Carole Middleton joins Prince William and Kate Middleton for church with the Queen

Carole Middleton joins Prince William and Kate Middleton for church with the Queen

Well this is an interesting turn of events. I had planned on amending any photos we got of Prince William and Kate Middleton going to church in Scotland to my previous post about Kate being driven by the Queen, but then the photos came out and much to my surprise Carole Middleton joined the Cambridges and the Queen for church so I decided to make this a separate post.

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Today, September 11 (#NeverForget), William, Kate, and Carole joined the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall for church at Crathie Kirk.

Not only did Carole join the royals for church on Sunday, but she joined the royals for lunch on Saturday, even getting driven around by the Queen. According to the Daily Mail, the Queen drove Kate to lunch (the photos we saw earlier) and drove Carole back after lunch. Though Carole’s husband Michael Middleton is no where to be seen in any of the photos, the DM says he is at Balmoral, too:

    “Carole and husband Michael flew to Aberdeen on Thursday on a scheduled British Airways flight. They arrived hours after William and Kate, who have brought up their two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte for their annual visit to the Highlands.”

Interesting. If Michael is at Balmoral, why didn’t he go to church? If he did go to church, why didn’t he ride with Carole? The cynic in me wants to say that the reason Carole got invited to Balmoral is because Carole tagging along is the only way William and Kate would agree to let Charles see his grandkids, but the more level-headed part of me says the two families are probably friendly and that’s why the Middletons keep getting invited to royal family gatherings.

In searching for photos of the Middletons at Balmoral, I came across this Richard Kay article from March this year which apparently I completely missed. It talks about how the Queen is breaking all the former “rules” about not inviting royal in-laws into the fold, how HM loves how Carole and Michael grandparent George and Charlotte, how HM prefers William over Charles and thinks William will make a great monarch, and how HM is is not only totally cool with William delaying taking on full time royal responsibilities but is encouraging it. The article is very sugary. This article could get it’s own post, and it would have had I seen it back in March, but for now just read it and laugh.

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Kate appears to be wearing her Michael Kors Collection “Virgin Wool Plaid Blazer” which is her favorite church-going outfit, apparently. Kate wore her sapphire and diamond drop earrings and a new burgundy hat.

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Camilla wore a pink ensemble – a pink jacket with tartan accents and a pink hat.

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154 thoughts on “Carole Middleton joins Prince William and Kate Middleton for church with the Queen

  1. In the first picture, with Carole, we can clearly see where Kate gets her heavy handed approach to eyeliner! Carole has so much on, it looks vampiric in my opinion!

  2. Ugh, that Richard Kay article was total B.S., I couldn’t even finish it. The Queen thinks William will rule like she does. The Queen is ok with William spending time with his family (i.e. Not working) because she regrets her parents working during her childhood. William needs to wear his heart on his sleeve less? Blegh!

    But back to your point, KMR, it is puzzling why the Middletons are more involved with the BRF than other families. I doubt they are that friendly. I bet it is more that William is pushing for it, possibly because Carole and Kate prod him for it, due to an established history of the Middletons social climbing and attention seeking. But I think these holiday times are as far as it goes. If any member of the BRF besides the Cambridges go to Pippa’s wedding, then I will believe they are “friendly”.

    1. I could see Harry, Beatrice, or Eugenie going to Pippa’s wedding since they are all in that set that goes to society weddings. But we’ll see. I highly doubt any of the older BRF generations will go to Pippa’s wedding.

      1. Are Bea and Eugenie friendly with Pippa? Unless Harry is friendly with the brie and groom, why would he be invited, let alone attend? Didn’t Carole declare Harry rude or words to that effect some time ago? I took that to mean that Harry was not amenable to the charms of the Middleton family. Surely Pippa and James would invite their friends and family to the wedding; let’s hope they won’t try to make it all about how many royals they can get to attend. That would be pathetic.

    2. I could’t finish the Richard Kay article either. *gag* I’m purely guessing, but I think that William likely told everyone that the grouse shooting was a “friends and family” outing, so the Middletons and Van Cutsems were invited. Again, I’m purely guessing, but I have a feeling William’s obstinate personality doesn’t allow for a lot of discussion from others. By steam rolling people, the Queen gets to see her grandchildren and great-grand children, so objecting to a few guests could limit her leverage in a situation like this. The Queen gets her tradition and William gets to see his friends and in-laws. I don’t know what to say about Carole and Mike’s relationship. They went to Wimbledon together, so he clearly isn’t completely against being photographed. Their dynamic is off, to be sure. But maybe he really did just stay behind with the children? It must be very dysfunctional.

      1. I wonder what bribe Richard Kay was given. He really dislikes William, much more than he has disliked Charles. This is the first article he has ever written about William that doesn’t teleport his dislike and contempt for William.

        This article was also written at the height of ‘workshy william’ bad press. I remember thinking at the time that it was BP sanctioned to try to ward off William’s bad press, but now reading it again, i’m thinking Kay was definitely bribed in some way because the man dislikes William and has never written a good word about him until this article.

        1. But why change the story unless threatened from on high? Meaning that perhaps editors or publisher had the hard word put on them which in turn travelled to Richard Kay. The overtly treacly language would alert the careful reader, though was probably lost on anyone else. Has RK regained his stride?

          1. Yes he has.

            Further to your comment Jen, i was imagining someone standing over him dictating this article to say what they want it to say.

            One thing is for sure, readily invoking HM as it does means it was sanctioned by BP. KP has never been fulsomely blantant in invoking the Queen when trying to justify W or K’s less than stellar record.

            The usual pattern is to write a long self-justification for their actions, then tail the article with a sentence that says HM and or Charles fully support their actions.

            This particular article is all HM this and HM that………KP would never go that far.

  3. I thought that picture of HM driving Carole was her head photoshopped on Kate!

    Predicting the BP is going to be in an uproar that the Queen is chauffeuring Carole around. HM probably did it because she (HM) knows her way around and likes to drive, but how can she be oblivious to the sizable anti-Middleton public who thinks that Kate connived her way into the family and isn’t earning her keep? Is it not as sizable as I think it is?

    If she’s trying to help, I don’t think this will. When was the last time Sophie’s family got to hang out with HM and DOE at Balmoral? Not going back into Diana or Fergie. Even Bea and Eugenie don’t get to bring the boyfriends–Will didn’t want Dave Clark around.

    1. From what I know, only married couples are invited to Balmoral, so that would be why the York girls aren’t allowed to invite their boyfriends.

    2. Hi Sunny, from what I’ve read Sophie’s father (a widower) is friendly with the Queen, attends many events and lives with the Wessexes. However, maybe because he is elderly or because Sophie’s family is much more low-key press wise, it’s never reported on. Frankly, any girlfriend/wife of William or Harry is going to receive much more press attention and by extension so will their families.

        1. Less objectionable? I’ve seen their name often but don’t know much about them, I thought they were close with then Wales or at least Charles’ set and the boys all grew up/went to school together. Are they not just great news?

          1. As a family, they are Charles’s besties. The boys grew up with WH and remain present in their lives and are quite close friends.

            Individually, the boys have varying reputations. Nick is the least objectionable by reputation. The other 3 have various shades of sleazy shenanigans. Some even involve William. Edward and William VC are particularly shady.

  4. The strangest thing to me is that while we see couples together with Will and Kate, Charles and Camilla, and the Queen and D of E we don’t see Carole with Mike Middleton. Instead, she seems to be escorted by one of the Van Cutsem brothers. I believe that the woman behind Carole is Prince George’s godmother, right?
    If Mike Middleton was in Scotland, why wasn’t he with Carole? Was he babysitting George and Charlotte? I am sure Nanny Maria was watching over them.

    The picture of the Queen and Carole side-by-side looks very contrived to me. I don’t know what message the Queen wants to send the public, but if the Queen didn’t want Carole there she wouldn’t be there.

      1. He wishes! That wouldn’t play well into their steadfast, en masse family PR, would it? Poor Michael, he’ll be with SCarole until the day he dies.

    1. Scol lacks humility, her climbing ignore lacks understanding that she is in law only (not the wife of Petulant bill), to remain discreet and is NOT a part of the BRF! No wonder bill seem troubled – ..pulled apart by carol the middleton who is all about what they get from lazy waity kate marriage.

    2. I only remember one other time that W&K were photographed at Balmoral, or rather papped on the church run. We have been told for years that they go, but only once before was there evidence.

      My guess, if the Queen wants to see her great grandchildren and Charles wants to see his grandchildren, Carole will be allowed to force herself in anywhere. Christmas, Easter, Balmoral. No Carole, no deal.

      1. There has been photo evidence of W&K going to church at Balmoral at least twice that I recall – in 2013 and 2015.

  5. Regarding the use of the term “holiday” by the queen — her “holiday” is 2 and a half months. When is the last time you took a 10 week holiday?

    I’m not surprised by the Middleton invitation — when you consider most of the queen’s friends have passed on. She and Phillip are outliving their social circle.

    Perhaps Mike was at the castle playing with the grandkids.

    1. To be fair, she isn’t on holiday even if her schedule includes more leisure activities and the court less rigid.

      She still receives her daily red boxes and members of the govt and foreign delegations.

      What she doesn’t do are the weekly public engagements or when she did them, investitures. Thus she’s less visible st Balmoral.

    2. The only day she takes off completely, and isn’t doing her papers and red boxes, is Christmas Day from what I understand. That’s why it is so important to her to have her family around her on that specific day, because that is the one day she gives herself for nothing but family.

    3. Reading and signing papers that she has no decision making power over. Go ahead and read the NY Times cover to cover daily and then sign some blanks of paper. Tell me how hard that is and how much time – about an hour to two? Her work is pretty much the equivalent of a notary. And she sure can sign those papers anywhere.

      1. you must not know about the role of monarchy, If the Queen doesn’t sign something(law etc) then it does not get executed. She basically has final say and is head on the military.

  6. I don’t think things are as rosy in the Middleton world as they would try and have us believe.
    I think it’s interesting when couples try and get both sides of the family together. I actually detest my sister’s in-laws and dread having to joint events together. I actually think it would be good for wk to do things with his family without Carole always around.
    Kate’s theme dressing continues when she’s in Scotland. She always wears the same type of outfit. Not necessarily Scottish plaid type but more fox and hound outfit

    1. Every time i see that Michael Kors ‘country tweeds’ outfit that Kate wears in the country, i always think of horse and hound. Carole in her tweed Jacket above is givingbme similar vibes. Talk about theme dressing.

      1. Slightly off topic but thought you’d know faster than googling. I’m reading the latest biography on the mitford girls and it says one became a Bowles. Is Andrew pb a relation?

        1. Their mother’s maiden name is Bowles.

          I never researched it beyond grandfather generation, and it seems to be different ‘Bowles’ families.

          Whilst not 100% sure, i’ll venture to say that they are unrelated, however given how closely related the aristo families, it wouldn’t surprise me to find a common ancestry further along.

          1. I think you’re right. I was on some peerage website and there was a pic of he and and the duchess of Devonshire together but couldn’t find any actual relationship. Thanks tho.

  7. The very top picture of Carole (being driven by one of the Van Custem boys) is just scary wow! And so posed! I don’t buy that “Queen loves the Middletons” bologna that’s being thrown around. I think it’s more of William having a temper tantrum–again–or Carole and/or Kate nudging him to allow the Midds to be included!

    I do believe Carole and Mike are separated but they will never divorce for fear of appearance and rocking William’s fantasy of them being the “perfect family”

    I also don’t buy that Richard Kay piece from March and I’m curious if he’d change his tune now, six months later.

    KMR, are you ready for the season premiere of DWTS tomorrow? I can’t wait! I love watching it this time of year because, when it’s done, it’s my favorite time of year and Christmas specials galore are on the tube!! (My sisters and I are planning on going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter together in Orlando come December to have a “sisters weekend” again.)

    I’ve been seeing their pictures/clips on Instagram and OMG! Babyface has got some moves and I think he may be this season’s dark horse (a la, Alek Skarlatos from last season and I loved him).

    1. YES! I can’t wait! I woke up this morning thinking it was Monday and got excited, then realized it was Sunday and I have to wait a whole other day and was disappointed. Can’t wait for tomorrow night.

      1. Ouch!!! Nope, just one more day girl! Who are some of your favorite pros? Least favorite? (Curious, cause I have some too ? ).

        I so want Sharna or Lindsay to win and I truly thought the latter was a shoe-in last season with Wanya. If they ever have another All-Stars season, I hope he comes back because he was fantastic and just so energetic and entertaining.

        1. I used to love Julianne Hough because she was with Helio Castroneves and Apolo Ohno. And I love Mark Ballas because he was with Kristi Yamaguchi and Shawn Johnson, plus I like that he takes risks with his routines (even though I don’t always think his risks pay off). I love Derek Hough because he is just an amazing choreographer. I like Allison, Lindsey, Witney, and Chelsea just because I watched them on So You Think You Can Dance. I used to really Like Cheryl because she danced with Emmitt in season 3, but then I read interviews with her outside of the show and she came across as not a great person so I kind of stopped liking her.

          I’ve always disliked Karina and Peta. And Maks. I could never get on the Maks train. I can see why some women think he’s hot, but I think he’s very arrogant and rude.

          1. Glad I’m not the only one who isn’t on the Maks train though I am a fan of Val’s. I like him because he’s just as passionate as his brother, he’s also way more even tempered than Maks.

            I’m not a big Witney because Alfonso was almost a guaranteed winner (dancing background, on Broadway and extremely charasmatic) and ever since then, her choreography has been lacking as has her chemistry with her celeb partners. We’ll see what happens this season with Vanilla Ice!

            Derek is an amazing dancer and choreographer who works to bring out the best in his partners; he gets to know them first and then comes up with the dance number not vice versa which is what a lot of pros do.

            I love Mark and Tony and will miss them this season!

            Whew! I think I’m done for right now.

    2. I agree. Carole looks both exhausted and over it. I’d think it was just a blip, yet she also looked haggard in last week’s pap stroll pics for Pippa’s birthday. Caring for multiple babies (adult and pint-sized) trying to keep her own marriage together and shepard ole’ Pipps across the marriage finish line may be too much for our Carole.

      The smile doesn’t reach her eyes. When you look like *whatevs* while being driven by the frickin’ QUEEN OF ENG-ER-LAND -you needs a break.

      In the other pic, with Carole in the car is, I *think* Sophie Carter, plus one of the Van Cutsem wives and a Van Cutsem. Not sure which one. England is full of them. Have a look in your car, there’s probably one waiting to drive you to Balmoral 😉

  8. I too am curious as to why Michael Middleton has not been photographed in this latest suite of PR images. Is the Daily Mail account of Michael and Carole flying to Scotland on a British Airways flight a verified account or are they simply publishing a press release from BP? Does video exist of the lot of them entering/exiting the Craithie Kirk service? Often, they do release video of this type of activity.

    If the Middleton’s have separated, why not just announce it and get on with life? Their marriage is their business, though to be fair, they have ridden hard on the royal coat tails to make themselves public figures. So, if they claim he was there, he should be shown to be there. The royals lie a lot so it’s hard to know what’s what. It’s certainly tiresome.

  9. I’ve always gotten the sense that Mike Middleton doesn’t like the press and only goes in front of them in very specific events like Christenings and obviously the wedding. He was pictured at Christmas but if I remember right he hung in the very back of the line.

      1. Ah, okay, thank you, that was the event I was remembering. Well , then that takes away my theory. I guess the daily mail just focuses on the women more! I think I got confused with the date since Kate wore that outfit twice for family events last winter a week or two apart.

    1. If they are going to church in cars, then they would be seen, and as in this instance, photographed. All the couples are travelling together except Carole and Michael.

      Given there have been rumours for some time about the Middleton marriage, why was a very specific song and dance made about both flying together on a British Airways fight to Scotland to attend lunch/ church but only one of the couple is sighted on two separate occasions? If you’re a guest anywhere, you usually go where your guests take you.

      I’m also curious as to why the Middleton’s were singled out as going to Balmoral; clearly, the van Cutsem’s were invited too, but there was no press release about them.

          1. That’ s why i do believe all the rumors about Carole and michael’ s divorce. it wasn’ t hyped but I read it somewhere not long ago.
            In my opinion Mike wasn’ t there at all

    2. Overall I get the impression (body-language) that while Carole Middleton seeks the lime light, Michael Middleton feels uncomfortable in it.

  10. You have to laugh at the sugar stories . . . as for the Mids – they might be like lots of couples of their age – the gloss is gone from the marriage – but they have a business and a big house/estate – and a family – and perhaps they live mostly seperate lives under the same roof, coming together for family occasions. Pippa’s wedding will be the next big one. More often than not the logistics and expense of splitting up are too hard – particularly the business. So they continue on. If they are on reasonable terms and neither of them want a relationship with someone else then good luck to them.

    1. I don’t think it’s uncommon for the older members of the aristo class to lead separate, but still married, lives. If I recall correctly Camilla and Andrew Parker-Bowles lead separate lives for quite a long time until the publicity from her affair with Charles became too much and then they finally divorced.

      1. Camilla and Andrew PB were content to carry on with their martiage for the rest of days until Diana outed Camilla. That’s what caused their divorce. Everyone knew for decades that Camilka and Charles were in an affair that Andrew tolerated, but Andrew was also known to have multiple affairs too which Camilla tolerated. A mutual marriage of convenience aristo style.

        Diana broke the rules because she wasn’t prepared to allow the same state of affairs in her marriage despite having affairs of her own which Charles tolerated.

        The minute she publicly outed Camilla as Charles’s mistress, Camilla and Andrew had no choice except divorce.

          1. Diana wanted to be the victim, even though she carried out affairs FIRST and ruined at least one marriage and bullied the wife of another.

          2. Sorry Sleepy, not true.

            Charles was having his affair during the engagement with Diana and throughout their marriage. This was something he’d been brought up with. His father had several discrete affairs although his mother, to our knowledge, never did. He was influenced by the Mountbattens, who famously said they spent their time “climbing into other peoples beds.” Charles felt as the heir, he had the right to do as he wanted the same as his father and others before him.

            Diana was raised on romance novels and had believed he would change when she, the innocent girl (the doctors confirmed she was a virgin before marriage), married him. But that is romance novels and not real life. She had the affair with James Hewitt hoping Charles would be jealous and drop Camilla but he didn’t. Everything unwound from there. It was a sad situation. Someone should have stopped her from marrying Charles but no seems to have realized that money and position aren’t the goal for some people. Diana didn’t have a happy childhood (overall because of her parents divorce and being the youngest girl) and wanted to be happily married more than anything.

            It was a bad situation but Diana was not the instigator of marital infidelity.

          3. There are rumors of Philip’s affairs (and HM’s) but no truth. His own statements about it make it clear he didn’t think straying would be fair because HM couldn’t stray in return.

  11. So William and Kate went to visit their elderly grandmother and brought along multiple friends and their in-laws… for a trip that was less than a week long, not months.

  12. Has anyone considered that Mr. Middleton may be suffering from early stage dementia? The signs are there and would explain his absences as well as the family dynamics.

      1. His off balance appearance, the sometimes vacant gaze. Many symptoms that might seem like alcohol induced behavior to some can also be attributed to early dementia/ Alzheimer’s. My father is now deep into dementia and all of us adult children initially thought it was an extra scotch after dinner that was throwing him off. He become a little detached/remote. There was a tendency to talk of the past and his stories become a little disjointed. I have no way of knowing if this is the case with Mr. Middleton. But his gaze seems a bit off to me.

    1. Well, it would account for the kid glove treatment Kate has been getting from the BRF; public PDAs from Anne, sitting with Philip etc etc. Since Michael is rarely seen anyway, I wonder what the symptoms were that alerted you? Why does Carole spend so much time at Anmer? It will be interesting to see what happens with Pippa’s wedding.

      1. So once Pippa is married and has children, will Carole move in with them? – unlikely, not royal, after all….

        If her own husband is ill (Alzheimer’s or other), should she not be spending as much time as possible with him??

        1. You’d think so, if either of those scenarios are true.

          James Matthews has heaps of dosh which is also an attractive commodity, so Carole gets the best of both worlds.

    2. The rumors my British friends have passed along are that Michael Middleton is either an alcoholic and/or alcohol abuser (his way of dealing with all of the stress), and that his behavior has infuriated Carole, who can’t tolerate living with him but is afraid to leave him “untended”. And also, that worrying about his condition (and probably feeling some guilt over it) has made Kate’s own mental health that much more fragile. Rumors only, but they do fit with what we see.

        1. Everyone drinks at games. Plus, they sell half bottles of wine and other beverages at these games so Carole appearing with one of those isn’t an indication of being an alcoholic.

  13. The Queen spent quite a lot of time and energy trying to get Diana and Charles’s marriage to look close and happy shen it was anything but. She may be trying to pull the same strings to make the BRF look like one big happy family. It probably will be as successful with WK as it was with Charles and Diana. A waste of time.

    Personally I think the Middletons are liked only by William. I’d love to know what Anne and Sophie think.

    The Hanover/Windsors monarchs traditionally dislike their heir, who after all represent the end of their own power. George VI was the exception to this, but his daughter seems to have reverted.

    1. I’m with you Fifi and agree that the Middletons are liked only by William. I’d love to know what Anne and Sophie think too 😉

      1. I agree with you!
        In my opinion it was a tantrum by William who wanted Carole there.
        Or a tantrum by Kate and Will did what she demanded.

        I don’ t think the Middletonbs are loved at all and these pics to me are nothing but PR ops.
        They were in a private park, on a private holiday and by chance Carole was photograped in the car with the Queen. So was Kate flashing her ring.
        It all, in my opion is staged

  14. I find it so bizarre Kate cannot function without her mother. She practically lives at Anmer. She goes on holidays with them. She is William and Kate’s buffer. WTF is going on there?

    I know Sophie’s family goes and Sarah goes as well but it’s not publicized like the Middleton visits are, which makes me think a) Kate HAS to have her mother with her at all times and b) it’s the Queen’s savvy PR optics about how ‘look, I’m being so welcoming to these social climbers’. It was one accusation Diana had against the RF was how they isolated her. This is to prevent more of that talk.

    William steam-rolls HM to get what he wants, and I doubt HM cares much about it as long as William sticks around; he is notoriously obstinate, rude, and always has been. HM doesn’t care if they work or not. It’s her legacy she cares about. It’s not her problem when William fails to step up, in her eyes. It will be Charles’s problem. HM sticks her head in the sand until it is too late. It is in her personality.

    This is probably the only way HM gets to spend time with William, Kate, and the kids. Doing what William wants, and of course, he’s been given all he wants since he was a baby so why stop now with the man-child of nearly 35. I’m sure it’s the only way Charles sees his grandchildren, if he does it on William’s terms.

    1. I agree with you, too.

      Let’s face facts: how much of the hard parts of child rearing are William and Kate doing when you have both a nanny and Carole serving as a nanny/housekeeper? Very little, I suspect. I’m extremely close to my mother. But if I was going on vacation with other young couples, she would be shocked if I invited her and ask me not to invite her. I actually think the presence of their buddies for a shooting weekend, this time around, is weirder than Carole’s presence. You invite your mother in law to hang out up in the HIghlands that she’s made known she likes, with your grandmother. But everyone else up to Balmoral? I don’t get it.

          1. Yes, they did. This has always been the pattern in their relationship. Holidaying with all their buddies and or the Middletons.

            So rare are their solo couple vacations that it makes news or they try to sell it as a romantic thing in the narrative of romance of the century.

            William by himself has managed solo holidays or holidays with his buddies. Kate has only managed holidays with the Middletons and never solo and never with her buddies.

          2. Kate would have to have peeps of her own to be able to travel with them! She appears only to have her family, staff and Williams friends. I always think it’s healthy for couples to have their own friends.
            My college gf’s and I get together once a yr just us girls.
            The friends on the honeymoon is a little weird but I guess after you’ve been together for so long it was just another holiday for them.

    2. Sophie’s father is an elderly widower who was befriended by HM years ago. She loves Sophie, she welcomes in her father. HM still values Sarah and allows her to be as much a part of family things as Philip will allow.

      I think William is like his mother, and by that I mean none of them know how to deal with him and his rollercoaster attitude and temperament. He IS a streamroller, and unless he gets what he wants (ie. Carole everywhere), he won’t show up at Windsor family events.

      Carole has patched up the W&K relationship for years. It should have been a short-term college romance, but she kept dragging them together. If Carole was no longer around all the time keeping the peace and running things for these two overgrown adolescents, would the relationship survive? Doubtful.

  15. I don’t know how I feel about this. There is something about Carole that I don’t like. Out of respect, I will refrain from words that I would use to describe her. She is just a little too “front and center”. She is probably like Kate in the fact that she knows what is being said about her and she doesn’t care. This whole thing seems like it is her cup of tea. And as far as Mike is concerned, I don’t wish a divorce, but I also think his hands are dirty too. They encouraged Kate to become what William wanted her to be. I just can’t with these two. To think, we’ve seen more of the Middletons in 5 years than we have with any other royal in law.

    I will admit the first response when I saw this picture was “Oh darn” I guess they truly are C&D 2.0 with three people in their marriage.

    Thanks for this update, KMR!

    1. Hi Rhiannon, I feel the same way and I wish I didn’t because it could be a good thing– the Queen and family comfortably incorporating a “normal” family into themselves, but the Middletons from Uncle Gary to Carole decided to scheme and manipulate to get Kate in front of Will with Kate’s full support.

      I see the Middleton’s as accomplished courtesians. The RF might enjoy having such in-depth, wholehearted suck-ups, especially when the world isn’t embracing the monarchy like it used to.

      Maybe there is some allure to Carole’s ministrations and amazing cheese toast that HM can’t do without. I don’t think the Queen’s efforts to spread her popularity over the Middleton’s will change public perception but I may be wrong.

      1. Lol, surely it was the World Famous Cheese Toast that won Carole the car ride with HM. Those Windsors just can’t get enough of the stuff.

    2. There seems to be something a bit off about this weekend. The photo of Kate being driven by The Queen appeared, to me, to be too coincidental and too good to be a “just by chance” photo. Was the photographer tipped off that Kate would be along soon? Carole is known for giving tips to the press so I’m thinking she is at it again. I really hate seeing HM used like this if I am right.
      The other thing I’ve been wondering – is the trip to Balmoral for Carole, Kate et al a sweetener/ bride so Kate will go to Canada?

      1. I’m assuming the Middleton’s fed the DM info about the trip up to Scotland; being invited to Balmoral is a coup that needs to be made known. Herazeus elsewhere has said that these photos are staged; photographers are allowed onto the estate, stand at a certain place and the royals drive by at a certain time. The Queen is canny; she knows exactly what she is doing.

        1. I want to be a butterfly on the wall. I am dying to know what the conversation is like (if there is any). Like, what would Waity have to talk about- the kidlets perhaps, or her new batch of chutney ? What about Carole- how much she adores apartment 2 at KP or that unused cottage? Both pics with the Midds and her maj scream aaaawkward.

  16. So I expect in November(if they attend the banquet) or December(the reception) Kate will have her family order, to placate them. The royals are just stupid at this point, sorry not sorry.

    1. I don’t think William will allow Kate to have a family order. Her Majesty’s picture is painted on ivory and William wants to destroy all the ivory the BRF has in the collection. If Kate gets it, then William can really be called out for the total hypocrite that he is.

      1. they can reuse or use something else. I mean when Charles is King he will have one and he will probably not use ivory there is probably something else they can use. Plus William hates ivory and all, but Kate has worn real fur(ski photos) and yet small criticize then it ended.

      2. William refuse a Royal Order for KM, what that is a big point of HM showing how much she values someone as a member of The Firm? As Sleepy writes, they can choose to make a point of using a different material. Ancient mammoth tusk has become a popular alternative.

  17. I believe Kate wants her mama there and pushed for it. Also, I believe HM is “filling in ” the matriarchal role for William since his mama is gone, he only has is his granny and its inappropriate and just no for Camilla.

  18. Since Charles and Camilla are in London while W&K are at Birkhall — WTF? C&C have been working all week, it’s not like they’ll go jaunt up to Aberdeen for the weekend when they have stuff going all next week as well. So they go up to Birkhall, bring Kate’s mother, and… what then? Charles doesn’t get to see his grandkids. 🙁

    1. There is a photo of Charles and Camilla going to church on Sunday – the same day as the Queen and William and Kate and Carole. So Charles and Camilla did fly up to Aberdeen for the weekend.

      1. I’m not going to comment on the Middletons (Kate included) as I don’t like them AT ALL but wanted to comment on Charles and Cams. How fun is that picture? I think, of all the cars, I’d choose theirs as it seems to be the only one with conversation and laughter. They remind me of my parents, Dad messing up a turn at a junction and my mum mock-scolding him and both of them chatting away non stop. It seems happy.

        1. I agree that Charles and Camilla’s car seemed to be the only non-somber car. The others just seemed so boring.

          1. He often looks like that when he’s driving to the Palace gates and in this situation, and I can’t decide if he’s nervous bc the media is around and he’s driving or civilians, are, etc. I find the times that he and/or Harry have sped up around the gates because media is there really troubling. A situation like this is a glorified photo call – the media is all but invited to stand there and see the Queen and her family. It’s not a “gotcha” moment. K&W’s treatment of the media is those situations is unfair and absurd.

  19. Prince Phillip, in his best, off to church at his age. I wonder whether Kate and William have it in them to last that long doing their public duty. If she’s bored now at the presumed height of popularity and looks, what does the future hold? She doesn’t have the luxury of a lif of pleasure like the late Princess Margaret. She’s supposed to be a workhorse. I expect Andrews daughters will be given more prominent roles in the future; once Kate can’t be bothered.

    1. It amuses me when people think William and Kate are going to suddenly turn into workhorses once they become Prince and Princess of Wales. They have proven over the last five years that they get bored easily and don’t want to do the “bread and butter” stuff that is a staple of the “workhorses” schedules.

      I don’t want to say it’s not possible, because they can change if they want to, but they have to truly want to change in order to make any changes in their lives.

      1. I had a work ethic cleaning bathrooms at 16 and I have one now in my career. I have a work ethic looking after my kids and making lunches and doing literacy help at school for the teacher. I think you either have a work ethic by the time you’re in your early 30s- or you don’t. I agree, Kate will do the minimum.

        1. I used to type up documents for my dads friends when I was 13/14 years old and started babysitting at 15 years old. I even had to give a sick child some medicine once. I don’t understand why Kate continues to think that just by showing up is work. The dressing up, the smiling and talking about George who mt have several careers lined up is just part of it.

      2. That’s exact,y my sentiments about wk becoming working bees all of a sudden! They’ve showed 0 interest in really working up to to point, why all of a sudden in their mid-to late 30s are they going to suddenly become ones? You’re either a worker or not. Yes, I’d like to think people can change but people’s work habits are pretty ingrained at an early age and less likely to change with age.

      3. They are too old to change their habits on their own. Kate never did anything in her life except chase Will. He only does what he wants and no one forces him otherwise. Outside of a potential revolution where the monarchy will be eliminated, nothing will ever change with these two.

      4. Yes, they do need to genuinely want to serve their country and that is clearly not in evidence so far. They have this ‘once over lightly’ approach that is kind of contemptuous of people. You know, as if William says to Kate, “Just put a smile, say we’re keen, ask a couple of basic questions, talks to a few people and we’ll be outta there in an hour or less”.

        Unfortunately, no-one challenges them. But who knows what’s going to happen to monarchy in the future? If it ceases to exist – or even if its functions and pay are massively reduced – expect changes in their behaviour.

  20. In my opinion it all was staged.
    It’ s pure PR.
    The BRF and the Middletons were PRIVATELY enjoying an holiday in the PRIVATE estate of the Queen and OOPS a very lucky photographer take a picture of the Queen with smug Carole and of Kate flashing Diana’ s ring with the Queen.
    Kate became very good at flashing the big blue actually.
    I think William may have had a tantrum and demnded the Middletons or Kate had one and urged Will to do what she wanted.
    I think also, as some said, that maybe that’ s the only way to see George and Charlotte, since William has to protect them from the evil BRF funding his lavish lifestyle.
    Or maybe the point is that all the members of the BRF can invite their relatives, the in laws are always welcome, but there isn’ t such a huge hype.

    Yet I don’ t think the Queen likes the Middletons at all.

    🙂 Kate’ s church-going outfit made me laugh 🙂 ahahah!!!

    1. About Big Blue: think of how she had to angle her arm to ensure she could show it off. Imagine that these are the only things that go through her mind. Oy vey. Takes up all the space in her brain, I suspect.

  21. The strain of being with families seems to show on Kate’s face in the photo of K a W in the car. She looks older and stressed around the eyes, imo.

    Carole seems to be in her glory. I don’t like her at all. Sorry, but she grates on me so much,

    As or Michael not being there? If he did join Carole on the family visit, I find it odd that he did not to church, too. Doesn’t seem right to me. For the sake of putting on a good show, don’t you think he would have been encouraged to join in?

    1. I imagine Carole already has hard copy photos of her sat at her Majesty’s side. She mustn’t make the mistake of assuming friendliness means friendship. Why does Carole always remind me of Cherie Blair? I think it’s the same pushy, grasping mentality to get up the greasy pole. In Cherie’s case it was to reach a pile of cash at the top of the pole but Carole’s pole has social status at the summit. Pa Middleton is really the only Middleton I have any warmth towards probably because we rarely see him.

  22. My theory is that HM and Charles had an intervention with W&K regarding their appalling laziness and profligate lifestyle. The Canada tour is coming up and they don’t want another PR disaster aka India. HM & C brought in Carole to help because all previous attempts to reason with the lazy twosome have failed. Perhaps K’s vulgar ikat pants was this the last straw for the queen.

    Anyway, I have nothing to base my supposition upon except the various facial expressions. W&K look sheepish and shell shocked, respectively. Carole looks stunned and perhaps sick to her stomach because she was taken to task. Charles and Camilla look happy and slightly triumphant. The queen looks like it’s business as usual.

    1. I would love your theory to be true but sadly I think Her Majesty will continue to bury her head in the sand as she’s always done and leave PoW to sort this shower out.

  23. I remember reading that Carole is the only person on the planet who can ‘placate’ her daughter. (Per Dictionary)
    make (someone) less angry or hostile:
    “they attempted to placate the students with promises”
    synonyms: pacify · calm · appease · mollify · soothe · win over ·
    conciliate · propitiate · make peace with · humor

    I believe this to be true simply because it was said, and that’s a very bold thing to actually write about the supposed future queen consort. I know that a lot of things have been written, but this has stuck with me. I’m flabbergasted by the comments here, and not because I disagree either. Rather because when you discard the ridiculous the queen loves the Middletons and they’re just short of getting bestie bracelets, set aside the ‘family vacation, but where is Michael?’ it actually sounds like either Kate needed placating or the queen and Charles were subjected to something bordering on blackmail. Carole comes or you don’t see the kids. Either way, the queen is not looking like a leader to me, nor is Charles. Everyone seems to be just trying to maintain a facade. The missing person is the elephant in the room, and that is Michael Middleton. Probably true that he and Carole are leading separate lives, but who knows. I can’t believe that they could pull off a divorce under the radar, nor do I see any reason for them to divorce since their Billy financed a huge manor didn’t he? And Michael accepted it, just as he appears to have accepted whatever. I could be wrong about that, it’s just what I’ve read, but if it’s true then wouldn’t you think that Michael would feel the obligation to play happily married just once in a while to keep the rumor mill silent.? Just because the dude isn’t all over the press doesn’t mean he wasn’t a silent partner in the quest for ‘the ring’, if even by doing nothing to stop it. His withdrawal and silence comes a tad too late to absolve him from any blame for this train wreck however voyeuristically entertaining it is. Two small children have been brought into it and appear to be not only props but outright pawns. Of course, my opinion is biased since I can’t stomach any of the Middletons. At all.

    1. I admit, the voyeur in me can’t resist watching the train wreck…

      The Middleton marriage is their business, though given they have sought public recognition through hiring PR to manage and develop their profile, I wonder where the line is? It’s a serious question on my part. Where does privacy start and end if you’ve actively courted press attention through tip-offs etc for at least a decade?

      But why does Kate need placating? There have been reports here and there that paint her as not particularly pleasant at home and on occasion when out, but nothing more. She has staff for babies, household issues, as well as staff managing her ‘work’, so…?

    1. William and Kate are not regular churchgoers at all. They only attend on Christmas, or when staying with the Queen, and some other times throughout the year like for services of thanksgiving and whatnot. But they don’t go on their own volition.

      1. I recently read that the CoE would eventually separate itself from the hereditary monarchy. Why should a family head a church anyway, let alone one that does not practice its religious doctrine? Makes no sense as well as being an insult to those who have real faith.

          1. I didn’t take Jen’s comment to mean “I don’t know that Henry VIII founded the CoE”, but rather to mean “Henry VIII founding the CoE is not a good enough reason for the monarch to be head of the church in 2016”.

            BTW, Henry VIII founded the Church, not the religion.

          2. Being brought up in the Church of England faith, I am well-versed in its history and ritual.

            Whoever is monarch is required to ‘join in communion’ with the CoE, and as its Supreme Governor, promote Anglicanism in Britain. You can’t be SG if not ‘in communion’.

            Charles has said that he wants to be ‘defender of all faiths’ thus compromising his position as SG. William has no faith (no judgement there, his choice and best to be honest) and would fail the ‘in communion’ test.

            At present, the Supreme Governor’s role is a roll of the dice aka accident of birth. The Queen has genuine faith which can be evidenced. Surely such a role in the CoE should be held by one who has enduring and real faith, that is, on merit. And if the monarch has no faith, or maybe a different one, why would he/she want to head a church which holds no interest or value to him/her?

  24. Here’s Carole, by creeping increments weaselling her way into a title and an apartment at KP. I imagine the BRF despises parvenues, yet here we are, as the web spreads and tightens.

    Does anyone think she actually lives at Midds Manor anymore?

    1. They still have a flat in Chelsea I believe so I expect she’s in London when the Cambridges are at KP and of course to organise Pippa’s wedding.

    2. In a recent article – I think it was about Eugenie moving in to Ivy Cottage – the apartment of K&W was also said to be fitted out with a ‘granny annexe’ for Carole. I’d guess Carole stays there when K&W are in London (if not more) and at the Chelsea apartment when not.

      I’d also guess that the Queen thinks the monarchy will collapse without William. Hence, she will humour him. I’d also guess that Carole has been painted as someone who is talking him round. That puts her on the path to invitations and other baubles of royal appreciation. Of course, William’s world would come toppling down if he did not stay the course; he would never survive. He might huff and puff but he would not walk away from privilege that he could never supply from his own pocket. Similarly, the Middleton’s have been working towards the throne. Well played, Carole.

  25. The Middletons kind of remind me of Anne Boleyn’s family. The parents worked really hard to move up socially in the court and then offered up their daughters to Henry VIII, and I guess you could say, it did not work out with Mary Boleyn, but Anne successfully snared him for a time for the ultimate prize. However, I do not think the story of W & K will have the same ending and the Middleton family’s position is assured, as after all, they are the grand-parents of a future king of England.

  26. Carole seems like she lives her life vicariously through Kate.I think Carole wanted this life for herself but could never attain it .I have never seen a woman attach herself to her daughter as she has.It would seem Carole is the third wheel in this marriage,poor Michael on April 29,2011 he lost his wife and William gained a royal momager.I wonder do anyone in the aristocratic circles associate with the Middleton’s ? Does Kate not have any friends of her own cause she is only ever with her mother and Will’s friends?

    1. I wonder how Michael views Carole’s relentless pursuit of title and wealth through the years. Her all consuming obsession with status seems like a rebuke to her own marriage to a decent but perhaps “unexciting” man.

      However, as someone said above, he may be complicit in Carole’s schemes.

    2. The Middleton’s seem like a very closed family unit, even to their relatives, save Uncle Gary because money. In that regard they have been very disciplined in moving up the ranks through education and so on. Carole is clearly the driver but how much Michael has contributed to their ambition is unclear. Still, he is part of the family drive, even if silent.

  27. Hmm, I think the Midds and TRF could get along amicably, why not? Least TRF can say, if W&K ever get a divorce that they treated the midds good and no one can deny that. I think its’s one of those things about HM hating the midds, that if you repeat something enough it becomes fact, even if it’s the furthest thing from the truth . like how Dave supposedly wasn’t at W&K wedding, when he was there. Or how supposedly PC wants to slim down the working monarchy, when there is no evidence of that. Yet people keep repeating it as fact. Or how there is a rift supposedly between the York princesses and Kate, when they seem to get along amicably, etc. These are good examples how speculation can be the the furthest thing from the truth. We can only speculate about the royals. We don’t know things as fact and I think we have to remember that.

    1. I agree. I don’t think there has to be something nefarious going on. Considering how many times the Middletons have been invited to royal family gatherings they probably get on well, even if they aren’t “friends” in the traditional sense. Sometimes the simplest answer is the correct one.

      1. Tim Lawrence’s family may well be invited to particular family events. Camilla’s children sometimes pop up at events, and Sophie’s father is invited to things. So it would seem that courtesy to in-laws is extended. But the above don’t market their accessibility to the royal family. The Middleton’s do. That’s the difference.

        1. As an example, Charles, Camilla dined at Scott’s last week with her son Tom and his wife Sarah.

          Paps captured CC getting into the car whilst Tom and Sara attempted to hang back and not be in shot.

          If this were the Midds, they would have been in clear shot and resulting pics sold to as many outlets as possible with a headline promoting their special relationship with CC.

          1. Exactly. I really don’t understand why this family is so hungry for attention. Nor why they haven’t been advised to desist by the RF.

  28. In a recent post various people mentioned friends came along on W&K’s honeymoon – who came along? I had not heard of it before….

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