I spend too much time thinking about the complicated familial dynamics of the Middleton, Windsor and Cambridge clans. By most accounts, Carole spent nearly all of the summer at Anmer Hall, looking after the babies and Charlotte and George. Some days, I feel like Carole is living vicariously through her oldest daughter, and it’s almost as if Carole sometimes thinks about how she would be doing the whole “duchess” thing so much better if only she had been lucky enough to marry a prince. There have been stories and gossip about Carole putting on airs and taking herself too seriously, which is what this story sounds like. The Daily Mail says that Carole no longer “buys” in-store, like a peasant, lest anyone notice what she is buying.
The Duchess Of Cambridge and her mother Carole Middleton have come up with a bizarre rule about shopping at their favourite department store Peter Jones… they never buy or look at anything! I can reveal that Carole likes to browse the aisles of the Sloane Square shop but will only buy online to protect her anonymity.
Carole also tries to avoid picking things up or looking too keen about anything because she is sick of people noting what she likes. It is a trick that she is said to have learned from her daughter Kate, whose every move is watched when she is in the store. Famously, Bobbi Brown cosmetics sold out after she was seen picking up a few of their products from the makeup counter.
First of all, Kate really doesn’t adhere to that rule – she’s always buying stuff in stores, and I know that because the shop owners turn around and tell media outlets what she’s bought. Which proves that people do pay attention to what Kate buys and she probably should do more online shopping (except that I’m pretty sure she takes “retail therapy” to the next level). But for Carole to do this, like people are just following her around, waiting to see what she purchases? Um…no. Carole, you are not a duchess. No one gives a crap what nail polish you buy.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Pacific Coast News.
Carole, let’s do shopping and lunch. We’ll hit some of the funkier boutiques and try on feather boas and sunglasses with rhinestones and stilettos. Then we’ll get some red lipstick and glitter eye makeup. Lunch is going to involve only desserts.
Can I come?? This sounds sublime!
And I don’t blame her one bit. I wouldn’t want people secretly taking my picture and talking about how much my clothes cost.
“Carole spent nearly all of the summer at Anmer Hall, looking after the babies… and Charlotte and George” – Pretty much sums up the entire dynamic
“…..looking after the babies….AND Charlotte and George…”
Hee – I see what CB did there.
Brilliant shade.
Funny!
I had to read it twice – but then I got it! Very funny.
“Carole spent nearly all of the summer at Anmer Hall, looking after the babies and Charlotte and George.”
Red Wedding Dead.
Lolol!
Ha!
There is NO WAY this one is desperate for anonymity. Just another story spread to garner more attention.
I have to agree with you on this. I think she had a “source” leak information so that it could garner some attention on her. If she is trying to live vicariously through Kate, then own it. There is no shame in a mom feeling that way
My children have always insisted on being separate people. I raised them knowing their own minds – I treat them with respect – I’m only another person, not Gob. They are now responsible grown-ups that I love and admire. They want me to be proud of them – and they deserve it – they have found their own success. They also claim that they accomplished this on their own. They do look at me as a role model – meaning that I nearly always have to take the high road – however, this is called living my own life, and being responsible for that. I am a pathfinder for them; a vicarious life would mean that my own was not important, and that is a bad message, IMO.
Carole’s “help” keeps her children dependent and believing that they couldn’t do without her. Perhaps this is the goal of some mothers.
I don’t want to sound too critical of Carole because I am entering a new phase of my relationship with my children as a grandmother (due this month!!!). I recently told my youngest son that our DNA played a major role in its survival, by the development of familial bonds. *I need him* to live, as he needs me. However, I have found respect for their individuality a major reason why they didn’t need to rebel (well, of course they did, but I let them choose all their own consequences), but most importantly for me now, they haven’t needed to leave me alone in the city we reside. That is big for a mom – and it’s not because of dependence. I’ve so much more to teach them – like how to get old( ???!!!)
@wolfie
You sound like a wise woman… more mothers should think like this.
yeah hello more like desperate for attention.
‘looking after the babies and Charlotte and George’ BWAHAHAHAAHA *Flatlines*
I know – that’s a great line. I didn’t catch on at first!
Ooooh, now I get it. LOL!
Kaiser, I love that you think about the Windleton family dynamics so much! It’s fun gossip.
I doubt Carole buys more online than the other women in her position. Most of us do a great deal of shopping online these days and she is probably no exception.
Although it’s a good question, unless she’s accompanied by another Middleton or Windsor, does Carole get papped? I think on her own, dressed down, she could move around rather anonymously.
I am allergic to shops. Can’t remember the last time I went in one (excluding farm shops and my local convenience store). If you can’t buy it – in 3 minutes or less – online, I don’t own it.
Is this a MiddleBucket attention grab or a Daily Fail dig at the Hyacinth Bucket Syndrome-ness of this uppity arriviste?
I’m hoping the latter.
Every time you use the term arriviste I smile a little evil smile.
@Sixer–You should try the app Amazon Prime Now! Yesterday, I ordered pasta, diet coke, swiffer pads, and a new frying pan and got it all within 2 hours and for less than I would have paid at my corner grocery store.
‘Middlebucket’ – hahahahahahaha i love it. Mike does seem like the poor downtrodden Richard.
‘Richard dear, carry the shopping for me’
I think it’s the latter.
You and I should go shopping sometime, Sixer. I search, I see, I buy! I’m that way in shops too. HATE shopping.
My mother dreads me having to take her shopping. Dreads it.
Could be both, could be CM leaking the story to big herself up only for the Daily Fail to slap her down again pdq. The tabs don’t seem to hold back with CM the way they do with the ‘Normal-Stepfords’ but then she’s way down the pecking order.
Suze – I aim to please!
vilebody – I’m one of those annoying holier-than-thou ethical shoppers I’m afraid, so I avoid Amazon wherever possible. If they ever pay any taxes and/or treat and pay their staff well, I might alter that policy! But yes. Online buying is much more convenient, especially if, like me, you work from home and live in a very rural area.
LAK, Frisbee – I hope the latter very much and suspect it might well be. But since everything’s being drowned out by Jeremy Corbyn, an atheist republican, not singing God Save the Holy Goat, I suppose it’s just as likely a filler piece. I can live in hope, though!
bluhare – I’m not so bad in a high street, although I’m not keen on any buggering about choosing between almost identical items. But malls – I really think I *am* allergic. Can’t stand recycled air. It makes me feel like I need to make a break for freedom! Nobody but nobody likes shopping with me. Thankfully, Mr Sixer loves shopping, so he does anything unavoidable.
Mix a slow gossip day at the Daily Mail and CM walking out of a shop with no bags and you get a story that isn’t the slightest bit juicy.
@ Sixer – I’ve developed a bit of a crush of Jezza for that.
Please sign me up for the ‘hate shopping crew’ it’s the crowds milling around aimlessly window shopping that does my head in. My friend says I go through them like a Rugby Right Wing (ok a very, very short Rugby Right Wing) – head down, elbows out kinda thing.
She’s known for calling the paps when she is out with George alone to establish the valued grandmother storyline.
Well she is the Grandmother and MIL to future Kings – just fulfilling her duties to the children then 😉
Also now we know what the bodyguards are actually doing – protecting the children while they shop with Granny while Mummy paints in the garden and Daddy plays with his ‘copter.
”…looking after the babies, and Charlotte and George.” LOL Kaiser 😀
But if Carole is on her own, do people really pay that much attention to her? Do the paparazzi follow her around like Kate, plus bodyguards protecting her? If I saw her in a store I would just see a middle aged woman and not pay that much attention. She must put on airs or cause some fuss for people to take notice
Well she seems to be someone who is very aware of and concerned with what other people think about her. It may be that a controlling nature and obsessive self awareness could cause her to feel watched regardless of whether or not anyone was interested.
She seems to be wearing the same earrings and necklace that Kate wears? Also, they appear to share crotch grabbing as an affectation. There was a story somewhere else that Carole, Kate and Pippa were in a store together and C and P were very snooty, ordering the staff around demanding they fetch things for ‘her royal highness’ and ‘the Duchess of Cambridge’. Because God forbid anyone should forget how high the Middleton have climbed.
There has been stories like that from the GF years – Kate herself was noted to be using her status to get freebies and massive car lease discounts.
Most of the trips to Mustique have been comp.
If Carole didn’t have such an all consuming presence in the married life of her eldest daughter & son-in-law, then she’d be able to stay under the radar like the parents of other royal members. Is this happening to her husband?
It’s like celebs. They spend their entire lives doing everything that says look @ me, look @ me and when we finally look @ them they say stop looking @ me, stop looking @ me, I deserve privacy too.
She’s a successful businesswoman taking time off to spend with her grandchildren. If she were a man they’d be singing her praise. Instead she’s living vicariously through her daughter.
There’s a difference between spending time with ur grand children and moving in and being their primary care giver. Which lets face it Carole and the Nanny are.
Plus, if it were a man doing this, they’d not only question his manliness but his traditional role as a father. In this case, gender works for Carole. Were it Mike (or a man of lessor means), he’d be looked at as the worse kind of bum/sponger.
“Carole, you are not a duchess. No one gives a crap what nail polish you buy.”
I don’t think that’s entirely true. After the wedding, Carole received a fair amount of praise for her figure and the possible diet plans she’d followed for it were talked about in some media. I also think people would look to copy her.
What is with the crotch grabbing and these women?
Is it bad that I secretly like her dress? (*slinks back to closet in shame*)
Nah. Carole has the best taste of all the Middleton women and looks darn good most of the time.
Nope – its a nice dress, i’d wear it.
How desperate are the English women when they aspire to look like this lipless wonder?
Comparing her lips to those of certain celebrities that willingly pay money to have their lips injected with chemicals and end up disfigured, Carole comes out the winner. I can’t think of one celeb who has undergone this treatment who actually looks good. At best it looks obvious and worst is looking like the Joker.
There’s an enormous difference between what the tabloids print about these people and what most British people think. The general population here ignore them far more than you would realise given their level press coverage. They just don’t have that much impact on people’s every day lives.
I’ll dig out my new money snob to commoners translator…what she means is she loves the attention from certain people- those she deems worthy. But when the poors are in her space, she has an episode or “the vapors”. At most, people may assume she’s shopping for things for Kate, but no one gives a crap what she buys for herself.
Agree.
It’s such an unsatisfying game at the end of the day. For her own sake, I hope she gets to a point where she just doesn’t care. . .
Wonder what the Fail is building up to with all these ‘articles’ about the Mids and Cambridges. Either they have a story or are just firing shots over Willys head to make him understand that he’s not immune to their machinations. Sounds like the latter.
I think they’ve got something but they’re holding fire. William’s behaviour has been pretty atrocious during their relationship, they are bound to have something on him. Right now I think both sides are playing ‘chicken’ at this point to see how far the other will go.
I sometimes wonder what their incentive is for holding fire. Remember “squidgygate” and all those scandals involving Charles & Diana. There didn’t seem to be much holding back then.
I think because they knew both wanted out of the marriage. I think Diana wasn’t entirely truthful to Bashir. She may have not really wanted a divorce but she wanted to break free from her situation.
“…they never buy or look at anything!”
This has me giggling, picturing absurd scenarios of them in a store NOT looking at anything. Are they blindfolded, bumping into everything? Wandering around staring at the ceiling?
I feel her pain. This is why I buy garden hoses and toilet paper on Amazon. It’s just so tiring when people try to copy my purchases.
Thaisajs, you just gave me a massive attack of the giggles.
I’ll admit that even though I couldn’t care less about the Middletons, I HAVE wondered who makes that green and cream wrap dress Carole is wearing- would look so much better on me- but darn, no one’s ID’d it, have they?
Carole spends all of her time making sure her daughter is programmed properly.
I like Carole and actually more interested in her as a person than Kate. She is a self-made woman and seems very charismatic.
Who?
Snakeskin shirt dress, ok then.
Pippa really looks just like her.
Yes, in the photo with the green dress and sunglasses she is identical to Pipples!
And even if everyone did run out and purchased everything she did, who cares? I don’t get people.
If it weren’t pre-Middleton era, I’d swear “Keeping Up Appearances” was written about them. Ma is totally Hyacinth Bucket, Pa is Richard, James is Onslow, Kate and William are Violet and her hubby and Pippa is a blend of Daisy & Rose.
Brilliant, SavageGrace. I love that show. How about Elizabeth, Emmet and the Vicar?
Emmet and the Vicar could be Harry or Charles. LOL If I’d have to pick… Emmet would be more Charles and the Vicar more Harry – though I think they could fit them both.
Elizabeth… I don’t think she fits anyone, at least not anyone I can think of… perhaps a random “friend” Carole keeps around to rub their faces in “her” success… or an abused RPO or any abused member of the Cambridge household staff. LOL
I don’t know if this story is true or not, but it must be a bit humiliating for her if people who’ve actually noticed who she is look disappointed that Kate and the kids are not with her.
Also, if she’s not buying baby items, then who cares about the middle-aged stuff she buys? Other middle-aged women? I doubt it.
She could just fly over here to the states to shop. Nobody gives a shit here.
I couldn’t get past the headline that Carole Middleton was “desperate for anonymity”. I DON”T THINK SO. This has never been her style but I guess it made a good story.