Kate Middleton Reportedly Felt "Isolated and Abandoned" After Comments William's Friends Made About Her Mom
When Kate Middleton was dating Prince William, she reportedly struggled with negative comments Palace officials and Will's friends made about her mom.

- These days, it's hard to imagine the royal family without Kate Middleton, but back when she and Prince William were dating, at least some royal insiders reportedly didn't think she was a "suitable" match.
- When Will and Kate split briefly in 2007, reports suggested that comments Will's friends and courtiers had made about her mother, Carole Middleton, contributed to their breakup.
- "William's upper-crust friends would ridicule Carole's former career [as a flight attendant] by sneeringly whispering 'doors to manual' when Kate was out of earshot," the Mirror reported at the time. "And courtiers claimed the brunette was unsuitable for William as her mum did not speak in a posh enough way."
Kate Middleton is pretty much the epitome of a royal, but during the early days of her relationship with Prince William, not everyone thought she was royal material, apparently.
According to the Mirror, Kate felt "isolated" at the time because of "snobby jibes" that Palace officials and friends of William were making about her mom, Carole Middleton. In fact, back in 2007, the Mirror even reported that these comments had "helped sink her relationship" with Will when the couple briefly split.
Apparently, the "jibes" were often about Carole's former career as a flight attendant, of all things.
"William's upper-crust friends would ridicule Carole's former career by sneeringly whispering 'doors to manual' when Kate was out of earshot," the Mirror reported at the time. "And courtiers claimed the brunette was unsuitable for William as her mum did not speak in a posh enough way."
"Put bluntly, the Queen seems to like Kate's father, Michael, but the courtiers sense that there are big question marks over the mother," a royal source told the Daily Mail in 2007. "She is pushy, rather twee and incredibly middle-class. She uses words such as 'Pleased to meet you,' 'toilet' and 'pardon.'"
In the words of Cher Horowitz: Way harsh, Tai.
Even in the midst of the couple's breakup, however, royal sources made it clear that William had always gotten along with his future mother-in-law—even if people in his inner circle weren't fans.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
"William got on well with Carole. He liked flopping down on the sofas in their Berkshire home, enjoying the normality of that," a second source told the Mail. "The Queen was fond of Kate and liked her father, but let's just say there was a feeling that Mrs. Middleton was not right or acceptable."
RELATED STORIES
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Patina Miller’s Sultry New Manicure Is Reviving This Dramatic Nail Shape
It's also easier to DIY than you think.
By Ariel Baker Published
-
How Queen Camilla Secretly Supported Survivor of Shocking Rape Case
The Queen is a longtime advocate for domestic violence and sexual abuse victims.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
What to Know About the Cast of 'Adolescence,' Netflix's Must-Watch Family Drama About a Shocking Crime
A newcomer leads the gripping yet heartbreaking British miniseries.
By Radhika Menon Published
-
Prince William Could be Getting a New Title Very Soon Following Exciting News
The Prince of Wales would be taking on a very important role.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Has a Surprising Claim to Fame After Claiming He's "Broken the Record" for This Activity
The Prince of Wales brought major dad energy to a Football Association event.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Is Heading to This Country for the First Time—But Princess Kate Won't be Joining Him
The visit is "off the table" for the Princess of Wales.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Discusses "Terrifying" Volunteering Experience at a Mental Health Helpline
"Some of those conversations lived with me for quite a long time afterwards."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
What Prince William's "Very Sad" Childhood Plea Reveals About His Parenting Style
Royal photographer Arthur Edwards shared a heartbreaking story about the future King in a new documentary.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William and Princess Kate Aim for "Normalizing Experiences" So Their Kids Don't Think They're "Elevated"
The princess is integrating her "Middleton upbringing and her family values."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Why Prince William Told a Young Fan "I'm Going to Get You in Trouble" at a Recent Event
"Go on, give me a hug."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Queen Camilla Will Be "Emotional" at a Forthcoming Event With Kate Middleton, Says Royal Expert
"It will be one of the most important days in the royal calendar this year."
By Amy Mackelden Published