After a harrowing year marked by her daughter, Princess Kate’s cancer diagnosis, Carole Middleton is looking forward to a brighter 2025. Not only has Kate successfully completed her treatment, but the year also brings a significant milestone for Carole as she prepares to celebrate her 70th birthday in a few weeks.
The Middleton matriarch has previously expressed her fondness for the start of a new year on social media. Posting on the Party Pieces account, a party planning business she co-founded, Carole wrote: “It’s no surprise I’ve learned to love January; it’s the start of a new year, a time to put healthy habits in place, and it’s my birthday month-so there’s every good reason to celebrate with loved ones! “
Last January, both Princess Kate and Carole’s birthdays (which fall on the 9th and 31st respectively) were overshadowed by the distressing news of the Princess of Wales’ abdominal surgery, which later led to her alarming cancer diagnosis.
While it remains unclear how long Kate had known about the need for surgery, the Palace confirmed that it had been “planned” when she was admitted to hospital on 16 January.
Kate confessed at her carol service earlier this month that she had no idea how much her life would change in just a month’s time during the same concert back in December 2023. However, her successful recovery gives her mother, Carole, an extra reason to celebrate her upcoming birthday.
Details of Carole’s birthday plans remain under wraps, but she has previously celebrated significant milestones abroad with her husband Michael, such as her 60th birthday in 2015 on the private Caribbean Island of Mustique. This luxury getaway included champagne, a jazz band, and fireworks, reports The Mirror.
The island holds special significance for the Middletons as it was also where Prince George accompanied his parents on holiday when he was six months old in 2014. However, after a tumultuous year, the Middletons may prefer to stay closer to home and celebrate privately at their Berkshire family home, Bucklebury Manor.
The £4.7m property, set in 18 acres, boasts seven bedrooms, five reception rooms, a library, tennis court, swimming pool and drawing room.