The Middleton family were thrust into the spotlight when the Prince and Princess of Wales’s romance was confirmed, but things were taken to another level with their wedding in April 2011. Suddenly, Michael and Carole were the parents of the future Queen and Kate and William said, "I do" in the grand surroundings of Westminster Abbey, watched by millions.
It was a huge moment and Carole arrived and went inside alone whilst her husband walked down the aisle with Kate. Her entrance has been praised by royal historian Hugo Vickers, who remarked, "On the day Carole Middleton, the bride’s mother, stepped out of the car, gave a discreet wave to the media and went straight in."
Writing in his new biography, Queen Elizabeth II, he declared "she judged that to perfection" and went on to suggest that despite appearing totally serene, Carole had actually been nervous.
"She told the Dean of Westminster she had often heard that when you are really nervous your knees knock together," Hugo recalled. "She had not realised it actually happened."
Given how many people had lined the streets and were waiting outside the Abbey, the experience of arriving solo would've probably been daunting for anyone let alone the mother of the bride. Carole’s small wave to the crowd was the perfect response, as Hugo remarked.
She acknowledged the crowd and the fact the wedding was a national as well as a family occasion, but didn’t make a big thing of it or put too much focus on herself. This was important for the mum-of-three when they were planning the wedding as well.
In a 2018 interview, the Princess of Wales’s mother said she was "involved lots" with both Kate and her sister Pippa’s weddings. They "talked about music…everything" and paying attention to what they really wanted was key.
Carole continued, "I think the most important thing, as a parent, is to listen to what your daughter wants. You can have all the ideas in the world, but it has to be about them. And don’t muscle in on the guest list.’
The guest list for the Waleses’ wedding was already pretty long, so Kate and William probably really appreciated this! Over a thousand people attended and this might have been another factor in Carole maybe being a little nervous.
"Like every mother, I wanted to look my best, make my children proud and enjoy the day. I honestly don’t think I was any more stressed than any other mother of the bride," she said.
As royal weddings go, the Prince and Princess of Wales’s big day was quite modern. Details were published on X (formerly Twitter) and Kate is said to have "surprised" courtiers when she chose to travel by car and not the horse-drawn Glass Coach.
She was apparently "of the view" that she "was not yet a ‘princess’ who would use such a mode of transport", claimed Russell Myers in his biography, William & Catherine. Instead, she and Michael arrived in a black 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI which had been gifted by the manufacturer to Queen Elizabeth in honour of her Silver Jubilee.
