Princess Kate’s mom is ringing in the weekend by celebrating her milestone birthday on Jan. 31
Kate Middleton headed home from her latest engagements with a little something special for her mom Carole Middleton.
The Princess of Wales’ mother turned 70 on Jan. 31, and Princess Kate was surprised with a gift for her mom during her day out the day before on Jan. 30. The princess is gradually be resuming royal duties after announcing on Jan. 14 that she’s in “remission” from cancer (news she shared in March 2024) and accepted a present for her mom Carole on the eve of her birthday.
While visiting the family-run textiles manufacturer Corgi in South Wales on Thursday, the Princess of Wales was given a cream zip cashmere cardigan custom made for her and a navy cashmere wrap for Carole as a birthday present, Hello! reported.
The outlet said that Princess Kate shared her thanks — and surprise! — when Cari, the 12-year-old daughter of business co-owner Chris Jones, gave her the cozy gifts.
“That’s so sweet of you, thank you, I wasn’t expecting it,” Princess Kate said.
The royal traveled to Wales for a poignant set of engagements on Jan. 30, visiting the Tŷ Hafan children’s hospice on the day she was announced as patron (following in the footsteps of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana) before heading to the family-run knitwear factory. Princess Kate is known to have a keen interest in the textile industry, and in 2023 visited a family-owned mill that previously acquired the woollen manufacturer and merchant that her paternal grandparents once ran in Leeds, England.
The Princess of Wales is known to be close to her parents Carole and Michael, who recently stepped out to support her fourth annual Together at Christmas carol service in December 2024. There, Princess Kate and Prince William‘s youngest son, Prince Louis, gave an adorable clue into how close he is with them too in a handwritten message on a tag for a Kindness Tree outside Westminster Abbey.
Related: Prince Louis’ Sweet Secret Message to Kate Middleton’s Parents Revealed at Carol Concert
“Thank you to Granny and Grandpa because they have played games with me,” Louis’ message said.
Carole and Michael sat around a table with Kate, William and their kids Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, playing cards in a moving scene from Princess Kate’s Sept. 9 video in which she announced with “relief” that she completed chemotherapy.
“As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment. The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown,” the royal said in part then.
“The cancer journey is complex, scary, and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you. With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything.”
Kate turned 43 on Jan. 9, meaning that she shares a birthday month with her mother — who knows a thing or two about celebrating! Carole launched the party supply business Party Pieces in 1987 after being unable to find the right plates for Kate’s fifth birthday, and she and Michael grew the company into a successful business, which they sold for an undisclosed sum in 2023.
Ahead of her birthday that year, Carole revealed how she planned to spend her special day in a post on Party Pieces’ Instagram.
“Is it just me or has January flown by? Which means it is nearly my birthday. I often go away on holiday for my birthday, but this year I am bringing the sunshine to me by throwing a party featuring lots of bright and bold colours,” the message read with a shot of Carole holding a bouquet of balloons. “If you’ve got a birthday coming up soon, take a look at my edit on the website for inspiration.”
Princess Kate may have inherited her mom’s appreciation for birthdays, as the royal previously revealed that she loves “making the cake” for her children’s birthdays.
