Royals Kate Middleton's Mom Marks Birthday with Throwback Photo of Kate from the '80s! Carole Middleton founded her company Party Pieces after being unimpressed by the party supplies available for Kate's fifth birthday celebration By Stephanie Petit Stephanie Petit Stephanie Petit is a Royals Editor, Writer and Reporter at PEOPLE. People Editorial Guidelines Published on January 31, 2022 10:53 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Carole Middleton. Photo: Party Pieces/Instagram Happy birthday, Carole Middleton! The mom of Kate Middleton turned 67 on Monday, and Party Pieces — the party decorations and supply company that Carole created — marked the occasion by sharing a throwback photo that appears to feature the founder with all of her children. Carole smiles in the center of the black-and-white shot, surrounded by kids sporting party hats and playing with blowers. Upon further inspection, the young girl to the far right is none other than the future Duchess of Cambridge herself! Meanwhile, Kate's two younger siblings — Pippa and James — pose on the other side of their mother. "Happiest of Birthdays to the party planner extraordinaire! We hope you have the most magical day," the post was captioned. How Granny Carole Middleton Is Bringing 'Extra Twinkle' to George, Charlotte and Louis' Christmas Kate and Carole Middleton. George Pimentel/WireImage It was actually Kate's fifth birthday that sparked the idea for Party Pieces, Carole previously told the Daily Mail. While searching for party supplies for her daughter's celebration, Carole was uninspired by the selection she found in stores at the time. "All I could find were basic clown plates," she said. "I realized there was a gap in the market for party ware that wasn't too expensive and which looked good, so [I] decided to design my own. I took some prototypes to various High Street retailers and was turned away." Still, Carole wasn't ready to give up. She decided to pursue her passion from her home, starting her business from her kitchen table in Berkshire and promoting her products at her children's nursery school. The company proved to be a success, and, three decades later, Carole is still rolling out new products. Pippa Middleton, James Middleton, Alizee Thevenet and Carole and Michael Middleton. Heathcliff O'Malley - WPA Pool/Getty All three of Carole's children worked for Party Pieces at some point. "My children continue to inspire me and, as they have grown up, our brand has evolved," Carole explained. She added, "They say if you do a job you enjoy, you don't work a day in your life, and I truly feel like that." Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Earlier this month, Carole shared a photo of herself on the Party Pieces Instagram with balloons. "It's no surprise I've learned to love January; it's the start of a new year and time to get healthy habits in place and birthday month for me, so there is every good reason to celebrate with loved ones!" she said.