Will Carole and Michael Middleton receive royal titles when Princess Kate becomes Queen Consort?

Carole and Michael Middleton have always been exceptionally supportive of their daughter Princess Kate and son-in-law Prince William.

Reports over Easter revealed that Carole headed to Windsor to be with her the Princess whilst she is undergoing cancer treatment, which, as a hands-on grandmother to George, ten, Charlotte, eight and Louis, five, doesn't come as much of a surprise. 

While she was there, Carole was also spotted on a low-key outing with her son-in-law, Prince William. Michael too has an exceptional bond with his grandchildren, who can forget when Princess Charlotte was pictured pulling a funny face at her grandfather at the sailing regatta in 2019?

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As parents of a future Queen Consort, and stalwart supporters of the royal family it begs the question: will they receive official royal titles when their daughter becomes Queen?

HELLO!'s online royal correspondent, Danielle Stacey, has weighed in: "It's very unlikely that Carole and Michael Middleton will be given titles, despite being the parents of a Queen Consort and this is all down to the rules around peerage titles.

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"A dukedom is a hereditary noble title which is the highest rank of peerage in Britain, and titles can be passed down from a parent or granted by the present reigning monarch. When Kate married Prince William in 2011, Queen Elizabeth II gave them the title of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge."

So while they could be awarded titles, it would be an unprecedented move. According to Woman and Home, Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, the mother of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, was awarded titles of the Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne because "her husband inherited it from his father and was a member of the aristocracy,"  rather than to reflect her status as a Queen's mother.

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Queen Camilla's relatives are also titleless. Sadly, her parents passed away in 1994 and 2006, but when it came to her children, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, they were never awarded titles.

The one exception is Camilla's sister, Annabel Elliot who is known as one of 'the Queen’s Companions' which are the equivalent to her 'ladies in waiting'.

Kate could appoint her mother and sister as her 'companions' but this title would be different to an official royal title or aforementioned peerage honour.