"Will Carole Middleton be Queen Mother?" is a question that fans might wonder if they look ahead to Prince William's reign.
As the mother of the Princess of Wales, Carole Middleton might not be a royal herself but she’s incredibly important to the future of the Royal Family. Kate’s mother has attended numerous high-profile royal occasions, from King Charles’s coronation to Queen Elizabeth’s funeral - both of which had limited guest lists. Carole’s inclusion could be seen as a sign of respect to Kate and her family ahead of her becoming Queen Consort one day.
When this happens and Prince William and Kate become King William and Queen Catherine, Carole will be thrust into the royal spotlight like never before. However, some fans might not be entirely clear about what the future holds for Kate’s mum in terms of her title and position. She’s currently Mrs Carole Middleton and we have all the details about whether she’ll become Queen Mother and if she’ll get a title.
Will Carole Middleton be Queen Mother?
Carole Middleton will not be a Queen Mother even when Prince William and Kate become King and Queen Consort. The title ‘Queen Mother’ is used to refer to someone who is the mother of the current monarch and the widow of the former King. The most famous Queen Mother in recent history was Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the mother of Queen Elizabeth II and wife of King George VI. Carole Middleton will be the mother of a Queen, but she is not a member of the Royal Family herself and so she won’t have the Queen Mother title.
Queen Camilla will also not be Queen Mother if she is widowed when Prince William ascends to the throne. She will be a Dowager Queen or Queen Dowager - the title given to a former Queen Consort whose husband the King has passed away.
A Queen Dowager can only become known as the Queen Mother if they are also the mother of the next monarch, but she is Prince William’s stepmother and so there won’t be a Queen Mother during his future reign. The next Queen Mother will be Kate if she is widowed when Prince George takes the throne.
Will Carole Middleton get a title?
Carole Middleton isn’t expected to get a title during King Charles’s reign and though it’s technically possible, it’s unlikely she’ll get a title in Prince William’s future reign either. The monarch is the “fountain of honour” in the UK and has the “sole right”, as per the Royal Family website, of conferring titles of honour. However, it’s understood that new hereditary peerages (titles that can be inherited) are typically only granted to members of the Royal Family.
This is the case with Prince Harry’s Duke of Sussex title which can be inherited by his eldest child, Prince Archie of Sussex. However, new life peers (those with titles that last for their lifetime but can’t be inherited) are often appointed by the monarch after being advised by the Prime Minister. It’s possible Carole could be given a life peerage, but not hugely likely that Prince William would be advised to grant her one.
Especially since Carole has lived all of her life so far without any kind of title, it perhaps wouldn’t be a priority to either her or the future King William to change this. Instead, Carole will probably remain Mrs Carole Middleton and continue to have a key, personal role in the lives of Prince William, Kate and their children, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis.
If Carole doesn’t receive a royal title at any point, she wouldn’t be alone in this. The late Queen Mother’s mother Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne only had a title because her husband inherited it from his father and was a member of the aristocracy. She wasn’t granted an additional one to reflect her status as a Queen’s mother.
Queen Camilla’s parents Major Bruce and Rosalind Shand sadly passed away in 2006 and 1994 respectively, but her other immediate family members are title-less too. Queen Camilla’s children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes have never had a title bestowed upon them despite their mother being Queen. Meanwhile, Queen Camilla’s sister Annabel Elliot was made one of the Queen’s Companions, which is Her Majesty’s version of Ladies in Waiting.
It’s possible that when she becomes Queen, Kate might choose to make her mother Carole or sister Pippa one of her own Queen’s Companions. This would then be a title of sorts for them, but not a peerage title or official honour.
Prince William might also consider appointing Carole to the Royal Victorian Order. This honour is personally awarded by the Sovereign for services to them. Queen Elizabeth appointed Kate and plenty of other royals to this Order and if Carole particularly supports Prince William in some significant way when he’s King, technically he could give her this honour - if not a title.
Does Carole Middleton have a Coat of Arms?
Carole Middleton herself doesn’t have a separate Coat of Arms but she does have the right to use the one granted to her husband Michael Middleton for their family and she is represented in the design. Ahead of Prince William and Kate’s wedding in 2011, the Royal Family shared the significance of each element of the Coat of Arms granted to Michael. The family worked closely with the College of Arms and were eager to ensure that the final Coat of Arms “visually identified them as a family” and was personal to them.
The three acorns on the Middleton Coat of Arms represent Catherine, Princess of Wales, her sister Philippa and her brother James. West Berkshire where the siblings were brought up is “surrounded by oak trees”, making it all the more meaningful. Carole is specifically represented through the gold chevron at the centre as her maiden name is Goldsmith.
The two other chevrons either side reflect hills and mountains as the Middleton family are known for loving spending time outdoors together. Whilst blue and red are the “principle colours” on the flag of the United Kingdom. Michael Middleton and his descendants are entitled to use the Coat of Arms and this right will be passed on to James Middleton and to his descendants, including his young son Inigo.
