The royal in-laws! Princess Kate‘s parents and siblings became celebrities in their own right after she married Prince William.
The Prince and Princess of Wales exchanged vows in April 2011, less than one year after getting engaged. During the royal wedding, Kate’s younger sister, Pippa Middleton, served as the maid of honor. The Alexander McQueen gown she wore on the big day is now almost as iconic as the bride’s.
“It was completely unexpected,” Pippa said of the hoopla surrounding her royal wedding appearance during a 2014 Today interview. “You know, I think the plan was not really for it to be a significant dress. Really just to sort of blend in with the train. I suppose [the reaction was] flattering. … It’s actually still in my wardrobe at home. I haven’t worn it since.”
The 2011 nuptials likewise thrust Kate’s parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, and younger brother James Middleton into the spotlight. Over the years, William has frequently expressed his fond feelings toward his wife’s relatives.
“Some people are quite happy they haven’t seen their in-laws for a year,” he teased during a May 2021 conversation with emergency personnel who were on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. “I love my in-laws. … The funny thing is when I spoke to my family, I found it so good to catch up, but then you haven’t anything to catch up on because no one had done anything.”
The duke and duchess’ three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — are also big fans of spending time with their maternal grandparents whenever the opportunity arises. In April 2021, Carole opened up about how she gets ready to play with the little ones whenever they come to visit her and her husband outside of London.
“If I’m doing planting with my grandchildren, I like to have it all laid out at ‘activity stations’ with their own little trowel and pot so they can get started immediately,” she told the U.K.’s Saga magazine. “It’s no good calling children over to an activity, only for you then to have to fuss about looking for the right equipment and clearing a space. They’ll soon lose interest and slope off.”
The businesswoman continued: “It’s important for children to grow up appreciating nature and part of that is allowing them to get a bit muddy.”
Scroll down to learn more about Kate’s parents, siblings and other relatives: