The Lavish Life Of Carole & Michael Middleton

When Carole and Michael Middleton got married in 1980, they couldn’t have imagined that they would eventually forge ties with royalty. He was a flight dispatcher, she was a flight attendant. They didn’t have a wedding with all the trappings of wealth or fame. As Carole’s brother, Gary Goldsmith, once told the Daily Mail, “[After the ceremony] we went back to Mike’s brother Simon’s for a big chilli and a party.” Indeed, Carole and Michael were typical, middle-class Brits who were trying to make their way in the world.

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When it came time for the couple’s eldest daughter — then known as Kate Middleton — to wed, all that changed. Unlike her parents before her, Kate fell in love with a veritable royal — Prince William, no less. She wore a $434,000 Alexander McQueen wedding gown for her big day, which was viewed by upward of 17 million people across the globe. And, she was even allowed to borrow a Cartier tiara from her new grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II. At the end of the ceremony, Kate was transformed into Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. In 2022, she became Catherine, Princess of Wales.

For Carole and Michael, this was certainly an intense transition. No longer were they just an ordinary couple from Bucklebury, England. They were the Windsors’ beloved royal in-laws. As such, Carole and Michael lost their status as an ordinary pair and were thrust into the spotlight. Luckily enough, their new life of fame came with perks galore.

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Although Carole and Michael Middleton did not have their first brush with fame until Princess Catherine began dating Prince William, the couple had long been financially comfortable. The reason? Carole founded a successful mail-order business in 1987 around the time Catherine turned five. According to the royal mother-in-law, she had the idea of launching a party supply company when she realized how hard it was to find cute paper plates for a child’s birthday celebration. “All I could find were basic clown plates. I realized there was a gap in the market for party ware that wasn’t too expensive and which looked good, so decided to design my own,” Carole told the Daily Mail.

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Never one to miss an opportunity, Carole began to create the sort of designs that she knew other moms would want to buy. She then placed advertisements in strategic places and the orders just began to roll in. “We were pretty much the only ones doing this sort of thing when we started. It was really clear almost from the start that this was going to work,” Carole would later reveal in an interview with The Telegraph. The company took off and flourished for decades. By 2018, Party Pieces had grown so much that its value was estimated at $40 million. This incredible success story meant that Carole and Michael were living quite lavishly even before their daughter met a prince. 

Because Party Pieces was so successful, Carole and Michael Middleton had the resources to send their three children to private school. Thanks to their parents’ hard work, Princess Catherine, Pippa Middleton and James Middleton all attended the prestigious Marlborough College for secondary school. There, Catherine and Pippa both thrived athletically as well as academically. The two girls had the chance to excel at sports like field hockey — at a hefty price, of course. Studying at this elite institution can costs about £20,000 per term (around 25,000 USD). But, the way the Middletons saw it, the money was worth every penny.

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For Carole, being able to send her children to an exclusive boarding school was a massive deal. During her own childhood, Carole had always been impressively studious, earning four A-Levels through her own hard work. Sadly, her parents had not earned enough money to pay for all the schooling she longed to complete. Speaking to The Telegraph, Carole admitted, “My parents couldn’t afford to get me through college so I thought I’d see if I could get a bit of money together and fund myself.” Ultimately, she wasn’t able to go to university, although she did manage to put herself through flight attendant school. Being able to send her three kids to an institution like Marlborough College was a huge achievement.

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Private school was not the only lavish investment that Carole and Michael Middleton made before their daughter became royalty. Following the success of their business, the couple purchased an expensive country home in Bucklebury, England. As reported by the Daily Mail, the Middleton’s property was extremely pricey. In fact, estimates claim the estate could have been purchased for as much as £4.7 million (approximately 7.5 million USD) in 2012. 

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Situated on 18 acres of land, the house offers Carole and Michael some much-needed privacy. With seven bedrooms and five reception rooms scattered throughout, this home has more than enough space for the couple to host their beloved family and closest friends. James Middleton and his wife, Alizée Thevenet, have been known to spend the night there from time-to-time. Carole’s royal grandchildren — Princess Charlotte, Prince George, and Prince Louis — have also enjoyed special slumber parties on the estate.

In addition to a roomy mansion, Carole and Michael’s property boasts extensive grounds. Their well-trimmed lawn and gorgeous gardens offer ample space for the youngest members of the family to frolic about. Meanwhile, tennis courts and a swimming pool provide summertime entertainment for the whole family. Although Britain is not exactly famous for its sunny weather, there’s still plenty to do at the Middleton home in the colder months. A historic fireplace and a plethora of Christmas trees keep the family occupied during the winter.

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Because they have such a nice house — and decades of experience in the party planning business — Carole and Michael Middleton are big on organizing events. They are especially well-known for their incredible dinner parties, as they plan these gatherings down to a tee. Speaking to Marie Claire UK, Carole discussed how much she loves serving elegant canapés to her guests. “It’s best to choose seasonal ingredients and something that’s sophisticated yet simple to create. Sticky baked prunes wrapped in prosciutto are always popular as a festive canapé. Or, as a vegetarian option, caramelized figs with crumbled feta cheese,” the entrepreneur revealed.

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The Middletons also like to give their guests the royal treatment almost as soon as they are through the front door. Carole has been known to purchase expensive wines for her friends, and Champagne is frequently on the menu. “Some sort of bubbles are a must to serve when guests arrive. A good alcohol-free alternative is sparkling elderflower with a dash of pomegranate. For cocktails, try a punch with a festive twist like mulled pear cider with cranberry and warming spices,” Carole suggested in the same interview.

For many people, picnics are a casual affair that involve blankets, sandwiches, and a whole lot of potato chips. For Carole and Michael Middleton, however, that scenario could not be further from the truth. The royal in-laws have long been known for spending a lot of money on their outdoor luncheons. As royal expert, Katie Nicholl, shared on the “Dynasty” podcast, “The Middletons would turn up for a picnic, for a social event for example, and they would turn up in their pristine Land Rover that had been newly polished and they would have a brand new Fortnum and Mason hamper, you know, all of the paraphernalia that comes with an upper-class picnic” (via Mirror).

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Whereas many other families would turn up for picnics with only the most casual gear, the Middletons were always sure to break out their best items for these events. In the same podcast, Nicholl shared, “When it comes to picnics in Britain, what you put in your picnic is really quite important. Carole would take great pride in her picnic, she would have the finest spread on beautiful linen tablecloths with silver cutlery and everything else.” Although the couple was often criticized for making their outdoor meals seem so over-the-top, there’s no denying just how lavish picnic time truly is in the Middleton family.

When Prince William and Princess Catherine announced their engagement in 2010, Carole and Michael Middleton were ecstatic. “I would just like to say that Carole and I are absolutely delighted by today’s announcement and thrilled at the prospect of a wedding some time next year,” Michael told the press from the front of his home following the announcement. “As you know Catherine and Prince William have been going out together for quite a number of years which is great for us because we’ve got to know William really well … We wish them every happiness for the future,” he added (via Express).

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Carole and Michael were so pleased with William and Catherine’s engagement that they offered to help pay for the young couple’s wedding. Although it was largely understood that the royal family would pay for the bulk of the ceremony, the Middletons were keen on chipping in. Speaking to Vanity Fair about this arrangement, one top palace official divulged, “It is something they absolutely wanted to do, and William graciously accepted. Per the outlet, Carole and Michael’s contribution to their daughter’s nuptials spanned into six-figure territory. Apparently, they had always been prepared to give Catherine the wedding of her dreams — regardless of whether or not she was going to marry a prince. 

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Princess Catherine’s wedding was not the only Middleton family affair to reach the category of “over-the-top.” Carole Middleton’s 60th birthday party was also a bash to remember. Held on the exclusive Caribbean island of Mustique — where Princess Margaret and her friends once partied — Carole’s big celebration involved an elite guest list and custom-made cocktails. In a chat with E! News, one source said that the Middletons had hired local bar owner, Basil Charles, to design a special drink just for Carole’s party. “Basil is making a special bespoke Champagne cocktail for Carole for her birthday,” the insider divulged. The same source revealed that a unique mocktail would also be served for Catherine — who was pregnant at the time of the celebration.

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Of course, not just anybody was allowed to attend this major event. The Middletons kept the guest list down to just 30 people — making it one of the most exclusive parties on the whole island. To protect the family’s privacy, Carole and Michael asked their guests to leave their cameras at home. “There is a lot of trust there, however we are told no camera phones or iPhones are allowed at the villa. The reason it’s in a private villa rather than at Basil’s bar is that they do not want pictures coming out,” emphasized the insider in the same interview. The final list apparently included “just those who are very trusted and wealthy Mustique residents.”

Carole and Michael Middleton are some of the most involved royal in-laws in British history. As such, they have been invited to many exclusive royal events. Over the years, the pair have been spotted at engagements like the Ascot horse races and the Christmas church service at Sandringham. While these gatherings are certainly fit for, well, royalty, there was one invitation that clearly trumped the rest. In 2023, the Middletons attended the coronation of King Charles III — despite the fact that other, more highly-ranked people were not welcome at the ceremony.

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Indeed, several important royals — including Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange — were left off the invite list due to their lack of age and experience. Carole and Michael, meanwhile, were asked to attend the event. According to Robert Hardman’s book, “Charles III: The Inside Story,” Prince William went above and beyond to ensure that his in-laws would be there for Charles’ coronation. “Having all of them there was very important to him … he was absolutely insistent that his wife’s family be properly included,” Hardman wrote of William (via Mirror).

Because Carole and Michael Middleton are allowed into spaces that so few other commoners can experience, they face extra pressure to dress their very best. Carole, in particular, has been known to wear gorgeous attire to exclusive royal events. On occasion, she will even wear designer labels. This was evident at Prince William and Princess Catherine’s nuptials — which saw Carole flaunting a wool coat dress. Created by London-based designer, Catherine Walker, the piece combined all the sophistication and flair that one would hope to exude at a royal wedding. Ever the fashionista, Carole matched her outfit with a wide-brimmed hat designed by Hans Corbett.

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Interestingly, Catherine’s wedding would not be the last time that Carole would wear something by Walker. At Pippa Middleton’s wedding with James Matthews, Carole outdid herself once again — this time in a pale pink coat dress that encapsulated the best of Walker’s style. Later, at King Charles III’s coronation, Carole wore a bold blue dress by the same designer. On all three occasions, she looked absolutely stunning. Her clothing was certainly fit for a queen — or at least the mother of a princess.