Carole and Michael Middleton 'spent a lot of money' to help Kate break into Royal Family

The Middletons’ life, which is revered for being the epitome of family values and hard work, is set to be placed under the microscope in a new documentary, ‘The Middletons: Marrying Into the Monarchy’. Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, met William during their first year at University of St Andrews in Scotland. Romance blossomed for the couple, now both 39, after they attended lectures together, and shared a dormitory and later a cottage with some friends.

Their relationship became public after they were pictured together at the Swiss ski resort of Klosters by The Sun in 2004.

William and Kate eventually got married in 2011, tying the knot at Westminster Abbey in London.

Despite their close relationship, the couple had vastly different upbringings.

William is the Queen’s grandson and the heir to the throne, while Kate is the daughter of Carole and Michael Middleton, who ran a party planning business.

However, it is Kate’s parents who can claim to have succeeded in launching their daughter into a life of royalty, according to royal experts.

Kate boarded at St Andrew's Preparatory School, a private school in Meads, Eastbourne, before attending Downe House School.

However, after saying she was being bullied, her parents moved her to Malborough College in Wiltshire, which her younger brother and sister, James and Pippa also attended.

Marlborough currently costs £39,930 a term and is frequently ranked as one of the UK’s best boarding schools for A-level results.

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Carole and Michael’s decision to enrol Kate at the institution was a wise choice, according to Michael Cole, a former BBC television journalist and royal correspondent.

“What they did is what good parents have always done, they’ve invested in education, it cost them a lot of money,” he said in an appearance in the 2017 documentary, ‘Kate Middleton: Working Class to Windsor’.

He added: “They sent all of their three children to good schools, and in the case of Kate to Malborough, which is one of the top public schools… where she did quite well.”

During her education Kate was said to be popular, diligent and a hard worker.

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When she entered her university years the Duchess was apparently friends with Prince William before the two started dating.

Kate caught William’s eye at a charity fashion show at St Andrews in 2002, where she modelled a see-through dress on the catwalk, which later sold for £78,000 at auction.

As well as grabbing his attention at university, Kate also gave advice to William about his education.

The Prince had considered whether or not to ditch his degree and move back home, according to royal correspondent Camilla Tominey.

Speaking for the same documentary, she said: “Kate at the time counselled William in changing his course, he didn’t like what he was studying.

“She encouraged him not to leave and go back down to London but stick with it and do something a little bit different.”

‘The Middletons: Marrying Into the Monarchy’ will be shown on Channel 5 at 8pm on Saturday.