There's a very sweet reason why Queen Elizabeth and Carole Middleton get on so well

Kate Middleton is one of the most beloved members of the royal family, heavily depended on by the Queen and currently playing a pivotal role in reassuring the nation amid the coronavirus outbreak.

It’s not just the Duchess of Cambridge however who has become part of the family, with the Middleton family also welcomed into the royal fold.

‘I definitely think courtiers were determined that Kate should marry into the family feeling as comfortable as possible,’ royal expert Katie Nicholl explained of Kate’s family being made to feel welcome. ‘And I just don’t think William was going to take any chances. I mean, he adores the Middletons – he has a very close relationship with Michael and with Carole, so he also did not want them to be sidelined as soon as Kate married into the family.’

It appears however that there’s another royal family member that’s particularly fond of Carole Middleton. The royal in question? Queen Elizabeth herself.

The two women are thought to have a shared love of equestrian sports, and bond over being horse racing fanatics.

In fact, Carole and Michael Middleton reportedly own a stake in a race horse, while the Queen has owned many herself over the years.

‘I don’t think there will be any need for [the Duchess of Cambridge] to distance herself from her family’, HELLO!’s royal reporter Emily Nash explained in ITV documentary, Kate: The Making of a Modern Queen. ‘They're obviously very important to both William and Kate and they’ve really been accepted into the royal fold, if you like.’

She continued: ‘We’ve seen the Queen driving Carole Middleton around at Balmoral pointing out sites to her. They’re obviously very comfortable in each other’s company. The family have also enjoyed lunches at Sandringham and they’ve stayed at Prince Charles’ Birkhall home.’

Well, that’s lovely.