Carole Middleton's life from humble beginnings to country estate with George, Charlotte and Louis

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Carole Middleton, the mother of Princess Kate, is celebrating a significant milestone - her 70th birthday. We reflect on the life of this accomplished businesswoman and how she has managed to maintain such strong family ties.Born Carole Goldsmith to parents Ron and Dorothy, the future King's grandmother spent the initial months of her life in a council house in Ealing, West London, a stark contrast to her current residence, a country manor reportedly worth £4.7 million.

Her parents were industrious and ambitious, qualities that Carole undoubtedly possesses.Her father, Ron, transitioned from working at a haulage company to embarking on a new career as a builder, painter, and decorator, fully supported by his wife, Dorothy.

The family relocated to Southall, where Carole spent most of her childhood before the family expanded with the arrival of her younger brother Gary, who is a decade her junior.Gary made headlines last year with a brief appearance on Celebrity Big Brother and has been a somewhat contentious figure over the years.

In 2009, he was ensnared in a sting operation by the now-defunct News of the World, where he boasted about his Royal connections through his niece Kate, who was dating Prince William at the time.