There was a beautiful way that Carole Middleton was honoured by the Princess of Wales at her wedding and most people won’t have noticed.
Prince William and Kate’s wedding was an iconic royal moment and it’s hardly surprising that every last detail of the big day was meticulously thought-out. From the to the choice of myrtle in her bouquet in line with royal tradition, to the bride’s Welsh gold wedding band cut from a piece owned by Queen Elizabeth, there were so many subtle but meaningful touches. These made their day - which was watched by millions - still very personal to them and there was a lovely way that Carole Middleton was honoured on the day.
It was subtle and most people might never have noticed, but Kate’s bridesmaids all stepped out in flower crowns. According to Hello!, the crowns were modelled after Carole’s wedding headpiece as she’s understood to have opted for a gorgeous floral crown for her and Michael Middleton’s 1980 nuptials.
All four of the Princess of Wales’s bridesmaids were flower crowns with ivy and lily of the valley whilst Pippa Middleton, the Maid Honour, also had a floral decoration in her half-up, half-down hairstyle. Some reports have even suggested that Kate apparently considered wearing a flower crown, but she ended up getting married in the magnificent Cartier Halo Tiara.
Even though she didn’t actually wear a flower crown herself, Kate’s decision for the bridesmaids to wear these stunning headpieces at her royal wedding could be seen as a beautiful way to honour Carole.
Pippa Middleton later followed in her elder sister’s footsteps when she married James Matthews in 2017, opting for similar flower crowns to be worn by her own bridesmaids which included Princess Charlotte. However, the flower crowns weren’t the only special nod to the Princess of Wales’s family that was incorporated into the wedding arrangements and the run-up to the ceremony.
The future Queen broke with tradition to have Pippa as a Maid of Honour - a role that at the time was often considered to be a more American wedding custom. Meanwhile, Kate’s custom-made Robinson Pelham earrings were a gift from her parents and also paid tribute to them in their design. The diamond encrusted earrings featured acorns and an oak leaf - both of which appear in the Middleton family crest which was unveiled shortly before the Prince and Princess of Wales’s wedding.
As revealed by the Royal Family website, the Middletons worked closely with the College of Arms to create something that "visually identified them as a family". The three acorns included in the Middleton Coat of Arms represent the Princess of Wales, Pippa and their brother James.
They chose acorns specifically because West Berkshire, where they were brought up by Michael and Carole, is surrounded by oak trees. Carole was also personally represented by the gold chevron at the centre as her maiden name was Goldsmith.
Getting candid with The Telegraph seven years after Kate’s big day, Carole shared how she had been hugely involved with both of her daughters’ weddings and prioritised listening to what each of them wanted.
"We talked about music… everything. I was involved lots with both Pip’s and Catherine’s weddings. But I think the most important thing, as a parent, is to listen to what your daughter wants. You can have all the ideas in the world, but it has to be about them. And don’t muscle in on the guest list," she declared.
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