NEED TO KNOW
- Kate Middleton’s mother, Carole Middleton, will soon celebrate her birthday
- Carole turns 71 on Jan. 31
- The Princess of Wales’ mom is a former entrepreneur and the Middleton matriarch
Kate Middleton was born in January, like her mother, Carole Middleton, and the Princess of Wales’ mom will soon celebrate her birthday.
Carole Middleton turns 71 on Saturday, Jan. 31, calling for a look back at a few fun facts about her.
Princess Kate is close to her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, who live near her, Prince William and their children in Windsor. The Princess of Wales recently went out to lunch with her mom and sister, Pippa Middleton, on her Jan. 9 birthday, celebrating the special occasion together.
Read on for more about Carole.
Carole Middleton arrives to attend the “Together at Christmas” Carol Service at Westminster Abbey in London on Dec. 5, 2025.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
She has been married to Michael for 45 years
Carole Goldsmith and Michael Middleton met while working for British Airways in the 1970s and married in June 1980.
The couple went on to welcome three children. Daughter Catherine Elizabeth — the future Princess Kate — was born in 1982, followed by daughter Philippa Charlotte, affectionately nicknamed Pippa, in 1983.
Son James William was born in 1987, serendipitously sharing a name connection with his future brother-in-law, Prince William.
Carole Middleton and Kate Middleton.
Kensington Palace/ Instagram
Carole co-founded a party supply company and turned it into a booming business
Carole and Michael created a party supply company called Party Pieces in 1987 when Carole couldn’t find the right decor for Kate’s 5th birthday.
“All I could find were basic clown plates. I realized there was a gap in the market for partyware that wasn’t too expensive and which looked good, so decided to design my own,” she told the Daily Mail in 2021.
The couple launched Party Pieces from their kitchen table and found success with it. They expanded and ran Party Pieces full-time until they sold it to an entrepreneur in 2023 for an undisclosed sum.
“My children inspired my business and have been involved from the start, and the success that we’ve had has helped us build the life we have currently,” Carole said. “I feel incredibly fortunate to have found the professional fulfillment I always wanted.”
She was there for Princess Kate during her health journey
Carole and Michael were there for Kate after she had a planned abdominal surgery in January 2024 and the mom and daughter were seen driving together in the princess’ first appearance after the procedure.
“Her parents are an enduring factor in the upbringing of their grandchildren. And they will be a reassuring presence when she goes back to Windsor to recuperate,” a palace insider told PEOPLE about the ample support Kate would receive from her close-knit family as she recovered at home then.
Added a source close to the royal household, “She is in great hands and will have lots of care and support at home.”
That March, the Princess of Wales announced that she was undergoing treatment for cancer and reduced her royal duties to focus on her health. She shared that September that she completed chemotherapy and her parents appeared in that video montage, reflecting their close connection.
(Left) Carole Middleton in July 2017; (Right) Kate Middleton in September 2023.
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Carole joins the royals at some events
Princess Kate’s mom is often spotted at certain events on the royal calendar like Kate’s “Together at Christmas” carol service, which she has never missed since its inception in 2021, Royal Ascot in June and the Wimbledon Tennis Championships around the same time. Over the summer, she and King Charles chatted at the Ascot racetrack.
Carole and Michael have also attended major events like Queen Elizabeth‘s state funeral in 2022 and King Charles’ coronation in 2023.
King Charles and Carole Middleton at Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 18, 2025.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
She’s got a great sense of style
From a baby blue Catherine Walker ensemble on Kate’s royal wedding day to her Wimbledon summer style and understated, feminine taste, it’s easy to see where Princess Kate gets her effortless elegance from.
Carole Middleton and Queen Elizabeth at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011.
Anwar Hussein/Getty Images