Prince George of Wales turns 10 years old on Saturday. Ahead of his birthday, the British and American media have been running weird stories for weeks, stories about Prince William and Kate’s idyllic life in Windsor, stories about Kate being the perfect mother, stories about how Will and Kate won’t “force” George to go into the military. I kind of ignored this Mail story, which came out last weekend, because I thought it was just a dumb aggregate piece, but there were some requests to cover it, so here we go. The Mail’s Kate Mansey wrote: “George’s incredible bond with his other grandparents… and his adorable nickname for them: How young prince’s non-royal mentors helped him have a reassuringly normal childhood.” Carole Middleton is barely mentioned, because her Party Pieces house of cards collapsed spectacularly last month. But Carole still has all of those media connections, so here we go:

Michael Middleton is the grandpa who shows up: While the role of King Charles – or ‘Grandpa Wales’ – dictates his future, it is his other Grandpa who has shaped his life thus far in countless other ways. Michael and Carole Middleton were the first members of the family to visit Prince George when he was born and have been a constant presence in his life ever since. The Middletons’ ‘ordinariness’ plays a key role in George’s solid and stable upbringing.

The private Middletons: As the world continues to watch the Wales children’s every move, Michael and Carole have managed to keep much of their relationship with their grandchildren private. The public don’t find out when George has family holidays with the Middletons in Mustique – usually to help Granny Carole celebrate her birthday on 31 January – or see him hanging out at other children’s birthday parties. Even when the Waleses holiday closer to home, they mostly do so in the tranquillity of Dolphin House, one of their favourite spots on Tresco, in the Scilly Isles. It helps, of course, that William now owns the entire island through the Duchy of Cornwall estate.

A normal situation: ‘They are doing the best job of making a normal situation out of an abnormal one,’ says a palace insider.

Kate the keen baker: This Friday, the night before his birthday, Kate will maintain the Middleton tradition of staying up late at Adelaide Cottage, their house at Windsor, to bake him a homemade cake (something she insists on doing for all her children). Like any other ten-year-old, he’s having a party and inviting his close-kit group of school friends – although, admittedly, this party will be on the Windsor estate rather than at the local bowling alley.

The Adelaide Cottage situation: ‘Everything centres on the children,’ says a palace source. ‘William and Catherine take it in turns to do the school run. Kate is adamant that family comes first – that rule shapes everything they do, as well as all their engagements. Even their house is small by royal standards and there is no live-in nanny or housekeeper there with them.’

Carole & Mike pitch in because their business collapsed: Living just a 45-minute drive away, Michael and Carole are on hand to help raise the little Waleses. While George is also close to his royal grandparents, their new roles as king and queen mean hefty demands on their time, whereas Michael and Carole have the freedom to be full-time grandparents, particularly since their Party Pieces business went into administration earlier this year.

A cautious kid: A serious boy? Yes, but George also knows how to enjoy himself. A fellow member at the Hurlingham Club, the exclusive private-members sports club by the Thames in West London, says he is ‘lots of fun but sensible’, adding: ‘George isn’t timid as such, but you will see him hang back while Charlotte and Louis rush forwards. He takes his time. He’s more cautious.’ Friends say he also has a wild side. He has chosen lessons in electric rather than classical guitar, and has a particular preference for AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. With sport, he ‘gets stuck in’ and has already graduated from tag rugby to the more injury-prone ‘contact’ version.

The Middletons have raised two kings: The Waleses’ inner family circle of five is now complete. But just beyond stand the Middletons, with Michael’s quiet British dignity said to have a ‘wonderfully calming’ influence on George and the other grandchildren. Their influence is seen on not one but two future kings – they took William into their family more than 20 years ago. Both of those future kings have shaped the Middletons’ middle-class lives, too. They are now at the heart of the British establishment, with their own coat of arms featuring acorns as a symbol of ‘England’ and ‘strength’. Meanwhile, Prince George has also re-cast his father’s life. ‘The arrival of George has allowed William to go from being Prince William to being just ‘Dad’,’ says a family friend who has known him since childhood. It’s a different role and one that he treasures and protects.

[From The Daily Mail]

Yeah, this is purely from Middleton Manor’s press operations. While Carole is mentioned, she must realize that people don’t want to hear about her right now, so she’s taking pains to center her husband in the narrative. There’s a palpable desperation there, forcing themselves into all of the royal conversations. I’ve got to wonder if Kensington Palace approved of any of this messaging. Like, the palace would prefer to simply ignore the Middletons for a while, given the recent bankruptcy of Party Pieces. Carole and Mike are basically in hiding from society events – no Royal Ascot, no Wimbledon, no Chelsea Flower Show, no palace garden parties, no Scottish coronation. So who is eager to remind everyone that Carole and Mike are (lol) raising two kings, Bill and George??

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.