to do with the money for BP.
Yup the first thing I thought was a distraction from Harry, if Harry is doing better than they think he should they get stuff out there immediately – not work or anything real like that of course – but puff pieces that People lap up.
I do hope the press are snooping around. I normally disapprove of press intrusion but I’ll forget it all that over these two…
Yes. As the cute pictures of Harry on his Carribean tour pour in, we have to make sure we don’t forget about how great Kate is, too.
This piece of propaganda makes a change from the annual begging for a christmas with the Queen invite via the media which doubles up as Carole is besties with the Queen tra la la
Also, very revealing that Robert Lacey is describing Carole’s role as nanny/governess instead of grandmother. That tells you how involved she is or how little WK do considering they have full time live in nannies as well.
Is Carole’s ego dependent on these summaries of how indispensable she is, and how a storybook life exists (thanks to her efforts)?
Carole reminds me of an elderly aunt who forever feeds on a similar image. She’s the main mouthpiece for said image, so I wonder if Carole is a similar self-promoter just to boost her own ego.
Yes to your first point. Yes to your second point.
Isn’t it at this time of year we get the usual poor titeless Middletons, the only family of a future king without a grand title. ‘Please ur madge, give us a dukedom’ says they in their best Oliver Twist way.
@Christin – yes, she lives through her children (Kate in particular). Carole love the press attention just as much as her daughters/
Betti: yep. Same time of year.
I guess we still have a few weeks before christmas for that article to appear.
Usually grandmothers are that involved in raising the grandkids because daycare is too expensive and the parents can’t afford it but they still need to work. Will and Kate don’t have a job, so there is no need for Carole to be this involved and yet Kate doesn’t seem to care. Most daughters would step in and take charge and not let their mothers raise their kids. Kate is still immature and a child in that aspect. And with one full time nanny and possibly more, what exactly is Kate doing. Not to be stereotypical I should add what is Will doing, but I don’t think he gets directly involved with child rearing and probably plays with them once a day if he is at home.
I certainly think that someone is jealous of the Meghan coverage but I would not rule out something more, as others have suggested. The most recent appearance by Kate shows another bandage on her hand. That is starting to get a bit weird. She doesn’t do manual labour so how clumsy can one be?
The state of the W&K marriage, or the state of Carole and Mike’s marriage? Never heard anything about Mike being with them on the secret luxury ski holiday, but Carole was front and center running everything for the week.
Nor was Mike seen at the Balmoral jaunt either, despite elaborate descriptions of their travel to Scotland etc.
Mike has been missing from the narrative for a very long time. No more tales of his fun costumes at family parties etc.
I think Mike has retired to his potting shed.
A recent Mail on Sunday puff piece on James Middleton and his Boomf company had a snippet of Mike Middleton popping in to see James and then quickly walking off when he sees James has media there (the Boomf HQ is of course right next to Party Pieces). So he hasn’t been exiled too far.
A Middleton walking away from the media?? I knew there was a reason why I (sort of) like Mike.
Does anyone else look at pictures of Carol and wonder where her face actually is? She’s so squinted up, it’s like her face has disappeared. Like something out of Doctor Who; when The Wire was sucking the face off people.
Severe ‘just sucked a lemon look’ is that what were’re saying?
Haha it’s true.
Not unlike Melania Trump, whose eyes disappeared somewhere under frozen layers of botox about a quarter and a pint into her marriage with Agent Orange-in-Chief-Elect.
Yes, Melania’s face is disappearing. Her mouth is still visible, unlike Carole, but maybe not for much longer?
I also think Melania looks more and more like Drumpf himself.
Not so secret and not much weapon. Wow.
Interesting! I think “something is up” is very prescient. The whole Meghan thing is odd, and this piece is just weird. Is the monarchy going to step aside? Are the renovations on Buckingham Palace going to turn it into subsidized housing? Okay, that’s probably a stretch, but there does seem to be a grand democratizing going on.
Well, “this piece is just weird” could describe about 85% of the content of supermarket tabloids. No need to overthink the random filler aimed at the minivan majority.
Thank you! One sane voice. 😊
Just here to say I love the name Buckleberry and it sounds like somewhere hobbits live.
It does sound like Mister Frodo lives down the lane from them.
Carole is obviously angling to get her face on a stamp, Com’n her maj do Carole a favor put her on a five pound note!
iirc Buckleberry was a county in The Shire…
Yes! when the Hobbits were escaping from the Ring Wraiths they took the Buckleberry ferry (really a raft)! I always think of that when I read about where Kates’ parents are from, LOL
i have a theory!! I think Pippas fiancé is very uncomfortable with any press. He doesn’t go with her to events, besides Wimbeldon. But no red carpets. I think the press maybe wants to cover Pippas wedding but The Middletons are trying not to spook him. Hence dropping random articles, as well as throwing Harry’s new relationship out there so no one looks to closely at Pipps relationship.
Could be. Pippa sure hasn’t been seen around much since the engagement. She used to constantly be photographed out shopping or going to charity events but since the engagement, there hasn’t been much. Carole and Pippa might being very uncharacteristically low key to prevent scaring the groom away. Makes sense.
Pips and Mama Carole won’t want to scare off the groom after reeling him in to this point, hence the low profile. Interesting how the charity ‘work’ has fallen by the wayside since nabbing the Terribly Rich James; no need to fake interest anymore.
No Hedgefunder likes the type of press the Middletons adore. It’s not good for their business or their clients.
But who wouldn’t want to be referred to as “terribly rich” as often as possible?
It’s funny as hell for us, but i’m sure it’s excruciating for him except when he is in the company of other terrubly rich show offs.
@Lak I was curious about this. Is this more of we don’t want people looking too closely at where the money is coming from or going?
Don’t want anyone to know they’re nouveau riche like the Middletons, title-less, but complete with dodgy, attention-loving relatives like his reality-show brother?
Whatabout: Both.
And it’s not simply that Hedgefunders and their clients might be dodgy, some of their investments, though legal, are anathema to regular people.
Like all the Hedgies betting on a market crash in 2008 and making tonnes of money in the process whilst the rest of the world suffered loss.
Agreed, LAK. I’m sure he hates that his brother is on TV as well.
Nothing fazes Kate. Nothing fazes Carole. They just take everything in their stride (that old chestnut!). Everyone’s happy. Happy, happy, happy.
Oh, and the Cambridges like spending a lot of time in Bucklebury. But that’s completely normal and don’t think anything of it. Because everyone’s so happy.
So, what’s up for Christmas? When do we start getting the annual barrage of articles of the modern Middleton middle class Christmas versus the awful, stuffy Windsor Christmas? Is Christmas this year at Bucklebury?
Oh I think A LOT fazes dear Kate. A. Lot. Which is why she runs to her mother for everything and is a failure at adulting. Pippa seems very close to Carole as well but I just get the vibe that Pippa does not have the clingy reticent personality of Kate.
Interesting in a recent US weekly cover with Meghan and Harry it stated that while Will met Meghan when she was in London recently, unfortunately Kate missed out because she had taken the children to stay in Bucklebury.
+1
That is interesting that Will met Meghan but not Kate. I don’t think that was a coincidence. I am sure Kate is fazed by Meghan having done more with her life and the press mostly liking her. And the fact that Meghan is one year older but looks way younger. Kate was wearing sky high heels at her recent event to tower over everyone. This will continue when Meghan is around because the one thing Meghan doesn’t have on Kate is height.
Middleton is 5’6″ on a tall day, Markle is listed at 5’7″
I am not sure if Markle is that tall though. She always seems like the shortest one on Suits, compared to the actress who plays Donna and especially Gina Torres. That said if she is as tall as or taller than Kate, then that’s even better!
Why did People write an article on the virtues of Carole Middleton? Is something bad going to be released about her?
What about Michael then? Why do we never hear about what he thinks, feels, wants, behaves, etc.
Is he even alive anymore??
He is alive and well but does not court the press attention like Carole. He was mentioned in the Daily Mail article on James Middleton.
Michael runs the other way when he sees cameras.
Maybe he’s the one actually running Party Pieces while Carole ‘s out planning Pippa’s wedding. He’s seems lower key or maybe embarrassed by his flaky family.
He’s chained in the basement with Solange Knowles!
At least he’s free of Carole then.
I’d pay good money to see someone try and chain Solange.
Without Carole Kate wouldn’t be part of the royal family.
Nothing fazes Kate. I kind of doubt that. But honestly, if the article is to be believed, it’s nice that the kids spend so much time with their grandmother. I guess Michael is running the business while Carole does all that.
I don’t think Catherine can wipe her nose without her mom.
Indispensable (in this case) = enabler of two infantile adults.
Ain’t that the truth.
And they both like it that way.
You nailed it.
Yes! Carole is a mother who raised a totally dependent daughter who cannot function even at the lowest level without her. Not the mother of the year in my opinion. It seems that Carole poured all her social climbing aspirations into sealing the deal for Kate and in the process actually made Pippa a lot more independent and self sufficient. I think Pippa could function very well without Carole at her elbow.
I also think that Pippa could live without her mother, Kate not so much.
They must be so grateful to her…
Yup.
This fame hunter always has a smug face.
Charlotte looks like Carole and Pippa with Charles’s sticky-out ears.
No one will say it – but she does look funny. (sorry for talking about a child (!).
I don’t find anything attractive about Charlotte.
My neighbor said she looks like a dry-roasted peanut.
I see very little M family genes there. I see mini QE.
Oh how sweet. What a lovely family story to warm our hearts for the holidays and try to knock Meghan Markle off the front page! Funny how the Middletons never went to church before KM married.
The taxpayers are gouged an estimated $20,000+ each day Kate dumps the kids and nannies on Carole. Do they helicopter over for the day every time Katie needs mummy’s advice or she wants to do some more multiples shopping at Bicester Village?
Carole has always always controlled every aspect of WK’s relationship and considering her ambitions for a title and to be the power behind the throne there is no way in hell she will relax her iron grip of the heirs – ever. She will protect her ‘investment’: Kate and her marriage to William, at any cost
Ravin, I see what you are saying but how is she going to keep Chopper in her daughter’s bed ? Or does she say put up and shut up. When you put your daughter up to the task of basically bagging her future husband in bed, what sort of a foundation is that for a lifetime agreement, one has to wonder just how had Chopper feels, as much as down right hatred and resentment for Chutney. Personally I think whatever feelings he had for Chutney, wiped out before George was born !!!!
“Carole is doing the things a nanny or governess used to.”
So, what exactly does Nanny Maria do all day?
Or the parents for that matter?
What about the rumors that Carole and Michael are separated?
All this help and support from Carole and others and yet William said he felt the “struggles” of parenthood. Struggles to him meant he had to check-in with his wife and others a little more than he had when he was single… even then, Kate let slip the fact William wasn’t around that much during the first six months after George’s birth. Where was he? Does William know how ridiculous he sounds yet says it anyway? He’s such a dolt.
That six month disappearing act is strange on all sides.
It was announced she was going home to mummy after the birth for at least 6 weeks. William took 2 weeks paternity leave but wasn’t spotted in Berkshire other than in the copyrighted baby photo taken by her father. Middletons have control of the baby. If he wanted to see his new son, he was going to have to travel to Berkshire for at least 4 more weeks while he was supposed to be back in Wales working.
At some point we got the PR spin that she, Carole, and baby were moving to Wales. Then came the PR lie about rats in the antique-filled, luxury 4 bedroom farm house so back to Berkshire the day they arrived. Home to Berkshire instead of moving to the cottage in London and nestling in with her husband and new baby.
During this came the story that Carole was getting a mother-in-law flat in KP. That came out in August to huge public outcry. Whether it was true or a test balloon, the idea was squashed. From the stories that come out later, it sounds like she would have been there to take care of William and Prickly Kate, but the 2+ nannies would take care of the babies.
He left his job in Wales by the end of August, right after returning from 2 week paternity leave. Farmhouse was already up for rent by September. He wasn’t in Berkshire. So where was he from September – January?
Re: the cottage and rats story. From what I recall she turned up with baby and a massive load of luggage, stayed an hour and then ran back to her parents alone. It was thinly suggested that she turned up unannounced and they fought – it could be she caught him with a side piece.
I can’t help but think these separations are their ‘off’ periods when he’s off chasing other women. Its how it was when they were dating.
The whole timeline was strange, just like their relationship. We were fed one thing, then there was photo proof of what really happened. Her pap drive to the hospital where Tanna waited for the oopsie pregnancy announcement. Publicly dragging him back to her side when he’d been away on a hunting trip for days.
She stopped “working” at the 7 month mark, but didn’t stay in Wales. She kept getting papped in London shopping for drapes with her RPO or with her mother in Berkshire shopping for baby supplies. She was happily out spending 1.5 million on the beige interior of Apartment 1A (and mostly living in Berkshire?).
She had the ring, the big new space to decorate with someone else’s money, baby on the way. At this point, William was surplus to requirement, and that may be the way they all preferred it.
She wasn’t spending the last two months before the birth cozied up to her husband in Wales, elbowing him every time the baby moved. She gave up the pretense of living in Wales and decamped to Berkshire, announced she’d be gone for 6 weeks after the birth too. They seemed mostly apart by choice for 8 months or so around the whole thing.
When they finally moved into Apartment 1A together, he signed up for the Cambridge course that January and was gone 12 hours a day and some nights. Went hunting with Jecca, skipped the annual trip to Mustique. The time together as a family was limited, interrupted by the baby-free Maldives trip. By summer 2014 she had Anmer to rip apart and re-do to occupy her time, he had his pretend EAAA job to start training for.
Notasugarhere: I believe some of the press know but keep it under wraps.
Diana, IMO, would be so disappointed in William … I mean, she made such an effort showing her sons the “struggles” of the less fortunate. William will never know the struggles of employment, mortgage/rent payments, getting food on the table, homelessness etc… Diana, IMO, would also be disappointed with the fact George is spoiled. The older William gets, the more he reveals himself as totally unsuitable to reign.
There is a petition in UK with regard to getting the royals to cover the BP reno, it has over 100k signatures and growing. Good
It’s called the E petition. I saw it at the Twitter account of royal correspondent Victoria Murphy of the Daily Mirror.
Please don’t forget to remind us, nota.
Missed the memo. What am I supposed to remind you about?
I mean your prior post – the timeline – the reality of it. Thanks!
Okay, thanks! While that stuff is still in my brain. One of these days, these two will annoy or bore the history of all that away. They’ve whitewashed it away in the public eye already!
Whitewashing is not the Truth. Keep on! Truth prevails!
That the Middletons got to take both kids to the Bucklebury village church is remarkable- is this reliably true?
I wonder because the story lacks other details such as the many RPOs that would indubitably have accompanied the family. You’d think the uniqueness of that entourage would have warranted a mention.
But if true….means William was okay with potential leaks of photographs? You can’t tell people to leave their cells at the church door.
The RPOs demand the deletion of legally taken cell photos all the time. Proof of this from Switzerland, parks in London, took all cell phones away in Mustique, etc.
Maybe the Middletons would be thrilled to have pap or cell photos of them playing Happy Family at the daughter’s first Easter – while William was in Africa at Jecca’s wedding. Just like they didn’t complain about the airport vacation photos for the son’s first vacation in Mustique – while William was in Spain with Jecca.
He wanders off for too long pretending to still be single, the Mids yank him back publicly.
At some point that game will backfire on them – one day he’s not going to come back.
So what happens if I, walking within the same radius as the Middletons and the kids, were approached, asked to surrender my cell phone, and I Refused on the grounds that I am in a public place and did not enter into any binding agreement to allow my personal property/ privacy to be invaded.
Let’s say it’s unclear whether I took any pictures. Do they have an absolute right to overpower me to get my phone? How far would they go?
For me, that’s crossing all kinds of lines.
They don’t have a right to do it. Doesn’t mean they don’t intimidate the hell out of you illegally to try to get you to delete the photos. Claiming security issues all the way. Just like they demanded cell phones and cameras from fellow vacationers on Mustique.
If Carole is the future king’s favorite person, his favorite above his mother, father, and Nanny Maria? Carole wins.
Canadian Becks: You have to understand that at base they are police with all the power that entails.
Further, they are special branch that is legally empowered to prevent any type of harrassment of their charges so depending on your demeanour, you have to understand their default position.
Finally, they are armed. We don’t have armed Police in everyday proceedings. To be confronted by an armed policeman is really unnerving.
I suppose the regular church visits are necessary if Pipps is getting married in church – the banns have to be read each Sunday and best show the family are committed to the faith.
So, they’re sitting there in church, Kate’s got the baby in her arms, Charlotte starts to fuss, and Carol takes over? If there’s any time for Kate to tell her mother ‘enough with the helicoptering’, that’s it.
Or KM hands her over the second she starts to fuss and goes back to admiring Big Blue?
This is the same woman who sat on a hillside while her toddler son played around in the path of on-coming polo ponies. Autumn Philips had to go get him and carry him over to KM, before the polo ponies came barreling down the path.
She acts as if everything, herself and children included, are to be taken care of by others. She does nothing, plays the snowflake, and as a result everyone else does whatever she wants. She and William are very similar.
Hahaha at “nothing fazes” Waity. EVERYTHING fazes her. If she doesn’t look completely lost at events, she’s desperately gurning. She can’t give a speech. She’s too simple for literally all her duties.
That is exactly what I thought when I read that line. Must be Opposite Day.
She’s kind of a slightly-less-trashy and British Kris Jenner, isn’t she?
Bingo!
William is unfit to be King.
“When 3-year-old Prince George and 18-month-old Princess Charlotte arrive at granny Carole Middleton’s manor house in Bucklebury, they can’t wait to see what’s new in her menagerie. There, around a pond in the splendid garden, is a children’s paradise filled with ducks and chickens.”
Because this is better than spending time with Grandpa Charles and all of the farm-related offerings and splendid gardens at Highgrove or throughout the Duchy? ‘Cause we wouldn’t want the grandkids playing around in their father’s old tree house or spending time getting to know Charles.
I’ve lived with chickens and ducks before. They’re cute, but filthy animals. I wouldn’t let my children (or future grandchildren) anywhere near them or their poop until they’re old enough to dodge the gross stuff.
Well, none of that fazes Carole of course! She takes it all in her stride. 🙂
Charles did create a wonderland!!! and far better for the imagination of both children and adults, than simple duck ponds. It’s the only reason that I like him – his inner beauty, expressed in a garden.
Lovely words and lovely truth. ITA.
I flashed on Charles’ Highgrove and the adorable thatched roof tree house etc for George & Charlotte and amazing garden and free range chickens etc. What was the point of this story in People. Clearly it was a sanctioned piece.
Just having read about his gardens and tree house, she is trying to upstage that? Plus, he has genuine interest in said things.
I see Tracey Ullman is playing Carole Middleton on an upcoming episode of her show (I think its on HBO?) I definitely need to check THAT out!
That episode is on HBO, this Friday (11/25), at 8 pm and again at 10:30pm here in the US.
It is repeated next Monday, 11/28 at 9:20. Pm, Wed., 11/30, at 12:15 am, and Thurs., 12/1, at 10:15 pm.
Happy viewing all! 🤓💻🖥📺
I just noticed the picture from a few weeks ago, in the fuzzy blue coat. 6+ years on from the engagement announcement, she’s still showing off Big Blue like a cocker spaniel learning to shake.
Who could seriously read People Magazine at this point – I almost got a sugar rush just skimming this drek.
Could this be something to divert attention from James? There was an article in the Daily Mail two days ago where Donna Air said she was ‘open to having more children.’ I don’t see anything wrong with their relationship, but lets face it, she isn’t titled or incredibly wealthy. Does Carole care? Is James back from Hong Kong?
Yeah James has resurfaced from Hong Kong. There was a marshmallow-sweet piece in the Mail a few weeks ago interviewing him about Boomf and he said he and Donna were still a couple. I recommend googling the article if you are James-curious because it was quite lengthy!
This has to have come from Carole. Meghan’s family is all over the press (especially in the US)at the moment and Carole is not getting the attention and accolades that she thinks she deserves. This is like a write up angling for ‘super royal mother-in-law’ award so that Carole continues to be the ‘important’ one and doesn’t have to share the spotlight of being the royal mother-in-law with anyone else. Meghan’s family have been in the press and she is not having it. Carole wants to established that the Middleton’s are the important in-law family and she is at the top of that tree and wants to ensure the world knows it. Wonder if she promised them a George pap exclusive in the coming weeks for publishing this drivel?
Or is she trying to shore up the press and public is on her side for when that TV drama about prince Charles is made and she doesn’t want the public to believe that she is a ‘scheming social climber who seems to have no concern as to her daughters happiness instead siding with a cheap, boorish man child who will one day wear a crown instead of encouraging her daughter to seek out a career, develop self-respect / value of self to not be some bloke’s beck and call girl for 10 years believing if you hang on long enough, he will cave’ type mother that you know they will portray her as – rightfully and accurately.
I like Carole. Always have. (Maybe because I’m a crass American)
She has drive, ambition, and focused on her goal and won. Frankly the future king needs some of that.
Her goal may have been misguided but how many friends do you have whose mom’s aimed them at a doctor, a lawyer, that “nice boy from church” . Carole went big and she won.
It’s a shame Wills isn’t much of a prize. And Kate is developmentally delayed in the “adulting” department. Not sure if that’s due to Carole or due to Kate’s inherent personality but I still like Carole. Even with Shady Uncle Gary factored in.
And if Carole and company double down on the family photo ops when Wills is “wandering” well good for them. Because if he ever does wander off permanently it will backfire on him. His father, who did the same, was fortunate in that his mother lived (and continues to live) a full 25 years past the blow up of his scandal…it took a LONG time for his reputation to recover. And Diana (rightly or wrongly) was sainted when the sh*t hit the fan.
As for Meghan Markle, I’m sure she’s a lovely person. But the buildup reminds me of the introduction of Fun! Fergie! who the Queen Loved! right before her wedding to Andrew. And then comes the teardown because ultimately the pressure is on to make sure no one thinks Harry would be an acceptable substitute for Wills. (I suspect many readers don’t remember Randy Andy’s hot years).
I think that most of the blow back on Carole was started due to class issues and the folks that started it (Wills’ friends) have benefited from long gone ancestors who probably had a lot more in common with Carole than they realize. Most large fortunes/dukedoms etc were built based on someone with some mighty crass drive once upon a time.
I’m disappointed in Kate, for not using all the assets Carole worked so hard to provide for her. And Wills is useless.
The blow-back against Carole didn’t come from the aristocracy, although they weren’t going to tolerate being used as stepping stools for the Wisteria Sisters social climbing. Carole only called the families of aristo daughters to try to get them to be friends with Kate. Most people (titled or not) don’t take kindly to being used. None of the aristo girls wanted William, there was no jealousy in action here. The doors-to-manual fiction came from the Middleton’s hired PR hack post one of the many breakups.
The blow-back came from everyday people who mock the Middletons for their desire to kowtow to the antiquated system. For awhile, people fell for the idea that the Middletons were “middle class” in the American sense – not aristocracy, just everyday people. When the splashy vacations, private schools, Kate Middleton never working, and years of social climbing were revealed the public tide turned. Another big group defected around the family crest, signet rings, and grasping for titles shenanigans that came out at the time of the wedding.
The aristocrats didn’t want to be used. The general public mock the Middletons for playing in to a system they think needs to be thrown out.
I don’t think KM is spineless, I think her ambition matched her mothers. She didn’t want to do all the work, and she was happy to have her domineering mother keep dragging William back to her side. It was a decade long family project, landing a prince.
For all the time, energy, and money poured into the Bag A Prince Project, Carole forgot about making Kate Middleton likeable as a human being. They forgot to instill a sense of compassion or a work ethic. Now all people see is a lazy, spendthrift, self-centered WAG and her fame-loving family. If W&K ever separate, the public will side with Diana’s son not the Middletons.
ITA with everything NOTA said. As a Brit I can say that the tide started turning when it became obvious that they were pretending to be something they are not – upper class and wealthy aristo’s. The down to earth middle class ‘Middleton Way’ was always a PR sham, esp when her Uncle (you know, the one who funded the land a prince hunt) was caught bragging about getting his own wing at Buckingham Palace while trying to sell drugs and underage prostitutes to an undercover reporter. Plus there are the many stories of Kate and her families bad behaviour; demanding free clothes, a massive discount from Audi on a lease car for Kate and then there was the very obvious cashing in for Party Pieces when they tried to sell ‘official’ merchandise of the wedding.
And yes, if W&K ever divorce its the Middleton’s that will fare the worst – they have made many enemies in the quest to bag the Prince that no one wanted. Not only have they used and abused the aristo set but the press as well – its only the Fail that’s nice to them. Pre wedding Kate and Carol were super nice and accommodating to the press, soon as she got that ring the turned their back on them and followed Williams lead of treating them badly.
If you are in the public eye – its a 2 way game with the media, its give and take. The Middleton’s have many skeletons in their closet (not just Uncle Gary and his drug empire) as the finances around PP are sketchy. If their business is worth and is making them millions why the big effort to hide it.
It’s disturbing, nota and betti – yet there she is – with her pinky ring!
I get tired of nonsense – yet there is education that we must consider….
A bit like Wallis Simpson
I guess you like those cold-blooded predators , sharks. Not someone I would admire or want to emulate though.