Shortly before the wedding of her grandson, Elizabeth II had decided to “break the ice” with Carole Middleton, the mother of the Princess of Wales, by inviting her to lunch.
Over the years, Catherine Princess Of Wales has grown in power within the royal family. However, at the beginning, it was not won. And for good reason: Queen Elizabeth II would have expressed some reservations about the relationship between her grandson, Prince William, and the Princess of Wales. It was only later, in 2008, that the relationship between Her Majesty and Kate Middleton has calmed down. The two women had met for the first time. Shortly after, Elizabeth II had invited the parents of the young woman, Carole and Michael Middleton, to a lunch to “break the ice”, reported Paris Match in April 2021.
Because, yes, at the time, Elizabeth II saw that the relationship between her grandson and his beloved began to become more and more serious. Fearing that the future wife of Prince William does not feel isolated and cut off from his entourage, like Lady Diana, the Queen of England had then thought to integrate the relatives of the young woman in the Royal family.
As evidenced by the revelations of our colleagues of Paris Match, in April 2011, which had indicated that the mother of Charles III would have invited Carole and Michael Middleton to lunch at Windsor Castle. This “informal lunch” had however been short-lived. “The lunch started at 1pm and lasted just under an hour and a half. Her Majesty has never been the type to linger during lunch,” explained the journalist Rebecca English.
Her Majesty thought it would be a nice gesture”.
Even if it had been short, this lunch would have gone very well and would have reassured the Queen. At least, this is what a source close to the royal family had explained to the Express, in January 2021. “It was a delicious lunch, very warm with lots of laughter and I think that helped to put everyone at ease,” she had indicated, before continuing: “His Majesty thought it would be a nice gesture and really wanted to meet them.” A nice attention that had notably allowed the Middletons to find a place in the royal family.
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