Carole Middleton: From Council House to Buckingham Palace

Carole Middleton, famously known as the mother of England's future queen, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton), has been successful in terms of social and economic mobility. Born Carole Goldsmith, she came from a long line of coal miners. She was raised in a council flat (or government housing) and attended a public school. She was a former air stewardess and married pilot Michael Middleton. She was initially snubbed by Prince William's blue-blooded circles, calling her "door's to manual".

Middleton mansion in Berkshire

In the 1980s, she set up a party supply mail to order business called Party Pieces at her backyard. It became a hit and afforded them to buy a Georgian mansion in Berkshire and a stake in racehorse breeding. Her husband, Michael inherited a share from the Lupton family trust fund, and afforded them to send their three children to the best schools - where Kate, Pippa and James made friends with aristocratic scions. The eldest of course is now a royal and future queen.

Carole Middleton is now a proud grandmother of a future king, Prince George. She will have a great influence on Georgie as there is no competition from the late Princess Diana. Carole's name will be forever printed on the family tree of the future royals starting from Prince George. Carole Middleton brought in not only middle-class values, but also her roots from the coal mines, into the lines of England's future kings and queens.