James Middleton paid tribute to his “darling mother” as Carole Middleton celebrated her milestone 70th birthday on Friday.
Taking to Instagram, the Princess of Wales’s younger brother, 37, posted a rare childhood photograph.
The snap showed Carole, with a cropped hairdo, smiling as she held baby James in her arms, who was dressed in a cotton white outfit.
“Happy 70th Birthday to my darling Mother. My Hero,” James proudly captioned the image.
© Instagram / @jmidyHis followers flooded the comments section with well-wishes for Carole, while some social media users pointed out the resemblance between baby James and pictures of his sister Kate and her youngest son, Prince Louis, at the same age.
James is the youngest of Carole and Michael’s children, born in Berkshire, in 1987. He later attended the same boarding school as his sisters, Kate and Pippa – Marlborough College in Wiltshire.
The businessman married French financial analyst, Alizee Thevenet, in 2021, and the couple welcomed their son, Inigo, two years later.
James shares a close bond with his parents, residing nearby in Bucklebury.
Alizee even wore her mother-in-law’s bridal gown from her 1980 wedding for her nuptials to James in Bormes-les-Mimosas. Carole’s boho frilled dress was altered to make it off-the-shoulder for her new daughter-in-law.
While the Prince and Princess of Wales did not publicly share birthday wishes for Kate’s mother on 31 January, the Princess was gifted a very special present during her outing in South Wales on Thursday.
During a visit to Corgi, a family-run business in Ammanford, near Swansea, which specialises in handmade socks and knitwear, Kate was given a cream, zip up cashmere cardigan, made especially for her, as well as a navy cashmere wrap for her mother, Carole, for her 70th birthday.
Appearing touched, Kate said: “That’s so sweet of you, thank you, I wasn’t expecting it.”
© GettyCarole and Michael made a rare public appearance in December to support Kate at her Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey.
