It’s no secret that Carole Middleton laid it on thick when Prince William was dating Kate. Carole worked extra hard to show William that the Middletons were the perfect, tight-knit Middle-English family of his dreams. Not only that, she showed him that she could be the mother figure he needed after Diana’s death. Getting William to propose to Kate was a family project, and no one worked harder on it than Carole. But just how far did she go? Did she really baby Prince William to this extent?
It’s well known just how close Prince William is to wife Kate Middleton’s family. However, a royal expert has claimed Kate’s mum Carole played a maternal role in Wills’ life during the early days of the romance and her future son-in-law would lie on the sofa with his head on her lap when visiting the family home.
The 37-year-old Duke – who lost his own mum Princess Diana at the age of 15 in 1997 – saw romance blossom with fellow St Andrews student Kate, now 37, in 2003. He then started paying regular visits to the Middleton home in the West Berkshire village of Bucklebury.
Speaking in new documentary William and Harry: Brothers In Arms, NBC’s royal correspondent Ashley Pearson suggests he saw a mother figure in Carole, 64, during this time. She said: “He would lie on the couch with his head in the lap of Mrs Middleton. Or he would sit after dinner and talk for hours with Mr Middleton.”
The expert explains that part of Kate’s appeal back then was the close-knit family she came with. Ashley explains: “Talking to a royal insider several years ago, she told me one of the reasons William fell in love with Kate Middleton from the very beginning was because of her family and her close relationship with her siblings and parents. As much as William fell in love with Kate he definitely fell in love with the Middleton family at the same time. He loved the way Kate was very friendly and playful with her brother James or her sister Pippa. Feeling part of that close, tight-knit, very British family was the first time in his life that he’d had that experience and for William it was entirely intoxicating.”
I’m sure many people will disbelieve this entirely, and so be it. I’m honestly not sure I believe it. I do believe that Carole babies William and that she actively sought to be his maternal figure, but did she go this far? Eh. I’m sure there will be many people arguing that it’s not that big of a deal that William was close enough to his girlfriend’s mother to the point where he was resting his head in her lap. But you know what? If Kate had any friends worth a damn (at the time), they would have told her that this is a huge f–king red flag! You’re in college, you date a guy, and good news, he gets along great with your family and he loves coming over and chatting with your mom and dad. All of that is wonderful. But then you walk in on him one day with his head on your mom’s lap. That relationship would be done, as far as I’m concerned. Dealbreaker. And I would be beyond pissed at my mom too, damn.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red and Backgrid.
