By Marisa Laudadio
6:50pm PST, Mar 2, 2026
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Carole Middleton has been a rock for
Prince William and
Kate Middleton for more than 20 years, offering both practical help and emotional support behind the scenes. According to former royal butler
Grant Harold, the future king's connection with his wife's mother dates back to the Prince and Princess of Wales' early years together when they were dating while students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. "William always had a good relationship with both Kate's parents, but especially her mother, Carole," Harold told Britain's
Daily Express.
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That bond quickly deepened as
Prince William spent more time with the Middleton family away from royal life. "When I was working with the [royal] family, he used to go and spend weekends at their house, which I know he really enjoyed," former royal butler Grant Harold shared, describing a more relaxed, informal environment than what the future king was used to as a member of The Firm.
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According to sources familiar with the royal family's dynamic, the Middletons offered
Prince William something rare: the chance to be normal. "They are a warm and welcoming family, and I imagine gave him some of the normality he craved during his 20s and 30s," former royal butler Grant Harold explained.
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A new biography echoes the sentiments shared by former royal butler Grant Harold. In
William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, author
Russell Myers writes that Kate Middleton's parents, Carole Middleton and
Michael Middleton, got even more involved in the Prince and Princess of Wales' lives once the royals started a family of their own.
Prince William "appreciated their involvement beyond measure, enjoying their company and the normalcy of the environment, whatever the circumstance," Myers writes, as reported by
HELLO! magazine. "'More room to breathe,' he once told an aide."
