Here's What Will Happen To Kate Middleton's Parents When She Becomes Queen

Despite rumors that Carole Middleton plotted Kate's marriage to Prince William thanks to her pro-level social-climbing skills, she and Michael Middleton have enjoyed a positive relationship with the royal family. Not only is Prince William's relationship with Kate Middleton's parents charmingly close, but they became an invaluable support system during Kate's cancer diagnosis and treatment. According to insiders, the Middletons took over everyday household duties to give Kate plenty of time to rest and to offer William a respite from trying to balance family life with royal life all on his own.

It was far from the first time they offered a helping hand. Indeed, Carole and Michael have been a constant source of positivity throughout William and Kate's relationship. They were even the very first family members to meet Prince George when he was born in 2013. And when it was time to take the official photo of the first-time parents with their bundle of joy, Michael stepped up and snapped the iconic pic so that they wouldn't have to deal with the stress of hiring a professional photographer. 

Given their years-long involvement in the royal couple's lives, many have wondered what will happen to the Middletons after Prince William becomes king. Here's everything we know (so far).

Michael and Carole Middleton have become a regular fixture at royal events, from King Charles' coronation to the annual Christmas concert at Westminster Abbey. They've also been an unwavering support system for the future King and Queen of England during the couple's entire relationship, and especially during Kate Middleton's 2024 cancer treatment. 

For those very reasons, royal watcher Richard Eden argued in a 2024 column for the Daily Mail that the Middletons were worthy of royal titles. "Catherine's parents are just as important to the future of the Monarchy as the Windsors themselves," Eden wrote. "They deserve some formal recognition for their work." Businessman Sir John Robert Madejski agreed, once telling Eden, "They should be the Earl and Countess of Bucklebury, or something — they deserve it."

However, despite their merits, that's unlikely to happen. As HELLO! royal correspondent Danielle Stacey explained, peerage titles – which are split into five ranks of duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron — are reserved for British nobility and are mostly hereditary. It's true that they can sometimes be granted by a reigning monarch, like when Queen Elizabeth II made Kate the Duchess of Cambridge. However, the future King William is not likely to do so, especially since King Charles vowed to slim down the monarchy. Indeed, there were only 11 working royal members as of March, 2024 and, most notably, even Queen Camilla's relatives weren't granted any titles.

Even if Michael and Carole Middleton were to receive a royal title upon William and Kate's ascension to the throne, Carole would never qualify to be dubbed Queen Mother. That's because in order to be granted said title, one must not only be the current monarch's mother, but they also have to be the spouse of the former monarch. 

The last royal to be called Queen Mother was Queen Elizabeth's mom, Elizabeth I, because her daughter was on the throne and her husband, King George VI, was the previous ruler. So, while Carole will technically be the mother of the queen, she won't ever be called Queen Mother. Similarly, Queen Camilla wouldn't receive the title either if Prince William were to ascend to the throne. Yes, she's King Charles' wife, but she is not William's mother.

As The Sun noted, the only title Carole could potentially receive once her daughter is on the throne is that of Queen's Companion, a new term for what were previously known as ladies-in-waiting. Kate's sister, Pippa, could also be granted the title, which is an unofficial role and not a peerage.

Kate Middleton's parents shouldn't expect their lives to change much once their daughter becomes queen, but they're likely not too fussed about that as they're already living like royals. Indeed, the couple bought a seven-bedroom Georgian mansion said to be worth £4.7 million (about $6 million) in 2012. Dubbed Bucklebury Manor, it features its own library, pool, and tennis court — plus 18 acres of land. The residence truly is fit for a king, as William and Kate actually moved in for several months after Prince George was born in 2013. 

Its location is also royal-approved, as it's just a 30-minute drive from Lambrook School (where Kate's kids attend) and less than an hour's drive from Adelaide Cottage, where Kate and William moved during her cancer treatment. What's more, the royal connection goes even deeper, as the home was previously owned by the descendants of the Winchcombe family, who received the land as a gift from none other than King Henry VIII.

Speaking with Good Housekeeping in 2021, Carole called the kitchen her favorite room in the home, noting how the huge space also doubles as a dining and sitting room. It also allows her to throw some fab parties. "I love a kitchen supper," she shared (via Hello!). "I'll cook something delicious and make it look lovely, then we'll finish with a kitchen disco."

Michael and Carole Middleton built an empire with their mail-order party supplies business, Party Pieces — until it all came crashing down. The business began in 1987 and thrived for decades, until it was suddenly sold off to entrepreneur James Sinclair in 2023 for a mere £180,000 (about $231,000). As the BBC learned, Party Pieces' profits took a real hit during the pandemic lockdown. As the world opened back up, the company wasn't able to quickly increase income or secure funding, thus forcing the Middletons to sell and suffer financially. 

Tatler later discovered that the company had £2.5 million ($3.2 million) in debt. "Carole is understandably upset and deeply disappointed in this situation," a friend told the Daily Mail. However, despite the heartbreak of having their business fail, the drama was far from over. 

Tainting the couple's reputation was the revelation that their suppliers (most of whom were small local businesses) would never get the money they were owed following the company's sale. As Daily Mail reported, one such business, Sultani Gas, had £20,430 (just over $26,000) in unpaid invoices, while the company's landlord was due £57,480 (almost $74,000) in rent. "I trusted [Carole] as the mother-in-law of the future King and she just betrayed me," a rep for Sultani Gas slammed. The fallout continued in April, 2024, as The Times learned that the Middletons had failed to pay £268,928 (nearly $346,000) in fees to Interpath Advisory, the company that had managed Party Pieces' sale.

One of their grandkids may be the future King of England, but that hasn't changed how Michael and Carole Middleton approach grandparenting. As Carole told Good Housekeeping, she likes to be hands-on with all three of Kate's kids, as well as with Pippa and James' kiddos. "I want to run down the hills, climb the trees and go through the tunnel at the playground," she gushed. "I cook with them, I muck around dancing, we go on bike rides." 

Michael is no different. Writing for The Spectator in 2012 (via Daily Mail), Pippa revealed the down-to-earth custom her dad started to entertain the kids: dressing up in a surprise disguise during the holidays. "He buys a new costume each year and typically gets a bit carried away," she shared. "A couple of Christmases ago, he appeared in an inflatable sumo outfit."

In addition to all of the fun they have together, Kate Middleton's parents have also played an important role during tougher times. After Kate underwent abdominal surgery and subsequent cancer treatment, they stepped up big-time. "[Kate's] parents are an enduring factor in the upbringing of their grandchildren," a source told People. Another shared a similar sentiment, telling The Independent that Carole's presence has been invaluable. "Carole has been the driving force keeping the family together with minimum fuss and maximum modesty," they told the outlet. "She's ferried and fetched George, Louis, and Charlotte, taken them to school sports matches, and given them endless support."