Prince George’s Grandparents: A Special Bond with the Future King

Prince George, the young heir to the British throne, is not only cherished by his grandparents on his father's side, King Charles and Queen Camilla, but also by his maternal grandparents, Michael and Carol Middleton.

Their Berkshire home, Bucklebury Manor, holds a significant place in Prince George's early life, as it was the first place he called home after his birth at St Mary's Hospital in London.

Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, had a strong desire to spend the initial days following her son's arrival in the comfort of her parents' home.

The Grade II listed £4.7 million manor house provided the perfect sanctuary for the new family, and it was here that Prince George began to form a close bond with his other grandparents, particularly his grandfather, Michael Middleton.

Michael, a reserved and gentle man, displayed his paternal instincts towards his first grandchild from the very beginning.

Just a month after George's birth, the world eagerly awaited a glimpse of the young prince.

However, the royal couple had no intention of releasing a professionally taken photograph.

It was Michael who came up with the perfect solution – he offered to take the photo himself, organizing a stress-free photoshoot in the garden.

This allowed Kate and William the freedom to care for their baby without the added pressure of a photographer.

Michael's picture captured the hearts of people worldwide, granting the new parents the space they needed during those precious early days.

As Prince George approaches his 10th birthday, Kate and William have been successfully balancing his future as the future king of the country with his need for a normal childhood.

While his destiny is already determined by his lineage to King Charles, his maternal grandfather, Michael, has shown no particular interest in the royal family.

Despite having aristocratic ancestors and a family line tracing back to Henry VIII, Michael can be described as middle-class.

His father, Peter Middleton, was a distinguished RAF pilot who flew alongside Prince Philip, and his mother, Valerie, was a codebreaker during World War II.

Michael attended Clifton College, a boarding school in Bristol, where he initially aspired to become a pilot.

However, he later decided to pursue a career as a British Airways ground captain.

Carol, on the other hand, hails from a working-class background in Southall.

Despite leaving school at 16, she returned to complete her A-levels.

She began her career as a secretary at British Airways but soon became a member of the cabin crew after learning French.

Michael and Carol met while working for British Airways, and they tied the knot on June 21, 1980, when Carol was 25 years old.

A year later, they welcomed their first child, Kate, who would go on to become the future Princess of Wales.

The couple later had two more children, Pippa and James, and together, they form a close-knit family.

According to a source from the Palace, Prince George's grandparents play a crucial role in keeping him grounded and connected to the lives of ordinary Britons.

Pippa, in an article for The Spectator, shared that her father is a fun-loving grandad.

She recalled his tradition of surprising the family by appearing in fancy dress, often going all out with his costumes.

One memorable Christmas, he even dressed up as an inflatable sumo wrestler, earning him the nickname “sumo.”

It seems that Michael Middleton is doing an exceptional job of creating a sense of normalcy in what can be an extraordinary situation.

As Prince George prepares to celebrate his milestone 10th birthday, it is evident that his grandparents, both on his father's and mother's side, have played a significant role in shaping his early years.