For years now, we’ve questioned the Middleton family’s finances. Personally, I believe that Party Pieces was, at one time, a profitable business which would have ensured a comfortable middle-class life for Carole and Michael Middleton and their three children. Would Party Pieces’ profits really ensured expensive private educations of all three Middleton “kids” though? And would the Middletons be able to finance their kids’ extended adolescence well into adulthood, which included a large London apartment, Kate and Pippa never holding real jobs, extensive vacations and more? No. I don’t believe Party Pieces was *that* successful. So people have often wondered if Dodgy Gary Goldsmith (Carole’s brother) largely financed the Middleton family. That’s what I’ve always believed too. But here’s another theory: Party Pieces is a front for the Middletons’ cannabis operation.
A power cut led to police finding a huge cannabis factory near the sprawling Berkshire estate belonging Kate Middleton’s parents. Police officers were joined by a ‘fleet of lorries’ on Thursday after the illegal farm was discovered in a barn in Bucklebury. The Duchess of Cambridge’s parents Michael and Carole Middleton live in nearby Bucklebury Manor, a mansion with an 18-acre estate.
Police following a power outage on Wednesday, which led to an investigation by the electricity board. When workers discovered the farm on Thursday morning, the police were called. Onlookers say six lorries joined police at the farm and began loading up with the contents inside the large green barn
A witness said: ‘The police arrived after the electric board had been at the property all morning trying to work out why the electrics had blown. The electric board left and the police arrived shortly after, around mid afternoon.
“…The illegal farm was discovered in a barn in Bucklebury. The Duchess of Cambridge’s parents Michael and Carole Middleton live in nearby Bucklebury Manor, a mansion with an 18-acre estate…” NEARBY! One might even say adjacent to Middleton Manor. Some place safe and close where they can regularly check in on their grow operation. Also, it’s worth noting that Middleton Manor is not where they’ve always lived – they used to have a smaller (but still comfortably-sized) home in Bucklebury. Soon after Kate and William’s marriage, he broke his trust to “help” the Middletons buy the manor and all that land. It will be very interesting to see who technically “owns” the property on which the pot factory sits.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red and Backgrid.
You see, when you throw mud at someone else it is typically because you want to deflect from what is going on In your life.
Ooooooo, I know it sounds really mean, but I want so much for this to be their scandal. 😄🙀
I doubt one barn filled with pot plants would pay for all of the Middleton’s financial needs – including the “flat” in London. Now if it were meth …. maybe.
@Still Sarah Weed is selling for £280-£360 an ounce at present. It’s a lucrative business, for sure. Why my stupid government doesn’t capitalise on it is another question…
My state legalized pot last January 1, it was a great move.
Holy flipping cow, Andrew’s Nemesis. My home town is on reservation land, (as is most of my country) and they are allowed to operate pot stores when no one else in town can yet. There are four of them here, and they are very competitive. Ounces are going for $100 Canadian or about 59 pounds in British money. (my laptop does not have the pound sign) It’s good weed, just a little dry. The good news is, private dealers are lowering their prices to match them.
Depends where you are – around here its 180-240 depending on quality. But still you are right – it’s like gold dust in the uk! And so many people smoke it there’s a LOT of money to be made.
That’s not to say that’s how THEIR money is made, but if you had a reasonable business that you could also launder money through, hypothetically you could be very wealthy.
Now this would be fun!!!
Personally I think if there ever was something remotely shady about them William couldn’t have married Kate, and the press would have gone crazy and would have found the Middleton version of Thomas Markle.
The Middleton version to Thomas is Uncle Gary. He’s been plenty embarrassing, but the Middleton’s have always kept him close rather than cutting him out to keep him under control.
Anyone with sense knows that plastic party bits and bobs aren’t entirely responsible for their fortune.
The Tatler article tried to praise Kate’s “genuine stoicism” for “never complaining about or disinviting” her dodgy uncle Gary to her wedding as a way to throw shade at Meghan, and even referred to him as a “victim” of the tabloid paper that busted him with cocaine. Interestingly enough, this sting operation (where he also offered the undercover reporters marijuana, heroin, prostitutes and advice on how to deal) all went down in 2009, before the 2011 royal wedding, but Gary was still invited and seemingly permitted to speak about Kate, Pippa, William and Carole in the press as there appears to have been no attempts made by the Middletons to hush him up. Gary himself said that after the drugs scandal, it was Carole who called him to apologise for the press attention he got caught up in. He was also at Pippa’s wedding, even after he made headlines just days before the ceremony for groping and trying to solicit a threesome from a woman and her 17-year-old daughter. Clearly they have to keep him sweet for a reason, and he doesn’t appear to have been shunned yet, despite being convicted of punching his Carole-look-a-like fourth wife and knocking her unconscious after another drugs binge. He was obviously shelling out some serious cash for the Middletons to turn a blind eye to his antics (he also gave money to James to start one of his ill-fated businesses). Psychic hotline caller William forked out the rest.
It’s because he’s rich, I’m sure that makes him more “tolerable “. And as far as Meghan, she invited bad dad to the wedding but he refused to come. Also, I don’t believe Uncle Gary has tried to deliberately smear Kate in the press like Meghan’s horrible family,
Ha! and Meghan was the one ” straight out of Compton”!
Lol.
But yea…I cannot believe they would be that sloppy. Maybe the son?
That’s kind of funny. Kate is the one who, as the oldest child, was born and grew up in a council house (let’s say project housing), ‘not so flattering accommodation’, during the early years of her life.
Meghan was born and raised in a beautiful rented Hollywood house (until her mother left her father, but still lived with the father part-time), and later, as a teenager, returned to live with her father in Hollywood.
So lets unpack that social climber thing between those two women, that people only keep throwing at Meghan.
There is no higher climb in social status than being born in a council flat and moving to a (Buckingham) palace, without any real job, or earned credentials to your name, before marrying a prince. And .. if the tide does not turn against her, see the opportunity to get the second highest royal role of queen consort, maybe in 20 years.
Meghan made a career for herself, as 90% of us normal people do to improve our lives and reach a higher socio-economic status and wellbeing. That is: you educate yourself and work hard (some do charitable/social relevant work in the proces), become successful in your profession, you make your money, safe it/use it to build your future, become known/populair, meet famous/wealthy/influential people, some of whom become your friends, and than… than… perhaps you meet a prince in those circles. And even that was pretty normal: as studies show, even with online dating, 75% of us still find their partner among their friends and the social circles they mingle in.
Meghan didn’t need a prince, before and on her way getting up higher in life. She had already arrived there, when she met Harry. She was relatively famous (had 3Mill followers) and was well respected on her own merits; she didn’t need a prince for that. He had to up his game for her, he said himself.
Kate did nothing in her adult life but chase a prince. There is no better textbook definition of social climbing than what she did with her life. She couldn’t even work full time at jigsaw because she had to be available for William’s whims. The way they try to spin that into something other than bizarre is ridiculous. No other woman who married into the royal family in the last two generations has acted as brazen as she did along with help from her family to achieve the goal of marrying a prince.
I believe it was Carole who was born in the council estate and not Kate. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. (And while it is not true that Meghan was from Compton, again, nothing wrong with that, but yes it was a racist dog whistle.)
But yes, claims that Meghan was a social climber was laughable in light of the layabout Wisteria Sisters, and the shady Uncle Gary stuff.
unrelated but word on the street is carole is responsible for filing the ISPO complaint about the Tatler article
Lol, I can believe that.
“Bugger the trash talk about my daughter, what do you mean to imply about my decorating?”
Giggle
It would not surprise me – Carole is as nasty as they come and she like her daughters are far too impressed with themselves.
They will have to publicize who made the complaint once the decision is rendered. If Carole is behind one of them we will hear soon enough.
QM Carole, bingpot! Totally not surprised.
(I’m just snickering at your Raymond Holt quote – amazing!) Also, Carole seems awful.
Bingpot!
Oh how I love ‘99.
I thought as much. The worst of what the article had to say was about Carole. I would not be surprised if she was furious about it and determined to harness her resources to hit back.
The people this Tatler article pissed off the most are Kate, Carole and Pippa. William got off pretty well.
Well well well how the turntables
Haaaahahaha what is this quote from! I can’t place it
The Office, classic Michael
Steve Carell in “The Office”
Edit: Ah someone beat me!
Whilst I would laugh very heartily if it turned out they were connected, and I agree that PP couldn’t have possibly covered all their outgoings, this instance just looks like the usual press MO of trying to find a connection to make the story news worthy.
Did any journalists ever deep dive into the family business? I recall a few articles from years ago saying similar to you, but no ones really taken it up recently.
Some did dive into the Middleton PP business to find out what it’s worth. But the company’s structure doesn’t make it easy to find out about it’s real performance. From establishment on, it is still being run as Carole’s business, a sole trader (or perhaps, in extension, in partnership with her husband). So they don’t have to openly publicize (all) the figures.
Latest info: someone in the know just told me that the Middletons (technically) sold (part of) PP last year (sept 2019). Or they might have changed the ownership status and/or company structure: it is now a Private Limited company. So, now they /the new (co)owners are required to publicize the financial annual account at Company House.
They haven’t filed financials with Company House in almost two years.
“Pass the duchy to me left hand side”
I shall now retire from the internet for the day, I cannot believe that nobody else saw that pun.
😂😂😂😂 I got it… Its a good one.
👏👏👏👏 Bravo!
Love it, too few people know that classic!
Maybe this one of James Middleton’s many side businesses, along with dog breeding.
If it were James Middleton’s weed, surely the plants would be growing in the shape of swastikas? We’ll wait and see
Now that song’s in my head
I agree that PP definitely doesn’t fund their lifestyle and there’s something deeper and probably dodgy going on, and the news is funny (it’s like the ring the Cambridges were trying to throw is being blown back in their faces), but honestly I don’t think the Midds are using PP as a drugs front. Uncle Gary is still the most likely answer.
I think Uncle Gary was the answer but now cashing in on royal connections is likely.
Why can’t it be both? Maybe the pot farm is owned by Uncle Gary
Mostly because I don’t think they’d be that sloppy, to have a huge pot farm so close to a home that is very publicly theirs. I think they’d maintain at least a bit of distance.
Where is Uncle Gary did they toss him away after their mission was complete thats how real users operate.
Maybe none of the Middletons or their relatives have anything to do with the pot farm and the farm just happened to be close to or adjacent to the Middleton property. I Think someone is really grasping for straws on this one.
Gardening is not Carole’s thing. Gardening is Will’s thing.
What is shows is the papers are closing in, making it clear to W&K&Carole that the gloves are off. The Midds may have nothing to do with the pot farm at all, but the Fail chose to couch it in terms that suggest otherwise. Because they wanted to bring negative attention to the Middletons.
I agree. They are not dumb enough to be running a pot farm so close to their home, but the media having fun with that link is telling.
@Nota – yup, exactly my thoughts. I really don’t think the Midds are growing weed, lol, but this exact story could have been posted without the references to Bucklebury Manor. Now of course people will say “well the story got more attention because of that” and sure it did, but lets not kid ourselves – if the DM wanted to keep the Midds happy, they would have left out that tidbit.
Party Pieces has always filed for “dormant account” since the 90s. Just check the company house yourself. There were whispers back in the day that PP is just a cover for Uncle Gary’s dodgy business dealing. Uncle Gary was also believed to fund the middy kids tuition, there is a reason why they are being nice to him, even though they keep him at arm’s length (in the public)
This would be kinda funny if that family was not complete garbage.
A couple of jokes, a shrug and move on.
But considering what we know about Gary and how he earned his wealth, I now think Mike and Carole really should have their finances looked at.
Waiting on the story from KP of how this is Meghan’s fault in 5…4…3…2…1
It’s because….since pot is legal in California (where Meghan is from and currently living), so of course she chose that exact location for a pot farm, just to bring humiliation to Kate and her family when it was discovered, lol! And Meghan has an app on her phone that allows her to control the barn security and lights/electricity from half-way around the world like an evil mastermind.
LOL this made me laugh out loud! To be honest I’m surprised the tabloids haven’t come up with this storyline on their own. It would just be another way for them to be racist towards her, given that the criminalization of marijuana is a social justice issue.
Lol! That’s all I’ve got to say 😉
I always thought it was odd that they never expanded PP if it was “so successful”. And looking at their website these decorations look like something you would buy at the dollar store. It definitely is a front for something.
Guy Ritchie knew something!!
Haha Toniko, my thoughts exactly
What did Guy Ritchie know? I couldn’t find anything on the net and I’m genuinely curious 🙂
Nevermind, I scrolled to comment 25 and now I know!
Hahhhaaahaha!! I’ve always believed Party Pieces was a money laundering front for Uncle Gary’s drug dealing at one point so this could make sense. FYI this story wasn’t on the DM landing page last night – make of that what you will!
Hahahahahaha!
so, I don’t believe that the Middletons are running a large weed operation from Bucklebury, I know stranger things have happened but I have to think if they WERE doing something like this, they wouldn’t be so dumb as to do it so close to home.
But I definitely think there is something sketchy about their finances and wealth.
And I don’t think this story would have been covered quite the same way a year ago, lol.
@Becks1, while I do agree with you, sometimes hiding the wrong next to you is the best way to keep it a secret. I doubt that’s what they are doing, but it would be GRAVY if it were true. Can you imagine???? The Middletons are right now thinking: what the hell??? We keep getting hit in the press. So glad Megs and Harry are away so that the light can shine on these idiots.
True – its the ultimate hiding in plain sight, LOL.
This ‘send the cops for them, ‘expose the pot farm’ story, looks like it has all Tatler/Dennen attached to it. People know stuff. Pandora’s box at working for Kate and the Middleton family. Let’s sit back and watch what’s coming.
I’ve never partaken of the green, but I just can’t stop giggling at this. It’s funny how things come out. Last year, my sister was telling me she would love a cutting of a particular plant for her garden, and that next door had it growing in their backyard. I said to her, “Just ask them for a cutting. They’re nice people, they’ll oblige.” She said they’d moved out moths ago and the house was empty, but that someone checked on it every week. As I was leaving, I asked why the corner of her front garden had such lovely, lush, green grass when we were in the middle of a drought. She said she suspected that whoever was che king on that house had left a tap running and it was leaking into her yard. We were on water restriction, so I rang the water board the next day. They went to check, and the next thing, my sister is on the phone telling me the house was crawling with police, vans, people with meters, etc etc… Yep. Drug lab. The water problem was solved, too.
It’s funny how many drug operations get caught because of things like that. One down the street from me was found because the usual meter reader for the electrical company was out sick, and the new guy took a correct reading… which was so outrageously different from all the readings for the year before, that it got flagged up the chain, and eventually to the police. Sure enough, grow op. The normal meter guy was taking a bribe to fake the numbers.
That’s the thing that strikes me about the Bucklebury grow op – if it was only found because of an electrical issue, does that mean someone at the power company was taking a bribe to look the other way?
That is hilarious @AnnaKist
Maybe she was smoking some of that stuff when she had her brilliant idea to do “damage control” 🤣
So i wonder since Carole is such a mastermind just how far back she had her sights on her daughter nabbing Prince William and what was her back up plan if that didnt work. It takes a shrewd person to orchastrate ( pushing her kids in those circles,making her have the same gap year,then same University and insulating herself in his life) its quite sick but ambitious.
“Kate and Pippa never holding real jobs”
True, but did James ever have a real job?
No. The Middleton spawn are all equal opportunity layabouts.
Not really. He technically owned 2 businesses. A cake mix thing and now marshmallows. He’s never actually done the 9-5 at either. He’s supposed to be working at his brother in-law’s estate in Scotland, but he’s more often in London. So, it’s akin to Pippa with her book and column and other ventures that didn’t actually go anywhere.
Someone please do something about those awful veneers. Send a scarf to Bucklebury or something.
Yeah, don’t think that’s true at all. I Wouldn’t be surprised if there is something dodgy with their wealth, but I highly doubt that that if there was something with cannabis going on that they would have a direct involvement like that and have it next to their mansion.
If this is true, it is by far the most interesting thing about Kate the Keen
She does like gardening….
If it is their farm, they need to start imbibing and calm their tits.
Agreed, Rae. While the press have never done a warranted deep dive into PP (which is basically British Party City imo), there is zero chance a woman who spent her entire life grooming her children to be accepted by aristocracy would risk it all by planting a weed garden NEXT TO her property. Carole is a lot of things, but she’s always had her eye on the prize and built a pretty unflappable family brand (a la Kris Jenner) to align herself accordingly.
You are probably absolutely correct, but I continue to be astonished that parents in the Varsity Blues scandal did what they did without considering what would happen if they got caught.
This is basically the plot of the film The Gentleman. Guy Ritchie must have got the idea from somewhere…
I watched it this week and that’s what popped into my mind. But Ritchie knows something.
Loads of pot factories have been busted by British Police over the past month, all over the country. It’s a coincidence that one was near Bucklebury.
I’m sure it was, but it doesn’t make it less funny:)
Well I think is lovely that uncle Gary lives so close by.
The Middletons as suburban pot dealers is hilarious. It’s not even out of the realm of possibility because I’ve seen far too many suburbanites busted for possession and intent to sell. Nice house is a front for packaging and dealing. Do I really think the Midds are drug dealers? Nope, but the gloves have obviously been taken off in regards to them.
Reminds me of the tv show Weeds. But Mary-Louise Parker’s character was much more fun and entertaining than Carole Middleton seems.
As someone with a pot farm…no, the small pot farm in addition to the party pieces business do not explain the Middleton finances. The private schools, the flat in London- that’s several million £. They have to be super leveraged or are being financed by others. Post-wedding funding is probably through the BRF, but before? That would be interesting to know.
Especially as the inheritance Mike received was in no way big enough to pay for his schooling, kids schooling, or their lifestyle. Many reasons why they keep shady Uncle Gary the wife beater close, funding being one of those reasons.
Details please
Around the time the keenbridges engagement, I remember reading article of from the guardian/telegraph/times (I forgot). The article raised question about how much money did the middletons make? it was quite investigative. They found out that their nearest competitor only make 100k in SALES p.a. It does not explain how they are able to send their kids to a 30k/p.a. private school and maintain their lifestyle.
The gift that keeps on giving those Middletons…
BM has declared war on House Middleton. Tin foil tiara: I think the Windsors never liked the Middletons and thought them thirsty. CH and BP may have feeding the press. Kate served her purpose with an heir and spares; and Charles is proof adultery and divorce will not cost you the throne.
If Charles was smart he would crack on with the Middleton slander quick. They want his ass out of the way to make way for queen kate, and so carol can start decorating Buckingham palace like a 5* hotel.
They have thrown him under the bus by ensuring they look like the ‘better grandparents’ to the kids, and the whole ‘skip a generation’ campaign.
Hell, maybe it was Charles who gave tatler a quick call just before they went to print. Lol
That’s who I feel is really behind this, but shame on him for letting Meghan take the hits. He better buy them a big @ss house in Cali for this.
Roll up a fat one and pass it around??
COPS! come and tryna snatch my crops
Pass the dutchie pan the left hand side?
I wanna get blunted, my brother?? Lol
I’ve got 5 on it??
Ok! Enough lol.
Weed lyrics are fun.
Ha! That song always reminds me of Willie dad-dancing.
We knew they loved party pieces, we just didn’t know which pieces they partied with.
🕺COMMENT OF THE WEEK, MABS 💃
I don’t really believe any of the Middletons are responsible for the weed operation – more likely some enterprising estate worker noticed an empty barn and made good – but if there is an investigation, we might get more insight into how their family business/property is run.
Why should we?
Um, gossip🙂? I wanna see where their money came from and where it goes, especially if it’s dumb shit. Why you here?
cracking up at this story. i don’t believe it has anything to do with the Mids but i am loving how they are throwing everything their way.
and no, party pieces did not finance their lifestyle neither do i believe uncle gary just randomly gave them cash out of the kindness of his coke sniffing heart. the wealthy inherit money through Trusts and i believe it’s Trust funds that financed their private schooling. The Telegraph had an expose on this and apparently the Trust still exists and is administered by some solicitors. i don’t believe Cain is using taxpayer or duchy money to support them, but the idle rich lifestyle of the three Midd kids tells me they came into money along the way.
and this is one of my favorite games. playing how did the Midds acquire their wealth. as an accountant who has worked in a variety of fields including audit and AML and compliance this is all very very interesting to me.
The trust wasn’t that large and was divided among Michael Middleton and his brothers. None of the other brothers gained that much from the trust. Of the Middleton children, only Katie Keen’s public education was paid by the trust. Pippa went to school on a sports scholarship. James financial aid. Uncle Gary has indicated on more than one occasion that he has been generous with them. What they provided in return I have no idea
that’s not the trust funds that was an inheritance from one of his parents. completely different source of funds.
Honestly I hope this is real only because it would be a great and fun distraction from everything going on with everything else going on. I have never actually tried pot in my life but I’ve met lots of people who smoke to deal with anxiety and trauma or who use medical marijuana and edibles to help control certain conditions. So many fun headlines to attach to Kate if it comes out her parents are secretly running a weed empire in the English countryside.
@RoyalBlue from what I understand there was only one trust and it was from Michael’s ancestor. The trust was to be equally divided between the brothers. None of the brothers became rich from the trust. The money more than likely paid for public school for all three Middleton children for lower grades, but Katie Keen was the only one whose tuition was paid by the Middletons for boarding school. A few in depth articles have been written on this. I’ll see if I can locate them.
@RoyalBlue. I hope I am allowed to add a link, but here is one source that lists the amount of money Michael inherited, and as you know Carole came from a very working class family. https://www.newidea.com.au/pippa-middletons-father-michael-middleton
kyle i have a trust and it’s separate from some cash and other assets we will leave our kids. i have seen trusts from the 1800s set up that are still in existence today investing and growing, the money left for michael and his siblings was probably insurance and cash. the money in trust is very likely still there unless the trust was liquidated and dissolved. the following is from wikipedia.
“The family’s wealth is the result of the success of their business combined with the trust funds inherited from Olive Christiana Middleton (née Lupton), whom the BBC reported in 2011 as being Michael Middleton’s aristocrat grandmother.[14] This wealth has resulted in the Middletons being reported to be multi-millionaires.[15][16][17]”