In the hubbub of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge’s separate “church pap stroll” on Christmas, we didn’t really get the chance to analyze the photos of Pippa Middleton and the Terribly Rich James Middleton. James and Pippa were also at the Bucklebury church on Christmas morning, same as Will and Kate and Carole and Michael Middleton. This was Pippa’s first Christmas as an engaged lady, and she and Terribly Rich James are reportedly going to marry in May, at the same church the Middletons attended for Christmas. After the church wedding, the reception will be held at Middleton Manor, the big, fancy property that the Middletons bought (with William’s help) after Will and Kate got married. I absolutely feel like Carole Middleton is acting like she’s the one getting married, and that Pippa’s wedding is going to be all about the mother-of-the-bride’s special day.
So, we’ve already heard gossip about how Carole wants to act as “hostess” and show off Middleton Manor for Pippa’s reception. And even though James is Terribly Rich, we also know that the Middletons are likely paying for almost everything with the wedding. And by that I mean… Carole and Mike, not Pippa. Pippa has her own money, of course, but the wedding is all about Carole and traditionally, the bride’s parents pay for the wedding. So wasn’t this headline interesting? The Daily Mail’s Girl About Town column’s headline was: “Pippa’s family are trying to save the pennies as her wedding is set to cost a fortune.”
With Pippa Middleton’s nuptials to James Matthews approaching, money seems to be on mum Carole’s mind. The dress could cost thousands, perhaps explaining why the family’s online store Party Pieces has launched a sale. A couple of items caught my eye: a hen party ‘mother of the bride’ sash is reduced to a £1.49, and a ‘bum pincher’ is just £2.99. Whatever Carole is planning for Pippa, 33, it doesn’t look like a quiet night in.
To be fair, isn’t every business in the Western world doing huge discounts right now? Post-Christmas is a huge moment for every business to get rid of the last year’s stock to make way for new merchandise. So I don’t think that drastic sales at Party Pieces somehow mean that the Middletons are concerned about the cost of the wedding. That being said, I’ve always thought (and I’ve always said) that there’s something really dodgy about the Middletons’ finances and I would love to see more reporting on that.
Speaking of the Middleton family’s not-so-keen business sense, I did miss this story when it was reported a month ago, but it’s too good to brush off: apparently, Terribly Rich James Matthews floated £100,000 to his future brother-in-law James Middleton several months back. Terribly Rich gave James Middleton the money for Boomf, his sad little marshmallow company. Boomf reportedly lost about £1 million in the past year, which is why James Middleton was “fundraising” from his future brother-in-law.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Middleton PR. I think they only wanted that people visit their online shop Party Pieces to buy their stuff.
I wonder how rich Carole and Michael Middleton really are… doesn’t uncle Gary always helps them?
Well, compared to the Windors, the Middletons are pikers, but what I have heard is that they are worth about 30 million, but that includes the valuation of the business.
I fervently advocate that a wedding has to be equally paid by both adults, and not by their parents.
Yes!!
Why should parents have to pay for their adult kids weddings??
Why can’t Pippa and James plan their own wedding. They can afford to pay for it themselves. Carole should stay out of it.
whole heartedly agree
They don’t, they choose to. If the Middleton’s can afford it, that’s on them. No sympathy for these awful social climbers.
Exactly, especially because James is so rich himself as we’re constantly told.
Something similar happened to a friend of my parents’. Long story short, the groom-to-be’s parents separated two years ago (very messy situation) and because there was a substantial amount of money accumulated over the course of their marriage, the financials are STILL being worked out. One of their sons got engaged and the bride-to-be (both are in their 30s) came up to the mother with a HUGE budget with all the bells and whistles for her wedding and essentially asked her to pony up. Mother was appalled, not just because her financial situation is quite unsteady, but also at the entitlement that parents should have to pay for an over the top wedding the couple clearly cannot afford.
My parents gave us a number. Anything over that we had to pay, and we did. I thought that was a fair way to do it.
I appreciate James’ entrepreneurial spirit, but fancy marshmallows? At best, that might catch on as a fed, but I don’t see the long-term potential. Terribly Rich James must be terribly in love.
I agree. James’ business sounds like a huge money suck, and I just don’t see a fancy marshmallow business that lost £1 million last year coming back to be a highly profitable venture. Sounds like the “double down” theory of business mistakes — when you’ve invested a lot, so you keep pouring money into something even though it’s just not going to work. I hope Terribly Rich James is smarter than to keep investing in his future BILs ventures because they all seem to be bad ideas that ultimately fail.
Just throwing out there- but maybe this whole marshmallow business is just a front for uncle Gary or their less reputable business?
I mean honestly if you keep throwing money at something that has such a bad track record something is fishy…
I agree it just does not sound like a good idea. It sounds like something that would have caught on already if it was ever going to catch on.
@my3cents I like this idea of the marshmallows being a drug front–maybe they are dusted with cocaine or something?
I can see the marshmallows as one of a range of specialty sweets, but not the sole product line. That’s a recipe for disaster.
Boomf now have chocolates, pops, gift wrap and “cards that explode from their envelopes in a shower of confetti”….
Well I guess Terribly Rich James Matthews will pay for the whole wedding anyway. Doubt that the Middletons will spend a lot of money on this wedding, maybe they only pay for the wedding dress.
I think the Middletons will take any opportunity to show off how “rich” they are. Carole loves playing Queen Mom, which she is not.
I still remember that – when Kate and Wills married – she walked into the church as if she is the Queen herself.
More disturbing she walked in in an outfit made by a design house Diana made famous, in a outfit very similar to things worn by Diana. KM isn’t the only Middleton who SWF-males Diana.
The British monarchy, by extension the Middletons, just keep sounding more and more like a really bad tv drama.
And Carole has been cast as Mrs. Bennett. “My nerves!”
@ BIRDIX-LOL, PERFECT REFERENCE 😆
WTF is a bum pincher?
That’s a bum pincher lol: http://www.partypieces.co.uk/hen-party-bum-pincher-1.html
A BUM PINCHER!!! In the voice of Lady Bracknell.
£2.99 for that? I suppose it might be useful for a particularly lusty elderly Aunt with arthritis and reduced flexibility.
LOL! Thanks for the laugh. Looks like they sell it for eve-of-wedding parties.
OMFG and other assorted interwebz acronyms. It’s an actual BUM PINCHER.
Kill me now.
This beats back scratcher – A contraption i didn’t know i wanted or needed until i saw it in a catalogue.
http://www.tesco.com/direct/bamboo-back-scratcher-and-massager/531-2970.prd?source=others
Butt scratcher?! Butt scratcher!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bNOv-v7xZY
has anyone else seen the Tracy Ullman sketch where she is playing Carole Middleton—she gets overwhelmed by babysitting Prince George and sneaks into the Party Pieces warehouse to binge on booze-infused chocolate willies from the hen party stock.
Ugh, that’s gross. Imagine if it were for bachelor parties at strip clubs. But when it’s women grabbing unsuspecting men by the ass then LOLZ right?
Saw the Tracy Ullman skit, hilarious, she portrayed Carole as the faux aristocrat that she is. There’s another skit where Camilla is babysitting George. Equally funny
A tacky party novelty that is usually accompanied by a penis-shaped straw, a plastic tiara, and a sash that reads “bridesmaid.” Nothing honors the sanctity of marriage like grabbing strangers’ asses in bars.
Kill me now x 2!
You see those plastic tiara-d, sashed bridesmaids on saturday nights. Bride is usually wearing plastic tiara and cheap polyester veil
I’m curious to see how many of Pippa’s ex-boyfriends will show up to the wedding.
Would it be terribly shallow of me to hope that most of them do… she dated some attractive guys!
Yeah, and they will take one look at Carole and be glad they dodged that bullet.
Marshmallows and tea at the reception. Besides, once the “official” wedding photos are sold to Hello, they’ll be sitting pretty in St. Bart’s of course.
Marshmallows and tea are mostly likely all they can reasonably afford. I suspect the Midds are broke what with their outlandish lifestyle. Both Wills and Terribly Rich Jim shelled out large sums of cash to Carole. And I think the out of control spending for the upper crust lifestyle and image is the reason for the strain in the Midds marriage.
I feel kind of feel sorry for Terribly Rich Jim. He seems like the dull, unheralded son vs his outlandish, randy brother who’s used to getting lots of family and female attention. Maybe TR Jim thinks Pippa gives him sex symbol status. I can’t see that about her, but who knows.
If they got Willy to pay for their house, then it’s a foregone conclusion that the TR mark is footing a lot of the bill for the wedding. Only pay to play idiots marry into that family. I wonder if Carole strokes the new boy’s ego the way she does Willy’s.
I see that Pippa has the crotch clutch down pat.
Terribly Rich James…😁😁😁…this made my day😂
Hmm. Floating your future brother in law that kind of money before you are even married seems like a huge red flag…
The Middleton Mafia putting the screws to him.
What is Carol clutching under her cape while she’s chatting with the vicar? Her granddaughter? A pilfered cantaloupe? A third breast?
A gun. Just in case the papps get out of hand.
The gun was probably pointed at William: “Don’t you dare to divorce!”
Note to self – do not attempt to eat or drink while reading comments on CB. I just choked on my breakfast. Thank you – I needed that!
Seriously, what is she doing under there??
Maybe her arm’s in a sling. That’s why she wearing a cape and not coat.
Either that or she’s hiding a sub in case she gets peckish going to or from the church.
Therapeutic device menopause frozen shoulder? Any woman 40+ knows the painful stage is comparable to a sledgehammer breaking your kneecap.
For someone about to become terribly rich she dresses so badly,
Those checks/tweeds/flowery scarfey thing and the brown suede boots?
Wow.
At least her hair is not falling in her face.
What does James Matthews do?
“The 40-year-old manages a hedge fund and is the chief executive of Eden Rock Capital Management Group, which has offices in London.”
Offices in London but registered in a tax-free haven somewhere in the Caribbean sea. IIRC it’s the Caymans.
Pippa.
LOL
Bwah!
What did the Middletons do before Party Pieces was founded? According to the company website, Carole founded PP in 1987. I would like to know about their financials too.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8147929/Royal-Wedding-Middletons-money-how-was-it-made.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/kate-middleton/9889553/Middletons-investigate-claims-party-pieces-are-made-by-workers-on-10-pence-an-hour.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8162122/Kate-Middletons-family-firm-made-money-by-selling-customer-details.html
It’s too long-winded to discuss the financials, but these articles attempt to do so.
Michael was a flight despatcher and Carole was a flight attendant.
I’ve read stories Pa Middleton also worked for BA in flight service then switched over to dispatch aka in (N. America) as crew scheduling. I find their time in Jordan interesting. Airlines will set up satellite bases for aircrew but usually not dispatch. I suspect Jordan was early days as far as dodgy deals with Uncle Gary.
His wikipage says Michael started out as a flight attendant switched to flight despatcher before moving to Jordan as a BA manager for 3years. Unclear which division of BA he was managing in Jordan.
This is a new money wedding, but they are trying to act old money by marrying in the village church and a reception at the non-inherited country pile. They should just embrace their position and do it up big.
this is so obscure, and nobody will get this, but i just realized she reminds me of Tacy’s older sister Katie in the Betsy-Tacy book series (the first couple). she’s brunette instead of red head, but reminds me of the illustrations for some reason!
I loved the Betsy Tacy Tib books SO much. In fact, when I had my daughter, the set was one of the first purchases I made-I couldn’t wait for her to read them!
im floored and delighted in not the only one!! yay! my heart swells!!
Love Betsy Tacy Tib!! Deep Valley, Minnesota forever!!
The Mids will want to pay for as much as they can to keep up with the pretence of being wealthy enough to mingle with the aristocracy and I don’t think William helped them buy Middleton Manor, the got a very large mortgage from an overseas bank and am sure the multi-millionaire Uncle Gary helped them as he usually does.
Also you can bet your last dollar that Carole will be using her royal connections to get discounts and comp’s for the wedding – just like she did for the xmas rent a shoot.
Yeah… I don’t think Bill coughed a cent to MM. This is the same guy who begs for free holidays. That Diana inheritance must be dusty because it probably isn’t touched.
Don’t get it. His father pays for their staff and William has lots of money but still ask for freebies? Really?
He didn’t buy his bride an engagement ring. There’s a story that when he “sent” Kate to Peter Phillips wedding, so he could go to Jecca’s brother’s wedding, he brought Kate back a wood bead bracelet. They had been given out as wedding favours. William is notoriously tight fisted with his own money.
Why though @Red Snapper? He has so much money? So is he going to hoard all the inheritance?
My old boss used to say a man who isn’t spending his gold on his wife is spending it on someone else.
The Bank of Terribly Rich James! That, to me, is a bigger asset to the Middletons than The Royal Connection of Sulky Wills.
Honestly. Both Pipps and James should contribute to the cost of the fancy schmancy wedding. It is the modern way.
But who knows maybe they are.
They can use the bank of Terribly rich James to front wealth whildt using the *Royal connection of sulky Wills to obtain discounts
*see their discounted christmas rent-a-shoot for boxing day 2016.
It’s a twofer! Brilliant move on the Middletons part, bringing both those entities into the family fold.
The thirst for a title is strong.
Perhaps Kate, that noted professional photographer, could donate her services.
She’s already making jars of chutney in the kitchens as party favors, so why not? I hear she’s keen to help out.
Pshaw on the photography. She’ll be sketching them all! And then putting out a colouring book.
Good idea. However if she takes one photo there will be an expectation to take more and that would never do. Lol
Hey, maybe BOOMF can feature special wedding moments, taken by Kate, on extra special marshmallows!
Fun read this morning, thanks everyone! Needed it today!
Pippa’s shelf life was already ending. The Middletons are probably happy to take what they can get and will pay anything for it.
100 grand is chump change to TR James, he prob sees it as a good will gesture to his fiancées family. Good for him, good for pippa. Pippa and KM always seem so passive aggressively competitive with each other. I can totally see Pippa doing the rich lady charity supporter thing once married, organize galas, sit on some boards etc . It would be hilarious if she did more charity work than KM.
She probably already does more charity work than Cannot.
Do we have proof of most of this?
She has done some marathons, e.g. Climbed the Matterhorn for the Michael Matthews foundation which is in memory of James’s brother who died while climbing Everest.
Didn’t she also ride her bike across the US? I feel sorry for Pippa. Because of Kate’s marriage, she really had to find a TM partner.
No, I meant proof about the financing of the wedding.
I read that James Matthews is worth 2 billion pounds
Did you read that on the internet? Because I read that Donald Trump is secretly a unicorn.
(Kidding! Ivanka is the unicorn)
Yeah I read it on here: http://www.the-net-worth.com/2016/07/james-matthews/
I wouldn’t be shocked if this is true. He has a private jet, a 17 million pound home, and is a hedge fund manager.
His business maybe worth that but he personally won’t be – with the toys he has he’s likely a multi-millionaire in double figures.
Kitty: that’s an estimate value of his business NOT his personal worth.
Further with hedge funds and hedge fund managers, you have to take any public estimate of their value with a huge pinch of salt because they structure their companies/personal finances in such a way that it is impossible to make an evaluation.
Based upon tangibles like his private jet and his £17M townhouse, the conclusion is that he is very wealthy indeed, but no one is sure enough to state a figure.
@LAK I think he is richer than William and I wouldn’t be shocked if William ask him for freebies.
Also its only a matter of time before the Dolittles are all over his private jet.