Inside William’s special bond with ‘second mum’ Carole Middleton, built on ‘tennis, TV and cheese on toast’ at her Bucklebury safe haven – and the loving family normality he and brother Harry so craved

When Carole Middleton’s heel got stuck in the grass at Royal Ascot yesterday, it was fitting that it was her beloved son-in-law who came to the rescue. Prince William offered a helping hand to ‘second mum’ Carole as she steadied herself before the pair chatted jovially among other guests.

The natural moment, caught in a charming set of photographs, was a touching reminder of the close bond that the Prince has forged with the Middletons – and in particular, matriarch Carole. She has fondly watched him blossom from the young, occasionally hot-headed Prince to the loyal husband, father and King-in-waiting he is today.

In what was her first public appearance since her daughter Kate’s cancer diagnosis, Carole was at Ascot yesterday with her husband Michael. With the Princess of Wales absent as she continues treatment, William’s closeness to his in-laws was on full display. The Prince of Wales is said to have ‘adopted’ the Middleton family soon after he started dating Kate in the early 2000s – and Carole is now an indispensable part of the Wales’ close-knit family unit.

She enjoys making Prince William his favorite snack of cheese on toast and stocks up on the sea salt chocolates that he likes. She spent many days living with them at Anmer Hall – their home on the Sandringham estate that they swapped for Adelaide Cottage in Windssor in 2022. Carole sourced the fabrics and wallpapers for the family’s nursery and would make William his favorite snack of cheese on toast, which he would eat in front of the television.

She also stocked up on the Prince’s favorite sea salt chocolates. According to one source, Kate and William formed an ‘insular unit’ with Carole and her husband Michael. They added: ‘You could say that Kate and William, unlike most couples with a set of in-laws, feel most at their ease and happiest with her parents around. Tensions dissipate and there’s a party atmosphere.’ When Kate felt ill and exhausted through her pregnancy, it was her mother that she relied on for support.

Carole was also said to help William decide what he should wear to engagements. Another source said of William’s love for Carole: ‘He is in thrall to her capabilities, her tenacity, high-energy levels, her superb organizational skills and her networking.’ ‘She above anyone else knows what makes Kate happy, what type of staff she will gel with, and understands her overriding need for loyalty and privacy. Carole leaves nothing to chance.’