James Middleton is “one of the most eligible bachelors in Britain.” Yes or no? The Daily Mail called him that and now I can’t stop laughing. I mean… if you knew nothing about him and just met him at a bar and only talked to him about animals, I could possibly see how someone would be interested in him. But once you found out that he was blowing through millions of dollars on Nazi marshmallow schemes, wouldn’t you back away slowly? And if the business stuff didn’t do it, surely meeting his mother would kill any ladyboner. Carole Middleton has been trying to make “Eligible Bachelor James” happen for years, with little luck. She’s been trying to marry him off like she’s a mother from a Jane Austen novel and James is the homely third daughter with no dowry. Anyway, Carole has probably succeeded: reportedly, James has proposed to his girlfriend Alizee Thevenet. They’ve been dating for about ten or eleven months, and we got the confirmation that they were seeing each other in January of this year.

James Middleton gave the only reading at the wedding of his sister the Duchess of Cambridge, declaring: ‘Let love be genuine.’ Now, he will be the one exchanging vows. For I can reveal that James is to wed his French girlfriend, Alizee Thevenet.

‘They’ve got engaged,’ one of their friends tells me. ‘Alizee has been wearing a beautiful sapphire sparkler. They’ve been keeping the engagement secret, but news has started to leak out among their friends. They’ll be announcing it formally next week.’

Perhaps James was inspired by the sapphire engagement ring worn by his sister, Kate, that Prince William inherited from Princess Diana.

Last month, I disclosed that the couple had moved in together in West London. ‘He seems finally to have found “The One”,’ a pal told me at the time.

Entrepreneur James, 32, who was considered to be one of the most eligible bachelors in Britain, met the 29-year-old City worker last year in a chance encounter — brokered by his pooch. A friend revealed that Alizee had no idea who James was when she struck up a conversation with him at the South Kensington Club after saying hello to his Cocker Spaniel, Ella. The pal told this newspaper at the time: ‘After Alizee went back to her table, James asked the waiter to give her a note saying: “I never normally do this, but would you like to go for a drink with me?” He also picked up their tab. A few weeks later, they went out for a drink together. It wasn’t until after they’d met for a drink that Alizee realised who he was — one of her friends had to tell her. They met thanks to Ella.’

[From The Daily Mail]

“Alizee has been wearing a beautiful sapphire sparkler” – creepy or no? Honestly, I’ve always found it slightly creepy that Kate wears her late mother-in-law’s engagement ring, given the history of Diana and Charles’ marriage/divorce. But then for Kate’s brother to possibly copy or “be inspired by” Kate/Diana’s ring for his own engagement? There are other gemstones!! For the love of God. As for Alizee, the Daily Mail talks a bit about how educated she is and how she speaks a million languages and how she has a great job and… it sounds like Alizee is going to be supporting them financially. Which is fine, but I just hope Alizee knows what she’s signing up for. I hope they don’t get married until they both do a full financial disclosure to each other and talk honestly about what they want out of this marriage.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid and Avalon Red.