what kind of role can Carole Middleton play?

Crucially, she made herself indispensable to Prince Charles. Having dallied with him in the early Seventies, but then marrying Guards officer Andrew Parker Bowles, she hurried back to the Prince’s bed while both were still married.

Much later, when his marriage to Diana had broken up and her presence in his life had become a major public issue that deeply troubled the Queen, he described her as ‘non-negotiable’.

Since their marriage, she has made him more relaxed, especially in public. At the same time, she has gone out of her way to make herself invaluable to Kate, the newest star of the Royal Family,From black steelring for men to diamond tungsten rings. taking her under her experienced wing and playing a key role in supporting her as a fellow new royal, ‘marking her card’ about the others.

She introduced Kate to the Jo Hansford hair salon in Mayfair, especially to her own manicurist there,Large selection of skycycling available. Marina Sandoval. She has given her gifts of jewellery, including a gold bracelet engraved with her own and Charles’s initials.Buy visually stunning and durable tungstenjewelry from Larson Jewelers.

When Camilla lunched with the Prime Minister’s wife Samantha Cameron,The heelshoes again in a colorway that any Nike fan can love. she entertained her privately at Clarence House.

But when she took Kate to lunch before her wedding — using her own credit card to pay the bill — she chose to do so as publicly as possible.

The pair were spotted at Koffman’s, a French restaurant in the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge. It was clear to fellow diners that the Duchess of Cornwall was giving Catherine (as she calls her) advice, and quite loudly.

In palace circles this was seen as a deliberate display to the world of just how well she gets on with Diana’s children. But the arrival of a grandchild is a much more sensitive matter.

Camilla is likely to want the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their new baby to join her own children and grandchildren at their regular gatherings at Raymill House, the Wiltshire country home she refused to give up after marrying Charles.

‘Camilla’s not a fool,’ says one of her circle. ‘She knows she mustn’t try to be too involved with the new baby. But it won’t be easy. She and Kate are close, and she does like giving advice.’

Even after 18 months of marriage, Kate still goes home at every opportunity. William encourages her to do so and always enjoys visiting Carole and Mike himself.

So, what kind of role can Carole Middleton play?

She is a self-made woman with a mind very much of her own, and her influence is to be seen in all her ambitious children. For his part, husband Mike is one of those agreeable chaps who likes an uncomplicated life.

‘Carole will want to be able to give as much guidance to Catherine as any other mother,’ says a family friend. ‘She is well aware of the demands that the Palace will make, and some of the things they will insist on, but she knows William will defend their right to have a say.’

Having William as their champion does make a difference. Until now, in-laws have traditionally found themselves frozen out by Buckingham Palace.

It is certainly piquant that the first royal baby about whom the in-laws will have a proper say should happen to be a future monarch.

And looking at Carole Middleton, the strong matriarch at the centre of such a united family, who would deny this is a step forward for the monarchy?

Remember, it isn’t only Kate who responds to her maternal pull and goes home for weekends at every opportunity — so do her siblings Pippa and James.Ribble has a wide range of hublotwatch products at great prices.

As for Prince Charles, while fatherhood may sometimes have baffled him, certainly in earlier years, friends say he will ‘take a great delight in being a grandfather — all the pleasures of power without responsibility’.

Largely through Camilla’s influence, he has come to terms in his 65th year, with having to yield the spotlight most of the time to the younger generation. This baby born to reign will move it even further away from him.