Carole Middleton’s 70th birthday deserved a celebration woven with love and escape, and the private island of Mustique delivered just that. Last week, Princess Kate joined her mother and closest family for a sunlit gathering far from life’s daily hum, as the Daily Mail reports.
The event doubled as a family retreat, neatly aligned with the school holidays for Kate and Prince William’s three children. The Middleton brood—Pippa and her husband James Matthews, James Middleton with his wife Alizee, and their toddler son Inigo—came together around Carole in this tropical idyll. They reportedly stayed at Les Jolies Eaux, a five-bedroom villa where vast living spaces open to breathtaking views of the pool and ocean. Staffed with a butler, gardener, and chef, the €45,000-a-week haven offers private access to the secluded Gelliceaux beach.
Carole’s milestone arrived on January 31, but the family’s tribute took shape two weeks later in Mustique. The timing carried extra weight after a year marked by Kate’s cancer diagnosis. Now in remission, as she’s shared through her recovery, the Princess has returned to royal duties—making this getaway a quiet victory as much as a celebration.
The allure of Mustique dates back more than fifty years, when Scottish aristocrat Colin Tennant purchased the rugged island, which at the time had no roads, docks, or running water, with the intention of using it for cotton production. His vision shifted when he gifted land to Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister, turning it into a royal retreat. She once dubbed it “my home, the only square inch I have in the world.”
Set more than 4,000 kilometers from London’s clamor, Mustique blends discreet luxury with natural charm. Some snorkel with turtles near the Tobago Cays; others ride horses, sail, or dip into water sports. For the Middletons, though, it was a rare moment to pause, reflect, and revel in togetherness.