For a picture-perfect family that documents almost every milestone online, one absence has not gone unnoticed.
Since the birth of Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright’s daughter Palma last year, the actress has shared plenty of snapshots of her life as a new mum, including sweet moments with her own mother, Jacqueline.
But there is one person who has yet to appear in any of those pictures: Mark’s mum, Carol Wright.
In a clan as famously social-media savvy as the Wrights, the lack of a single photo of Carol with her granddaughter Palma has raised eyebrows among their millions of followers.
Carol, 65, frequently comments on Michelle’s Instagram posts, leaving supportive or affectionate messages. Mark’s sister Jess, 40, also appears to keep up with Michelle’s family life online.
But all is not as it appears. A source tells the Daily Mail: ‘They suck up to her, but it’s all so fake. Michelle is just so sweet and lovely; she hasn’t got a bad word to say about anyone.
‘What Carol and Jess do goes on behind her back.’
In stark contrast, Michelle rarely seems to reciprocate by publicly engaging with Carol or Jess on social media.
But the clear digital distance doesn’t stop there.
The Instagram account Michelle, 38, and Mark, 39, use to document their lavish Essex home does not follow Carol’s account – an unusual omission given the Wright family’s typically tight social media circle. Meanwhile, Jess Wright’s own home and lifestyle account also does not follow Michelle and Mark’s home account.
For those who have watched the relationship between Michelle and her in-laws unfold over the years, this all feels as if it has been brewing for years.
Michelle Keegan posted this picture of herself and baby daughter Palma, and mother Jacqueline, on Instagram Thursday ahead of Mother’s Day
The image was a rare glimpse into Michelle’s private life… but Palma’s grandmother Carol Wright – seen here with daughters Natalya and Jess, and Natalya’s baby Presley – has been notably absent from any pictures of Palma
In fact, according to sources, the cracks were visible as far back as Michelle and Mark’s lavish 2015 wedding.
‘The Wrights were making comments about what Michelle’s family were wearing and what they looked like. It was all really unnecessary,’ a source said of their wedding day.
‘Yes, the Keegans might not be as flashy as the Wright family, but they are all decent, hard-working people.
‘They were there to enjoy Michelle’s big day and seemed oblivious to judgments being made.’
According to those close to the situation, the unease did not disappear once Michelle officially became part of the family.
When Carol and Jess launched their podcast, Wright At Home, last year, Michelle appeared to keep her distance publicly.
The families have also rarely been photographed together in recent years. Michelle and Jess both attended the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in October 2024, yet were not pictured side by side.
In fact, the last time they seem to have posed together publicly was at a National Television Awards reception in January 2016. Carol’s last public appearance alongside Michelle dates back even further – at a Lipsy clothing launch in 2015.
There have, however, been occasional moments of unity. Michelle joined Mark and his relatives to celebrate after Soccer Aid in 2018, and in 2023 the couple hosted a surprise 40th wedding anniversary party for Carol and her husband, Big Mark.
The wider family also attended the National Television Awards in September 2025, though they noticeably did not walk up the red carpet together.
While none of the family have publicly addressed rumours of a rift, occasional remarks have suggested that the dynamic between Michelle and her in-laws may not always be straightforward.
During a December 2025 episode of the family podcast, during a conversation about her fiercely protective instincts towards her son, Carol admitted she sometimes ‘holds back’ around Michelle.
‘Everyone’s sons are like, you know, they’re your sons. And… a woman comes along and they do take your son. But I’m a bit different, because I actually hold back because of that reason,’ she said.
When Carol and Jess launched their podcast, Wright At Home, last year, Michelle appeared to keep her distance publicly
Just last week, the Wright family faced backlash after making ‘degrading’ comments about women who wear revealing bikinis, despite online posts such as this one by Michelle…
… and the likes of Jess Wright appearing in similar shots
There are rumoured to be tensions between Michelle and the Wright family
Carol added that she had been surprised at how quickly the actress resumed filming commitments after giving birth to Palma.
Indeed, this is reportedly a bone of contention between Michelle and her in-laws. The Coronation Street actress has long been known for her work ethic, building her career through major television roles rather than reality TV fame.
Insiders say that this has proved divisive.
After all, when Mark and his sister Jess first found fame on ITV’s The Only Way Is Essex, there were hopes Jess would become the family’s breakout star thanks to her ambitions for a music career.
However, it was Mark who found greater success as a TV presenter for the behind-the-scenes dating show Take Me Out: The Gossip and as a radio host. He then went on to marry Michelle, a bona fide TV star.
One source tells the Daily Mail: ‘Michelle is a talented and much-loved actress. She is known for her work and not for appearing on a reality show.
‘This is something that has always irked Jess and Carol. She’s not like them. She has real talent and is in a different league than they are.
‘It’s also put Mark in a different league, further cementing his status as the most famous sibling.’
Insiders suggest that differences in Michelle’s upbringing may also explain the tension between her and the Wright family.
Michelle was raised in a close but relatively private family. She remains devoted to both her mother Jacqueline and her father Michael – who separated when she was young.
By contrast, Carol and her husband, Mark Sr, have been together for more than four decades and are adamant about appearing as a tight-knit family unit.
One source said: ‘Carol has always stuck by her husband Big Mark’s side, through thick and thin. To her, being married and staying together has been somewhat of a status thing.
‘She very much looks down on anyone who hasn’t managed to make their marriage work.’
Over the years, Carol has often spoken proudly about her children and their achievements, whereas Michelle has always maintained a more private approach to her personal life.
Unlike the rest of the Wrights, she and Mark have often chosen to keep the most intimate parts of their family life out of the spotlight.
While they occasionally share glimpses of their Essex mansion or holidays abroad, much of their day-to-day life remains carefully curated.
‘She’s never been someone who overshares,’ one insider says. ‘Michelle likes to keep the most important parts of her life close to her.’
And when Carol and Jess launched their podcast last year, Michelle is understood to have been quietly wary about how much family business might end up being discussed publicly.
Her concerns may not have been entirely misplaced. Just last week, the family faced a backlash after making ‘degrading’ comments about women who wear revealing bikinis.
It’s the kind of family scandal Michelle is keen to avoid. Indeed, in 2024, the actress opened up about the impact her fame has had on her mum.
Michelle revealed on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast how cruel online trolling once deeply upset Jacqueline after they were photographed together.
She said: ‘When it affects my family, that’s when it’s hurtful. I remember once I stepped out of a restaurant with my mum, and we got pictured, and I remember my mum reading the article… and the comments.
‘That really affected my mum… Now, she won’t walk out of restaurants with me, because of that reason.’
However, since the birth of her granddaughter, Jacqueline seems to have relaxed her stance.
‘Since Palma was born, there’s definitely been a shift in her attitude. It’s taken her a while, but she no longer cares what people think and is just so happy being a Nan to little Palma,’ the insider says.
‘She’s just so proud and doesn’t mind posing for pictures anymore. Michelle has always been close to her mum, but since having Palma, they are closer than ever.’
The contrast in her relationship with her mother-in-law could not be starker.
Additional reporting by Codie Bullen, Senior Showbusiness Reporter
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