Kate Middleton’s uncle has just gone rogue.

This week, Kate Middleton was found. All is right in the world again.

After a short stint of hysteria that the Princess of Wales had gone missing (lol), Middleton was finally spotted in the passenger's seat of her mother's car, driving in Windsor. Prior to this, Middleton hadn't been seen in public since January, when she attended a service at St Mary Magdalene Church ahead of getting abdominal surgery, after which she spent a month recovering.

And now she's back in the public eye, she has a new problem to contend with: her uncle Gary Goldsmith has joined the Celebrity Big Brother house in the UK.

Goldsmith is the younger brother of Kate’s mother, Carole Middleton, and is known in royal circles as somewhat of a 'black sheep' of the family. Upon entering the house, he already made an awkward blunder: he attended the premiere without zipping up the fly on his pants. You have to laugh!

"Every part of me is full of mischief and danger," he said on the premiere before heading into the house. 

Goldsmith is joined by other British celebrities, such as talk show staple Sharon Osbourne, music guru Louis Walsh, presenter Fern Britton, and iconic Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu.

Gary Goldsmith on Celebrity Big Brother. Image: ITV. 

So far on this week’s episodes, fellow celebrity Ekin-Su has asked him "Where is Kate?", with the controversial royal sibling probably spilling a little much. 

"She doesn’t want to talk about it. The last thing I’m going to do [is talk about it]... There’s a kind of code of etiquette. If it is announced, I will give you an opinion," he began.

But then he, umm… very much talked about it. 

"I spoke to her mum, my sister. She’s getting the best care in the world, and all the family has done is put the wagons around and looked after family first before anything else," he said. 

"She’s amazing, she’ll be back [to royal duties], of course she will."

Goldsmith also shared some controversial remarks suggesting that something (or someone *cough* Meghan Markle *cough*) changed Prince Harry’s relationship with Prince William and Middleton. 

"I have a feeling that Harry was really, really loved. When they were a threesome – so Kate, William and Harry – they looked really comfortable together," he said. 

"Then suddenly there’s an extra dynamic that comes in, puts a stick in the spokes, and creates so much drama that I don’t genuinely think was there – and rewrote the history and saying how unhappy he was. And I just don’t think that’s fair."

Gary Goldsmith opens up a little too much on Celebrity Big Brother UK. Image: ITV. 

In a conversation with Sharon Osbourne, the 58-year-old even made some claims about Harry’s next steps. "At some point, I think he’s going to come back and be part of the gang – he might need to," Goldsmith claimed. 

"I think we’re a very forgiving nation, I think everyone would give him a chance."

Say less, Gary!

This is the first Celebrity Big Brother UK season in six years, after the groundbreaking reality show was rested and switched networks to ITV. And given Goldsmith's reputation, he's prepped to stir up some controversy. 

Goldsmith made millions launching an IT company, but his history of problematic behaviour has overshadowed his financial successes. In 2009, the four-times married businessman was photographed in Ibiza with an alleged line of cocaine and a credit card, as shared by the now-defunct News of the World.

Then in 2017, he was arrested and pleaded guilty to assaulting his fourth wife, Julie-Ann, during an alcohol-fueled argument outside their London home. Goldsmith was fined around $9,000 and served a 12-month community order. In one particularly disturbing part of the trial, the prosecutor described Goldsmith punching his wife with a "left hook" that had briefly knocked her unconscious.

Along with assaulting his wife, Goldsmith also has a tendency to speak very openly about his royal relatives. In response to claims made in Prince Harry’s book, Spare, Goldsmith spoke out to defend his family. "I’m particularly appalled by his vile confection of half-truths and complete fabrications, because Kate is my adored niece," he told the Mail Online in 2020.

"Kate is self-sufficient, resourceful and extremely capable... She is not a drama queen."

Despite his controversies, Goldsmith seemingly has a good relationship with Kate's family. He was invited to the royal wedding at Westminster Abbey in 2011, and to the Princess' sister Pippa Middleton’s marriage to James Matthews six years later.

Pippa Middleton at Princess Kate and Prince William's royal wedding in 2011. Image: Getty. 

Kate was even a bridesmaid at Gary’s first wedding back in 1991.

While it's unlikely that Goldsmith will speak badly about his immediate family, the Princess of Wales should perhaps be concerned about what Goldsmith might have to say about the other side of the family, the Sussexes, who quit the royal institution. 

Based on the early episodes, he doesn't plan to hold back. 

"Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are more than likely going to be in the firing line as Gary has made no secret about how little he likes them," a source told The Sun.

In the past, Goldsmith has already expressed his distaste for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, even referring to them as "two muppets craving attention" in a post on his LinkedIn.

The 58-year-old's loose-lipped approach to the royals has reportedly left his family worried about what he might say in the Big Brother house. "They aren’t happy he’s going into Celebrity Big Brother. It is infuriating for them. Kate doesn’t need this stress," a source told The Sun.

"In the eyes of the public, Gary’s become the black sheep of the Middleton family. Carole is his sister, so there will always be love, but they no longer see eye-to-eye on lots of things. He has said he doesn’t have their blessing to go into the house but is going full steam ahead anyway."

As for Catherine, a spokesperson from Kensington Palace has clarified the reason she went MIA (and no, it has nothing to do with her uncle!). "We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant," they said.

Middleton is expected to return to her royal duties in April. Celebrity Big Brother will air for the next three weeks in the UK, and with the Princess still resting at home, we've got an inkling that she will be watching on.

In horror. 

Feature image: Getty. 

This article was originally published on March 5, 2024 and has since been updated with new information.

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