PRINCESS Kate has had a tough year with her cancer struggles, and her Middleton family have been “pivotal”, according to experts.

Carole and Michael Middleton are said to have been “very welcomed into the royal fold”, and will be rewarded this Christmas.

Princess Kate has had a challenging year with her health, but has finished her chemotherapy treatmentCredit: Splash

10

Carole and Michael were seen at Kate’s Together at Christmas carol concert on Friday Credit: Splash

10

Carole and Michael, pictured with Kate’s sister Pippa, her brother James and his wife Alizee Thevenet Credit: Splash
Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, Vanity Fair’s royal correspondent Katie Nicholl said: “The Middletons have been very, very welcomed into the royal fold.

“They have a very close relationship, and they had a lovely relationship with the late Queen.

“And I think there’s, I think there’s a good relationship between the King and the Middletons.

“The Middletons have been so pivotal and important this year.”

Royal reporter Richard Palmer said that the Middleton family could even be invited to stay at Sandringham with the royal family this Christmas, due to their close bond.

Katie continued: “I think it’s a very real possibility if there’s space, because that’s the problem with Sandringham.

“It sounds ridiculous. There’s not enough space, but why not?

“But there are outhouses, and Anmer Hall is only a stone’s throw from Sandringham.”

Typically the Prince and Princess of Wales stay at Anmer Hall with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis over the festive period.

However, Kate’s younger brother James – who is married to French financier Alizee Thevenet, and dad to son Inigo, one – revealed that the Middletons have stayed at Sandringham in the past.
Beaming Princess Kate arrives at Westminster Abbey to film her Christmas carol concert
Richard pointed out: “James Middleton’s book was really interesting, I thought, because I’ve always been led to believe that the Middletons stayed at Anmer Hall but he talks about staying at Sandringham.

“I don’t think he specifies whether it was Christmas, but he talks about staying at Sandringham and the Queen making sure they can take his dog with him.”

Katie asked: “Well, they went on shoots, didn’t they?”

10

King Charles and the Middletons have a ‘good relationship’, according to Katie Nicholl Credit: AFP

10

Carole and Michael featured in Kate’s ‘cancer-free’ video Credit: Kensington Palace

10

Kate’s parents were seen playing games with the family Credit: Kensington Palace
Carole, 69, and Michael, 75, along with daughter Pippa, 41, and son James, 37, were seen supporting Princess Kate at her Together at Christmas carol concert on Friday.

Kate and Pippa have always shared a close bond and have gone from sharing a flat in London’s fashionable Chelsea in their 20s to Pippa now living not far from the Princess’s home in Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor Estate.

The Middletons have been so pivotal and important this year

Katie NichollVanity Fair’s royal correspondent
Meanwhile, when the Princess first revealed her diagnosis in March, James shared a childhood picture of the pair on a hiking trip.

He wrote: “Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too.”

The siblings have supported each other over the years, with James previously admitting that both Kate and Pippa attended therapy sessions whilst he struggled with clinical depression.

James Middleton took to posting a picture of the pair when the Princess revealed her cancer diagnosis in March Credit: Instagram/@jmidy

Family first

Despite playing a role largely behind the scenes, Carole has spoken about how family comes first for her.

Carole, who has seven grandchildren, previously told The Telegraph that her “family are paramount” and that they “come first”.

In an interview with Good Housekeeping, she said she still feels young and wants to “run down the hills, climb the trees and go through the tunnel at the playground”.

She said: “As long as I am able to, that’s what I’ll be doing.

“I cook with them, I muck around dancing, we go on bike rides.”

Typically Kate and William stay at Anmer Hall over Christmas but experts think Carole and Michael could stay at Sandringham with the royals Credit: Getty

Carole Middleton is said to be a ‘second mum’ to Prince William. Pictured at Royal Ascot this year Credit: Max Mumby

George’s close bond

Royal expert Phil Dampier previously told Fabulous: “Prince George goes out a lot with his grandmother Carole.

“They go to the beach there and they are very close.

“Carole has taken the kids to Party Pieces and they played shopkeeper there with all the stock.”

While William was just 15 when his mother Diana died, Carole has been able to nearly become the mother he lost.

Angela Levin, a royal biographer, told The Sun in 2021 that she believes that William’s “dysfunctional family background” gave him “barely a clue of what a normal family life was like”.

Kate’s parents are often invited to royal events Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Inside Kate Middleton’s £4.2millon Bucklebury family home – owned by Carole and Michael Middleton

IT may not be a royal palace, but Kate Middleton’s parents’ £4.2million home is also very impressive.

Carole and Michael Middleton bought the grand Bucklebury Manor in 2012 and it has a number of impressive features.

The grade-II listed Georgian property boasts seven bedrooms, five reception rooms – including a drawing room and library – and 18 acres of land complete with a tennis court and outdoor swimming pool.

Traditional log fireplaces, a kitchen with a large wooden dining table, and a conservatory with enormous floor-to-ceiling windows have previously been shown in rare pictures shared from inside the house.

With such a beautiful home, it would understandably be hard to pick a favourite feature, but Carole revealed that their kitchen is a focal feature.

In an interview with Good Housekeeping, Kate’s mum said: “It’s a kitchen/dining/sitting room and it’s the heart of the house. I love a kitchen supper.

“Where I have a small number of guests. I’ll cook something delicious and make it look lovely, then we’ll finish with a kitchen disco.”