Red Flags In Carole And Michael Middleton's Marriage We Can't Ignore

As a prominent member of the royal family, William, Prince of Wales' parents and the myriad struggles in their relationship certainly weren't kept secret — but what about Catherine, Princess of Wales' parents? Carole and Michael Middleton tied the knot in 1980 and have since celebrated a decades-long marriage, their own business, three children — Kate, Pippa, and James Middleton — and seven grandchildren. From the sound of it, the Middletons seem to have the perfect marriage. Yet, a look inside Carole and Michael's relationship shows the red flags that may be lurking beneath the surface.

Since Carole and Michael have royal in-laws, it's easy to imagine the couple living a charmed life with few hardships. In reality, though, their nearly 45-year marriage has had its ups and downs. There are some things that the pair have gone through that could have easily caused trouble in paradise. There is no indication that the Middletons will be calling it quits anytime soon, but that doesn't mean their relationship is picture-perfect.

Since we've all seen how common celebrity divorces are, we know how being in the spotlight can make a relationship much more difficult. This was surely the case for Carole and Michael Middleton, who were thrust into the public eye due to their daughter Kate Middleton's relationship with Prince William.

Through the years, the public and the press haven't always been kind to the Middletons. Carole and Michael often aren't shown in a good light and were once even victims of a smear campaign. It seems that, as a result, Carole has chosen to avoid anything that might prompt public scrutiny, telling The Telegraph, "Over the years, it's proved wise not to say anything."

It seems, however, that this is an area in which Carole and Michael may not entirely agree. The Amazon Prime documentary, "Chasing the Royals: The Media and the Monarchy," addressed a time when Michael actually approached a member of the paparazzi and asked the photographer to take family photos of them. Carole and Michael are under a microscope whether they like it or not, and this would surely be an added difficulty in any marriage. However, if the pair has differing views on how this should be handled, it surely presents even more problems.

In 1987, Carole and Michael Middleton made the risky decision to launch a business together. Adding the stress of owning a business to a marriage can certainly complicate a relationship. However, for decades, it seemed that Carole and Michael were able to manage this stress. Their company, Party Pieces, grew from a small company where Carole worked alone from her home planning children's parties. It later grew to be a much bigger party-planning brand that also sold party supplies and eventually branched out to the United States. 

Carole told Sheer Luxe, "Party Pieces has literally grown alongside my family, and I'm very proud of that." Surely this made it all the more painful and difficult when they were forced to sell the company. While years have passed since the COVID-19 lockdown, many of us are still feeling the effects of that strange time. Carole and Michael are no exception to this; the trials of the pandemic had a major effect on Party Pieces, and the repercussions lasted for years. They ultimately sold their business in 2023.

Carole and Michael Middleton's daughter may have all the money and privilege in the world as Catherine, Princess of Wales, but that doesn't mean that they, themselves, are entirely exempt from the struggles the average person faces. In April 2024, it was reported that the couple was nearly $330,000 in debt related to their business Party Pieces, per The Times. Of course, financial difficulties can put unnecessary strain on any relationship. For Carole and Michael, though, this was compounded by another extremely stressful set of circumstances: their daughter's cancer diagnosis. Kate's relationship with her parents has always seemed strong, and they were there for her as she underwent chemotherapy in 2024. 

A source told Us Weekly that it was important for Carole to keep Kate's stress at a minimum during this time and not concern her with the family's money troubles. "Catherine and her parents are very close and they always check in with each other, but talk about the business is off limits as she needs to focus on her health," they said, noting, "Carole is desperately trying to keep Catherine fully focused on her recovery. It's a very worrying time for the family but they are not looking for any assistance from their children and don't want them to worry." This series of events surely put quite a bit of stress on Carole and Michael's marriage. Luckily, as Kate returns to her royal now that she is cancer-free, 2025 will likely look a lot brighter for the Middleton family.

While being Kate Middleton's mother comes with attention and scrutiny, it certainly has its perks. One of those perks is access to a vacation villa that would normally cost $46,000 per week to rent. Les Jolies Eaux, a royal villa that was previously owned by Queen Elizabeth II's sister Princess Margaret, is found on the private Caribbean island, Mustique. These days, it's one of Carole Middleton's favorite places. It's unclear, however, whether Michael Middleton likes it quite as much. For Carole's 70th birthday in 2025, the Waleses took her to her favorite getaway setting. "There's nowhere Carole would rather be than in Mustique for her 70th with her daughter," a source told the Daily Mail. 

Yet, it seems that a different side of Carole's personality may be prone to coming out when she's visiting the beloved island. And, this may cause trouble in paradise for her and Michael. "Carole really lets her hair down and happily chats to anyone she meets on the island," the source explained, adding, "She feels totally at ease but remains discreet — regardless of how many cocktails are consumed." It seems that Carole is nothing short of a party girl while on the island, frequenting the area's only bar and never missing the weekly party at the local hotel. And, this seemingly isn't Michael's vibe. Another source claimed, "She loves a few bottles of cold white wine and leaves Michael despairing of her antics sometimes."