Who is Gary Goldsmith and how is he related to Carole and Kate Middleton?

Who is Gary Goldsmith? Here's all you need to know about him and how he's related to the Princess of Wales and her mother

Composite of Gary Goldsmith at Pippa Middleton's wedding and Carole and Kate Middleton at Ascot
(Image credit: Image 1: Photo by UK Press Pool/UK Press via Getty Images //Image 2: Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Who is Gary Goldsmith and how is he related to Kate and Carole Middleton? You might be wondering about his royal connections as he joins the cast of Celebrity Big Brother

There are certain occasions throughout the year where fans get to see the extended Royal Family members stepping out with the likes of King Charles and Queen Camilla. As a future Queen Consort herself, it’s no surprise that the Princess of Wales’s family are also invited to major royal events. The Middletons' future roles are sure to spark fascination amongst fans, leading them to ask everything from if Pippa Middleton will get a title to whether Carole Middleton has to curtsy to Kate

However, there are other relatives of the Princess of Wales who are also a source of huge interest, including Gary Goldsmith. With Gary entering the Celebrity Big Brother house, fans might be intrigued about his royal connections. We have all the details about who Gary Goldsmith is and how he’s related to not only Kate, but Carole Middleton too.

Businessman Gary Goldsmith arrives for the Conservative party Black and White Ball at Natural History Museum on February 7, 2018

(Image credit: Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

Who is Gary Goldsmith?

Gary Goldsmith is Carole Middleton’s younger brother and is therefore related by marriage to the Royal Family. He’s a businessman and started out working in the IT field before moving to work for an IT recruitment firm which he later owned shares in and sold them in 2005. Gary went on to buy a villa in Ibiza, sometimes referred to as Maison de Bang Bang.

Over the years, Carole Middleton’s brother has attracted controversy and, as per the BBC, in 2017 he was charged with assaulting his wife Julie-Ann during an argument after drinking. Gary pleaded guilty and was also sentenced to a 12-month community order with a rehabilitation order requirement and was fined.

Gary Goldsmith attends the wedding of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews at St Mark's Church on May 20, 2017

(Image credit: Photo by UK Press Pool/UK Press via Getty Images)

Jane Humphryes, who defended him, declared that Gary was “deeply ashamed and concerned”, not only about his behaviour but also the “adverse publicity” for “everyone concerned”.

He has also recently issued a statement, as per Express.co.uk, declaring, "I’m not perfect and I made a mistake, a personal row seven years ago which was publicly exposed that I've worked endlessly for seven years to put right. The offence is long since spent, however, my regret continues."

Gary has been very outspoken and open about his views on royal goings on, including the release of Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, last year. Writing for the Daily Mail, Gary claimed that Carole would reportedly have been left “hurt and angry” by some of the revelations in the tell-all memoir.

Carole Middleton and Michael Middleton arrive at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla

(Image credit: Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty)

“Carole will be incredibly hurt and angry about the slights and calumnies heaped on William and Kate this week, but you won’t hear a peep from her. When your eldest child becomes the future Queen, you don’t get a manual on behaviour and etiquette, but Carole and her husband, Mike, know instinctively what to do,” he alleged.

Gary went on to suggest that “say nothing” is Carole and Michael Middleton’s “mantra” as they maintain “quiet dignity” at all times. According to Gary, for the Goldsmiths, family is “everything” and he believes that this value is hugely important to Kate too.

“At her core is the Goldsmith way: family means everything. Kate will, of course, have phoned Carole, who will protect her like a lioness, but for both it will be business as usual,” he suggested.

As Carole’s younger brother, Gary Goldsmith is the Princess of Wales’s maternal uncle. Over the years he has spoken out about his royal niece, including to give his opinion on Meghan Markle’s suggestion that Kate allegedly made her cry in the lead-up to her and Prince Harry’s wedding. Speaking to the Mail on Sunday in 2021, as per the Daily Mail, Gary expressed scepticism over Meghan’s remarks, declaring, “I’ve known Kate since she was born, and she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.”

Catherine Middleton is seen arriving with her mother Carole and sister Pippa Middleton at the Goring Hotel

(Image credit: George Pimentel via Getty)

“She's even lovelier on the inside than on the outside,” Gary continued, before later adding, “Kate would have been trying to make the peace. I would fight for Kate's honour until the day I die. She is the most spectacular person I've ever met.”

The businessman has also previously declared his support for Kate and Prince William as a couple, reflecting upon the first time he met the future King when he accompanied his niece to a dinner party. Getting candid with Hello! In 2013, Gary said that when he saw them together he thought that “even if he wasn’t going to be the King, they would make a great couple” and that the Prince and Princess of Wales were “very, very good together”.

Gary Goldsmith uncle of the bride attends the wedding of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews

(Image credit: Photo by Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Gary attended both Kate and Prince William’s wedding in 2011 and Pippa and James Matthews’s wedding in 2017. However, he was not at either the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth in 2022 or King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation last year. It’s not known what his relationship with the Prince and Princess of Wales is currently like and the couple haven’t been seen publicly with Gary for many years.

Is Gary Goldsmith married and does he have children? 

Gary Goldsmith has been married four times and has a daughter, Tallulah, with his second wife Luan. Luan accompanied him to the Prince and Princess of Wales’s wedding and Tallulah was pictured with him going to Pippa and James’s nuptials.

Emma Shacklock

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!