Why Carole Middleton believed Kate's life was at a 'standstill' before marrying William

Carole Middleton feared for daughter Kate's future before marrying Prince William, a royal expert has claimed. 

• Carole Middleton was worried about Kate Middleton's future before she married Prince William, according to a royal insider. 
• The Duchess of Cambridge's life was reportedly at a 'standstill' when she was dating the future King. 
• In other royal news, Queen's big change at Sandringham—HRH announces gift for her loyal subjects.
  

Carole Middleton was worried about the Duchess of Cambridge's future before she married Prince William, a royal expert has claimed. 

The Party Pieces owner reportedly feared that her eldest daughter's independence had been restricted by her blossoming romance with the future King, making it difficult for her to achieve her own goals. 

Kate, who first began dating William after the pair met at St. Andrew's University in 2001, was subject to intense media scrutiny when their relationship became public knowledge. It's understood that she struggled to continue living a 'normal' life upon graduation in 2004 and was even forced to decrease her hours as a Jigsaw accessories buyer due to her increasing fame. 

"Carole is concerned that Kate’s life has come to a bit of a standstill," royal correspondent Katie Nicholl revealed in 2009. "She says Kate can’t get on and do normal things because of the public interest in her." 

It likely didn't help that, because Kate had yet to marry into the Royal Family, she wasn't technically eligible to receive the security granted to its senior members. 

"She’s [Carole] of the opinion privately that William should make an honest woman out of her so that she isn’t left waiting in limbo," Katie added. 

Prince William ended this so-called 'standstill' when he proposed to Kate in November 2010, nearly a decade after they first set eyes on each other. Their wedding the following April changed the trajectory of the 29-year-old's life forever, promoting her from commoner to senior royal overnight. She has since been able to fully immerse herself in public service, taking on several patronages and performing countless duties on behalf of the Queen. 

Kate's parents were unsurprisingly delighted with the news that their daughter was engaged to a prince and could finally move onto the next stage of her life. 

"We have got to know William really well, we all think he is wonderful and we are extremely fond of him," Kate's father Michael Middleton said at the time. "They make a lovely couple, are great fun to be with and we’ve had a lot of laughs together. We wish them every happiness for the future.”