A Christmas CAROLE

She's famously the hostess with the mostess. Here we reveal the Middleton matriarch's best-kept festive secrets

- WORDS: ANNA MATHESON

'T was the night before Christmas and Bucklebury Manor was full of festive cheer... from decking the halls to planning yuletide bashes, the Princess of Wales' mum Carole Middleton knows a thing or two about ensuring a royally good time is had by all over the festive period. The 70-year-old doesn't always get to spend the day with Kate and her family, but when she does, the self-confessed, hands-on gran likes to make it very special. Here, we take a look at the ways Carole makes every year a Christmas to remember.

Start early

When it comes to ensuring that everything is ready for the big day, Carole admits that she begins her Christmas prep in October. 'I start planning Christmas soon after Halloween,' Carole explains, adding, 'I'm a big list-maker and I try to get everyone involved.'

Presents are wrapped in advance and all follow a set theme, such as red wrapping paper or big bows, but Carole has a helping hand with this job in the form of her husband Michael, 76, too. She explains, 'Mike gets very involved with the square shapes. He's very precise.'

It's the season... to decorate!

In the family's Georgian Grade II-listed Berkshire manor, there's plenty of room for decoration and Carole starts with multiple Christmas trees. As well as a 'memory tree' decorated with meaningful baubles from over the years, Carole says they have, 'one for the children to decorate and one which I do myself'. In 2021, the granny revealed she'd updated their treetop angel for a light-up gold star to bring 'extra twinkle to proceedings'.