HEguardis atlastcomingdown
forthefiercelyprivatedukeand
duchessofCambridge,withthe
coupleallowingthemediato
photographtheirchildrenmorethanever
beforeatroyaleventsandevenprivate
daysout.
Butneveraretheymorenaturalandrelaxed
thanwhenthey’reenjoyingrural,civilian
lifefarfromthecameraswithKate’s family
intheduchess’hometownofBucklebury,
wherethecoupleandtheirthreekids
evidentlypreferlifewithGrannyCarole
andGrandpaMichaelMiddletonoverthe
regimentedday-to-dayatKensingtonPalace.
Aspartofourexclusive,on-the-ground
investigationintheidyllicWestBerkshire
hamlet,peoplespoketomorethan 20 locals,
resultinginexclusivepicturesandon-record
interviewswiththepeoplewhoknowKate,
WilliamandtheMiddletonsbest.
Withtheirpathtothethroneclearlymarked
forbothKate,William, andfutureKing
George, you’dthinkthefamilywouldexpect
preferentialtreatmentevenwhenvisiting
thevillageofaround2 000people– but
localsinsisttheyputonveryfewairsand
graces.
Infact,notonlyareKateandWilliamstill
regularsatthepubtheycourtedinthe2000s- theirlittlesonis verymucha regulartoo,
andinsistsondressingsimilarlytohisformer
militarymandad,whowasa chopperpilot
fortheBritisharmyandairforce.
“WhenGeorgeis here,hewearscamouflage
clothing,”sayspublicanAndreatTheOld
BootInnnearbyStanfordDingley,where
theMiddletonfamilyhasbeendiningfor
decades.“Youhavetopretendlikeyoucan’t
seehim.Charlotte’s
verycute,too.She
playsinthegardenwith
mypartnerRebecca’s
daughter.Wehaven’t
seentheyoungestone
[PrinceLouis] yet.”
Andrereportsthat
Kate’s sisterPippawas
perchedupatthebar
withherhusbandJames
Matthewsjusta week
beforepeoplevisited,
andthatCaroleandMikefrequentthe
300-year-oldpub‘atleasttwonightsa week’- andthoseintheknowsayKate’s momis
partialtotheirfamedduckshepherd’spie
anda cheekyglassortwoofpinotnoir.
BringingGeorge,Charlotte, and,oneday,
LouistoTheOldBootis a nostalgicwalk
downmemorylaneforKateandWilliam,
who,Andrereveals,‘courtedhere’while
theyweredating.
“Theywouldsitatthecornertablenearthe
firebythemselves,wherenoonewould
botherthem,”hesays.
Whilehavingthe
futurekingandqueen
consortsinkinga pint
ofaleatthepubhas
generatedexcellent
publicityforAndre
andTheOldBoot,
there’sanotherlocal
institutionthat’s
alsobaskinginthe
gloryofcounting
royaltyamongtheir
congregation.
ONE time we
had a coach
[bus] full of Dutch
tourists out there
with them and
no one even
knew who they
were, because
they just look
like an ordinary
family.
Carole and Michael Middleton