Stepping up during tough times, putting a princess to work, and disco dancing in the kitchen. Princess Charlotte has been in the spotlight since birth, and it seems that some of her few chances to relax come when she spends time with her grandmother, Carole Middleton.
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00:00Stepping up during tough times, putting a princess to work, and disco dancing in the
00:04kitchen.
00:05Princess Charlotte has been in the spotlight since birth, and it seems that some of her
00:09few chances to relax come when she spends time with her grandmother, Carol Middleton.
00:14When Princess Catherine was pregnant with Princess Charlotte, she didn't exactly have
00:17an easy time.
00:18Like a small percentage of other expecting mothers, Catherine was diagnosed with hyperemesis
00:22gravidarum, a condition that causes severe vomiting.
00:25This is intractable throwing up, nonstop, you can't hold any fluids or food down."
00:32As the princess herself put it on the Happy Mom, Happy Baby podcast, she wasn't, quote,
00:36"...the happiest of pregnant people."
00:38Luckily, though, Catherine wasn't left to suffer alone.
00:40While the then-Duchess of Cambridge struggled with a perpetually upset stomach, Carol Middleton
00:45took charge.
00:46The doting grandmother reportedly decorated Charlotte's future nursery to perfection.
00:50Carol also carried on the usual grandmother and mother-in-law duties.
00:54She took Prince George to his swimming lessons so that Catherine could rest.
00:58She helped William select ties for formal events.
01:00All of Carol's family-focused efforts allowed her to develop a strong attachment to Charlotte
01:05before she was even born.
01:07When Charlotte was born on May 2nd, 2015, Carol was ecstatic.
01:11Because she had cared so much for Catherine during her pregnancy, Carol was one of the
01:14first people to meet baby Charlotte, even earning the privilege of seeing the new princess
01:19before her royal grandfather, King Charles III.
01:22After seeing her precious granddaughter, Carol already couldn't wait to spoil her
01:25with gifts.
01:26Just a few months after Charlotte came into the world, Carol was spotted shopping at Trotters,
01:31a premium U.K. brand of clothing for children and babies.
01:34Although nobody could see exactly what she purchased, it was assumed that the loving
01:38grandma had picked up some items for both Charlotte and Prince George.
01:42She was seen emerging from the shop with a hefty bag in tow.
01:45Apparently, she found plenty of gifts for her grandkids.
01:48Carol comes from a long line of women who love to splurge on their children and grandchildren.
01:52Her own mother, Dorothy Goldsmith, purchased the nicest stroller she could afford, despite
01:56coming from modest means.
01:58As Carol's cousin, Pat, told the Daily Mail,
02:00"[Dorothy had the biggest silver cross pram you've ever seen after Carol was born.]
02:04After stepping into this matriarchal position herself, Carol seemed keen on continuing this
02:08sweet family tradition."
02:10As Charlotte grew into an adorable toddler, Carol told William and Catherine that she
02:15wanted to take on some babysitting duties.
02:17Thus, when the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge embarked on a seven-day royal tour of India
02:21and Bhutan, Charlotte and George were placed in Carol's care.
02:25Although they were likely too young to remember the entirety of the visit, both children were
02:29given the chance to develop an even stronger bond with their grandmother.
02:32As the mother of three children herself, Carol knows how to keep little ones engaged.
02:36According to her friends, Carol's backyard boasts a pond that is teeming with ducks.
02:41Her garden is also home to some chickens, which George and Charlotte have been known
02:45to find absolutely fascinating.
02:47As one insider told People magazine of Middleton's Yard,
02:49"...it looks absolutely beautiful.
02:51The children love to come and play."
02:53Over the years, Grandma Carol has arranged for Charlotte and her royal siblings to engage
02:57in a number of stimulating projects.
03:00Carol likes to keep her grandkids just as active as she is, so for her, an afternoon
03:04in the garden doesn't mean sipping tea and listening to the birds.
03:07It means breaking out the shovel and actually gardening.
03:10When Charlotte comes over, Carol hardly tells her to act like a little princess.
03:14Instead of dressing Charlotte in a dress and a tiara, she hands her granddaughter gloves
03:17and a hoe.
03:18As Carol noted in an interview with Saga magazine,
03:20"...growing potatoes is a simple one to start with and digging for spuds is fun at any age.
03:25We also grow carrots, beetroot and onions and there's no better way to encourage healthy
03:29eating than to allow your grandchildren to see how food is grown and let them pick their
03:33own."
03:34Carol's efforts have allowed Charlotte to experience a bit of normalcy, something that
03:37is otherwise lacking in her royal life.
03:40It's not exactly a secret that Carol Middleton loves the holidays.
03:44As the former founder and CEO of the party supply company Party Pieces, Carol spent decades
03:49helping her clients enjoy the holidays in style.
03:52"...it was selling this new idea for parties over a website and it was a very clever idea."
03:59Although she no longer runs the business, Carol seems beyond happy to share her passion
04:03for celebrations with Princess Charlotte.
04:05This is especially true at Christmastime, when the family matriarch is known for including
04:09her grandkids in the decoration process.
04:11In an interview with The Telegraph, Carol said that she likes to buy an extra Christmas
04:14tree just for her grandchildren to decorate on their own.
04:18Carol also enjoys Halloween and is more than thrilled to be able to share some fun fall
04:22traditions with Charlotte.
04:23In an October 2022 post on Party Pieces' Instagram, Carol hinted at what sort of activities she
04:28might do with Charlotte and her brothers, writing,
04:30"...I've even grown my own pumpkins this year so I'm looking forward to decorating those
04:34with my loved ones."
04:36Yes, Charlotte may be on the path to one day becoming Princess Royal, but that doesn't
04:40mean she isn't required to respect her grandmother.
04:42Luckily, Carol is a firm believer in rules, a value that she isn't afraid to share with
04:46Charlotte.
04:47As Carol once told The Telegraph,
04:49"...I think one of the most important qualities of a good parent is discipline.
04:52That doesn't mean you're strict, but routine is vital.
04:55Maybe structure is a nicer word.
04:56You can't suddenly start teaching them about politeness at 13.
04:59You have to do it from the start."
05:01That's not to say that Carol imposes her own rules on Charlotte, however, as she doesn't
05:05want to get in the way of her daughter's parenting choices.
05:07As she once told Good Housekeeping,
05:09"...I feel it is my children's role to pass on what they think is important to their children.
05:13I know how hard it was for me bringing up my own children, that you invest a lot in
05:16them and don't really want to know it all granny out there."
05:19Carol Middleton may be stern with Princess Charlotte at times, but that doesn't mean
05:23the two don't have fun together.
05:24On the contrary, Carol and Charlotte are known to share a very important passion — dance.
05:29Carol first shared her love of the activity in an interview with Good Housekeeping, saying,
05:33"...I love a kitchen supper, where I have a small number of guests.
05:36I'll cook something delicious and make it look lovely, then we'll finish with a kitchen
05:39disco."
05:40Charlotte has been known to bust a move in her own home, a habit that she almost certainly
05:44inherited from her loving grandmother.
05:46On an episode of the Time to Walk podcast, Prince William shared,
05:49"...Charlotte particularly is running around the kitchen in her dresses and ballet stuff
05:53and everything.
05:54She goes completely crazy with Louis following her around trying to do the same thing.
05:57It's a really happy moment where the children just enjoy dancing, messing around and, and
06:02singing."
06:03Because Carol Middleton maintains such a fun home environment, Princess Charlotte loves
06:07going to her grandmother's place for sleepovers.
06:09Oftentimes, the princess spends the night at Bucklebury accompanied by the entire Wales
06:13family, including her parents.
06:15While things at Buckingham Palace tend to be serious, life with the Middleton family
06:19tends to be more laid back.
06:20Charlotte is said to enjoy the stress-free ambience at her grandparents' place, while
06:24the Middletons love providing their grandkids the opportunity to be normal children.
06:29Writing in his book Meet Ella, the Dog Who Saved My Life, Catherine's little brother
06:32James Middleton revealed that the Middleton home tends to be a place where the royal children
06:37can relax.
06:38He described one particular morning when he was awoken by giggling children in the hallway,
06:42followed by the entire family having a heartwarmingly pleasant morning as they sipped their tea.
06:47In March 2024, Princess Catherine shared devastating news with the public following an abdominal
06:51surgery in January.
06:53The surgery was successful.
06:54However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present.
06:59While Catherine underwent chemotherapy, her mother stepped in.
07:02Carol drove Catherine to appointments, took Prince William out for a beer, and took care
07:06of her grandkids.
07:07Speaking to The Independent about Carol's role in her grandchildren's lives, an inside
07:11source divulged,
07:12"...she's come to the rescue, provided reassurance, and has been a rock to Catherine and William
07:16as they come to terms with the news."
07:18For Charlotte, having her grandmother's support was likely huge.
07:21Watching a family member battle cancer is never easy, but experiencing public scrutiny
07:26at the same time is even more heartbreaking.
07:28Carol's helpfulness meant that Charlotte had someone to rely on during one of the most
07:32trying times of her life.
07:34Because Carol Middleton is such a wonderful grandmother, Princess Charlotte likely looks
07:38up to her as a role model.
07:40According to some royal experts, Carol's impact on the princess' disposition is clear.
07:44Apparently, Charlotte inherited her fun-loving personality from her granny.
07:48Royal correspondent Jenny Bond told OK!
07:50Magazine,
07:51"...Princess Charlotte always looks very demure and ladylike in public, but actually I think
07:55she's kind of eyeing up what's around her, and then some of her real personality comes
07:59out, which I think is a confident, bubbly girl who has a great sense of fun.
08:03So she's very sporty judging by previous stories her parents have told and is surrounded by
08:07really positive female role models in her mother, her grandmother Carol, and Aunt Pippa."
08:12Beyond just being sporty, though, Charlotte has apparently learned compassion from her
08:15grandmother.
08:16After watching Carol dote on Catherine in light of her cancer diagnosis, Charlotte decided
08:20to do the same.
08:21As royal expert Ingrid Seward told Hello!,
08:24"...I think that Charlotte is really taking care of her mum."