Now Carole Middleton and Kris Jenner aren't two people we'd necessarily put together. But within the context of The Crown, Carole is definitely flying the pushy mom flag in the series (though we must hasten to add this is a fictional version of events).
The last season of The Crown was split into two parts, with the second dropping on 14 December. The final six episodes cover the aftermath of Princess Diana's death, as well as the budding romance between Prince William and Kate Middleton. William is shown in the Netflix drama to be in extremely high demand due to the 'Willsmania' surrounding the St Andrews student; a combination of Wills growing into a handsome young man in the public eye and a global outpouring of sympathy after the death of his mother.
It's fair to say that William being the ultimate catch doesn't go unnoticed by Kate's mother, Carole, who fiercely encourages her daughter to make a bee-line for the Prince. Carole's intense motivation to see her daughter succeed in The Crown's latest instalment has prompted fans to make a comparison between Kate Middleton's mum and the head honcho of the Kardashian clan, Kris Jenner.
'Kate Middleton’s mom is the British Kris Jenner,' wrote one fan of the Netflix show on X (formerly Twitter). The post struck a nerve, garnering 586 likes (and counting) and numerous reposts. But not everyone completely agreed with the sentiment, pointing out that Carole's character was likely somewhat embellished. Another wrote: 'But was her portrayal accurate or embellished? If she was trying to get Kate w Will her plan worked!' While another said, 'I think Carole was misrepresented.'
Kate Middleton’s mom is the British Kris Jenner #TheCrown pic.twitter.com/nzQkWvM6Z8December 17, 2023
While another said: 'Carole Middleton walked so Kris Jenner could run.' And a third wrote: 'Carole Middleton is the original Kris Jenner.'
Carole Middleton walked so kris Jenner could run #TheCrownDecember 16, 2023
Carole Middleton is the original Kris Jenner#TheCrown #TheCrown6December 17, 2023
So did Carole have much to do with her daughter's relationship? Potentially. Royal correspondent Matthew Bell wrote in a 2005 article that appeared in The Spectator, that he questions whether Kate's "university meeting with Prince William can really be ascribed to coincidence."
He also claimed that “it has been suggested” that mum Carole persuaded her daughter “to reject her first choice," which was the University of Edinburgh, “on hearing the news” that Prince William was going to be attending St Andrews.
Royal reporter Tina Brown has also commented on the topic, writing in her book Palace Papers: “It is unlikely Kate would be where she is today without her mother’s canny help in negotiating a royal romance. Carole’s fingerprints are all over Kate’s first move on the royal chessboard."
But not everyone agrees with the analysis, with some viewers calling Carole's depiction an indicator of the 'misogynistic' take the tabloids had at the time. One royal fan wrote on X: 'A reminder that the Carol plotting to get Kate in is the misogynistic take the tabloids and upper class had when they got together. That and nobody clearly understands how UCAS works, and that she had a boyfriend when she first arrived at Uni, then she had Rupert Finch.'
While another said: 'I really truly loved #TheCrown but I'm hating this predatory depiction of Kate Middleton and her Mum.'
A reminder that the Carol plotting to get Kate in is the misogynistic take the tabloids and upper class had when they got together. That and nobody clearly understands how UCAS works, and that she had a boyfriend when she first arrived at Uni, then she had Rupert Finch. #TheCrownDecember 14, 2023
I really truly loved #TheCrown but I'm hating this predatory depiction of Kate Middleton and her Mum.December 15, 2023
Whether Kate's (and Carole's) intentions were calculated or not - it would seem that Prince William attending St Andrews bumped up the university's appeal hugely. Applications to the university went up by a massive 44 % that year, according to the official Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (via The Guardian).
You can catch all six episodes of the final instalment of The Crown on Netflix now
