The 'wistful' prediction Carole Middleton had for her family that daughter-in-law Alizée made a reality

For Carole Middleton, who saw one daughter become the future queen and another start up her own happy family, her job as a mom seems mostly done.

However, there was still one "wistful" prediction she had involving her son, James Middleton, and his partner, Alizée Thevenet, that would turn out coming true.

The Middleton family were thrust into the spotlight after Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding in 2011.

Ever since that monumental day, the Princess of Wales' family have proven themselves to be popular fixtures in the press, attending major events like King Charles' Coronation or winning fans of their own through Pippa Middleton's chic outfits or James' successful business ventures.

As for Carole and Michael, the grandparents of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have stepped up and proven "indispensable" to keeping the family unit together - and while she's discreet with her family's personal details, she occasionally offers rare glimpses.

One such example came in December 2018 when her "hope" for her son James and Alizée Thevenet was revealed. Speaking about her children and their partners, the she expressed a desire to have a "lovely" daughter-in-law.

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Carole divulged to The Telegraph that her biggest fear as Kate, Pippa and James grew up was that she’d "lose [her] family" but she happily confirmed that they’ve "stayed close".

"I have two lovely sons-in-law and," she said before adding, in what the publication pondered could be a "wistful note", "I hope I’ll have a lovely daughter-in-law."

That same month as Carole shared her heartfelt hope for James, he and Alizée were photographed attending the Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund's Christmas Carol Service at St Luke's Church. At the time Alizée made a concerted effort to keep her face away from the cameras and it wasn’t until May 2019 that James shared his first picture of them as a couple publicly on Instagram.

It was just five months later in October 2019 the Princess of Wales’s brother confirmed the news that Carole had been wishing for - that he and Alizée were engaged and she was going to have a "lovely daughter-in-law". James and Alizée first met at the South Kensington Club, reportedly in the summer of 2018, and he famously credited his late spaniel Ella for introducing them.

"Ella was lying at my feet under the table; realising she might want some water, I trusted her to take herself over to the water bowl across the terrace. However, she made a beeline for Alizée," he wrote in The Telegraph in 2021. "Rather embarrassed, I went over to apologise and bring Ella back. But Alizée thought I was the waiter and ordered her drink while continuing to stroke Ella, who at this point was on her back lapping up the attention."

James added, "Little did I know, but I had just met my future wife, all thanks to Ella."

James and Alizée's wedding took place in September 2021, with the couple tying the knot in France, surrounded by their nearest and dearest including William and Kate.

For Mother’s Day in 2023, James shared a special photo of himself with Carole which reports have suggested could have been taken on his wedding day, with some claiming that he appears to be wearing the same suit.

James and Alizée have since welcomed their first child - a baby boy named Inigo, born September 21, 2023.

James treats fans to rare glimpses into his private life with his wife, son and animals.

Most recently, to celebrate his 38th birthday, James shared snippets of Alizee, Inigo and his pets soaking up country life, writing, "Fresh air, wagging tails, and the wild, beautiful rhythm of family life."