What The Crown got right about Carole Middleton: Was she really an air hostess and did she set up Kate and William?

Here's a breakdown of what The Crown got right about Carole Middleton, the mother of the Princess of Wales.

Following the release of season 6 part 2, some viewers are wondering where The Crown was filmed, and how much truth is in these episodes. While some are wondering did The Queen really consider stepping down? Others want to know if the depiction of Carole Middleton in the Netflix show was wholly accurate. Here's what we know...

Was Carole Middleton set up Kate and William?

In the Netflix series, Kate and William met before they went to St Andrew's as Kate is shown buying a Big Issue magazine in London from Prince William and Princess Diana. Following this interaction, the Princess then develops a crush on the Prince and cuts out images of William from a magazine. 

Carole then encourages Kate to pursue him, take a gap year, go to similar adventure excursions, and change universities from Edinburgh to St Andrews. But how much of this is true?

Reportedly Kate did in fact change universities and go on a gap year, but it has never been confirmed that this was because of William - or that her mother encouraged her to do this. 

"Kate was very strategic," Royal Historian, Robert Lacey wrote in his 2020 book Battle of Brothers as he speculated that Kate's actions were centred around William. "She gave up her place at one of Britain's premier universities, Edinburgh, and opted for another one [St. Andrews] that probably didn’t have the same academic standard. She had already been to Edinburgh to get her flat accommodations sorted out but switched universities and switched her courses to History of Art because that was William’s. She delayed her own education by a year and even takes the chance she won’t get into St. Andrew's."

The Crown did accurately portray Kate and William's similar gap years as both worked with Raleigh International on a construction project in Chile. The Prince and Kate worked with the same organisation but at different times so didn't meet in Chile, but likely were able to bond over this shared experience. 

Although The Crown suggests that Kate was encouraged to take the gap year and change universities by Carole, this can't be confirmed. Kate also took on other activities in her gap year such as rowing with Round the World Challenge in the Solent strait and studying at the British Institute in Florence - activities that had nothing to do with the Prince.

Was Carole Middleton an air hostess?

In the Netflix show, Kate's classmates are rather interested in the fact that Kate's mum was an air hostess, and it is bought up several times. But is this true? 

Yes, before meeting Michael and starting her family business, Party Pieces, Carole Middleton was a member of British Airways Cabin Crew. Per Town & Country she began working for BA when she was 21 and left the role when she married her husband, later going back to work when she became the CEO of her own company.

In an interview with Good Housekeeping, Carole revealed that she didn't grow up wealthy. "My father was a builder, and my mother worked part-time in a jewellery shop and later, would go to work in a factory. I remember them working hard to make ends meet and give us a lifestyle," she said.

How did Carole meet Michael Middleton?

Carole and Michael reportedly met at work. Michael worked for British Airways as a flight dispatcher, where he met married Carole Goldsmith, who he would marry in 1980. 

The Crown was correct about Michael's wealthy background as it was reported that his wealthy family had links to the British aristocracy. It is accurate that Michael also worked for Carole's business Party Pieces, until they sold the business in May 2023 when it fell into administration.