The Cheltenham Festival always provides the perfect occasion for merriment, a flutter on the horses and some fantastic facial expressions from the crowds as they cheer on the potential winners. Last week, as senior members of the royal family gathered at the annual four-day event, it was the matriarchy who were out in force.
At Ladies Day on Wednesday, the Queen was joined by the Princess Royal and Zara Tindall, with the surprising addition of Carole Middleton, in the absence of her daughter and son-in-law, the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Having a whale of a time
And Mrs Middleton – pictured roaring with laughter alongside Zara as they walked side by side through the enclosure, and sharing a joke with Camilla and Anne in the Royal Box – clearly had a whale of a time. Carole’s close bond with the family, and especially its senior female members, was clear for all to see.
Loyal, discreet and utterly devoted to her children and grandchildren, Carole, 71, has long been a part of the royals’ inner circle, especially in the 15 years since Prince William and Kate’s wedding. But her relaxed, intimate and close friendship with the senior women of the royal family is not often seen in public.
Now, insiders tell HELLO! that Carole’s outing is a mark of just how important and trusted the grandmother of the second in line to the throne has become.
© Getty ImagesOver the past two decades, Carole has taken on a unique position as one of the most steadfast supporters of the Firm, who have long appreciated her calm support and reliable discretion. In recent weeks, her warmth and loyalty have been called upon as she has been drawn into the centre of the family to support the Windsors in the face of the crisis surrounding the recent arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Gradual shift
“The Middletons aren’t guests any more,” says Robert Jobson, the author of the Sunday Times bestseller Catherine, the Princess of Wales. “They stopped being guests a long time ago. They’re family. That shift happened gradually, quietly, across more than two decades, and it happened because of who Carole is and how she has conducted herself throughout every single one of those years.” According to Robert, this comes down to one thing.
“Trust is the thing with Carole, She has been inside this world since William and Catherine first got together, and nothing has ever come out: not a conversation, not a confidence, not a whisper.”
“In an age when people write memoirs about knowing someone slightly famous, that kind of loyalty over that length of time is almost unheard-of. The Andrew situation has hurt the monarchy badly,” he continues.
“When an institution is taking that kind of damage, what matters is having people close to the family who are solid and keep their counsel; who don’t brief, don’t gossip and don’t disappear when things get hard. Carole is that person. Seeing her at Cheltenham, relaxed and comfortable among them all, tells you something. The family is holding together.”
© PA Images via Getty ImagesMatching outfits with Zara
That message came over loud and clear in the way Carole was photographed speaking to Zara. The closeness of the two women was clear as they giggled about their near-matching outfits, with Zara’s Katherine Hooker coat perfectly complementing Carole’s, from Really Wild.
In a touching nod to her daughter, Carole donned a blue feathered fedora from Hicks & Brown that Kate wore to church in Sandringham in 2020; the label said last week said it was a “very proud moment” to see Carole in its design. She also made headlines by toting a coveted vintage Hermès Birkin bag, valued at around £40,000, and wore suede boots by Russell & Bromley.
© Getty ImagesAfter warmly greeting Zara’s husband, Mike Tindall, Carole was whisked into the Royal Box alongside the Queen, who wore a cashmere Anna Valentine coat and a feathered Philip Treacy hat, and the Princess Royal, in a forest-green tweed outfit.
Once inside, Carole’s closeness to Anne in particular was evident as she affectionately touched her upper arm while they animatedly watched the races. Insiders note that, in a significant sign of her privileged position, this was the first time that Carole had been pictured alongside the senior royal women without the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Caring Grandma Carole
Carole’s caring side – as mother to the Princess of Wales, mother-in-law to Prince William and grandmother to their children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, ten, and Prince Louis, seven – has also contributed to the respect she has earned.
© Getty“She does something that very few people manage,” Robert Jobson says. “She connects the institution to real family life, and that’s a unique role. When Catherine was ill, Carole didn’t make a song and dance about anything. She was just there. The children had their granny. Catherine had her mum. William knew that the people he loves most were being looked after.
“I don’t think you can put a price on that. And it wasn’t a one-off. She has been that steady presence since the very beginning. The royals have watched her be that person year after year. They count on it now in a way that goes very deep.”
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