The Middleton family’s business, Party Pieces, has been in dire financial straits for several years, if not longer. Their products are not unique, and almost everything they sell can be found for cheaper at party-supply stores, or found a lot cheaper online. Things seem to have come to a head earlier this year, when suddenly the Middletons were talking openly about how the business is going down the drain. Carole Middleton blames the post office, the cost of living crisis and the pandemic. In late March, we learned that Carole has apparently hired advisors because she either wants to sell PP or bring in more partners. Well, now it looks like they’re going to just try to sell the whole company. Offload it on some Russian oligarch, perchance. Carole is going down bravely, and by that I mean, she’s openly briefing the Daily Mail that she wants to retire to spend more time with her grandchildren.
Carole and Michael Middleton are heading for a very good Coronation. At the event on May 6, which they are expected to attend, their daughter Kate will take a delicate step closer to being Queen one day. No parents could be prouder of their daughter, who discharges her royal and familial duties with such impeccable grace.
As entrepreneurs, they will also be hoping that by that point they will have done some brisk pre-Coronation business at their company, Party Pieces, which is selling a range of Coronation-themed items on its website. There is Coronation Flag Bunting (£4.99 for three metres), which features the side profile of the King in gold on a Union Jack background, not to mention the Great British Party hats and flags set (£5), which features paper crowns and tiaras, plus essentials such as Union Jack paper plates (£4.99 for eight).
Yet for the Middletons, who have built their kitchen-table business into an empire, this will mark a rather significant moment in their business journey for other reasons. For friends reveal that Carole, 68, and Michael, 73, are planning to step away from the firm. The couple have decided that the time is finally right to retire — and they are hoping to sell the company in the coming weeks to investors who will continue the brand.
They own just over half the company, with two investors owning the rest. To this end, they have appointed strategic advisers at the company Interpath. Last week, a Party Pieces spokesman commented on news of Interpath’s involvement: ‘We are working with our advisers to secure additional investment which will help support the business as we look to embark on the next phase of our growth plan.’
In truth, the ‘next phase’ of the growth plan is that the couple are ready to walk away, the better to enjoy their six grandchildren. A friend says: ‘Carole and Mike are ready to retire, and rather than just shut up shop, they are looking at the options to see whether someone will buy the business. Carole has poured her heart and soul into Party Pieces and loves the business, but she’s 68 and is there running things pretty much full-time every day. It’s too much of a commitment — she wants more time for family, gardening and travel.’
I’m told there wasn’t one particular spur that led to her decision but, instead, the question of Party Pieces and its future has been a conversation in the family for some time, and she has gradually realised that this is the moment to move on. The friend says: ‘It has taken her a while to come to terms with the fact that she’s ready to step away and enjoy her time more. There are now a lot of grandchildren and she loves being a granny.’
Carole has George, nine, Charlotte, seven, and Louis, four, through daughter Kate and Prince William. Late last year the Cambridges moved to Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor estate — much closer to the Middleton family home in Berkshire. This has made it easier for Carole, already an involved grandmother, to become yet more indispensable to Kate. And let’s not forget that, following the Queen’s death last September, Kate and William have never been busier with official duties.
A few things – notice there’s zero talk of handing off the business to one of the Middleton children. I guess Pippa has no need for it considering she’s got a terribly moderately wealthy husband. And James… well, James has failed at every business he’s ever started. James would run Party Pieces completely into the ground in about two weeks, tops. As for Carole needing to be “yet more indispensable to Kate” because “Kate and William have never been busier with official duties,” I can’t believe we’re supposed to take any of this seriously. Kate is still lazy, William is somehow even lazier and the kids already have at least one nanny. But sure. Anyway, I suspect that my theory will come true: some shady Russian, Kazakh or Emirate billionaire will “buy” Party Pieces and ensure that they have a backdoor channel to the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
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- Carole Middleton Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse – Ladies Day, Day 3 Berkshire, England – 21.06.12,Image: 308735318, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Wenn / Avalon
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- Michael and Carole Middleton arriving for the christening of Prince Louis, the youngest son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, London.,Image: 515593258, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- 62362, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – Tuesday June 7 2011. Matching Middletons! Pippa Middleton and Carole Middleton step out in matching nude shoes! The mother daughter duo were out with Pippa’s father Michael Middleton at Harry’s Bar in Mayfair. ***NORTH AMERICAN USE ONLY*** Photograph: ©Optic Photos, PacificCoastNews.com **FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE** **E-TABLET/IPAD & MOBILE PHONE APP PUBLISHING REQUIRES ADDITIONAL FEES** UK OFFICE:+44 131 557 7760/7761 US OFFICE:1 310 261 9676,Image: 525175204, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Optic Photos / Avalon
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- 160660, Carole and Michael Middleton leave the Sunday church service at The Church of St. Mary Magdalene on the Queens Sandringham estate. London, United Kingdom – Sunday, January 8, 2017. UK, FRANCE, AUS, NZ, CHINA, HONG KONG, TAIWAN, SPAIN & ITALY OUT Photograph: © i-Images, PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Photoshot): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE,Image: 532796854, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: i-Images, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
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- 167256, Carole Middleton, the mother of the Duchess of Cambridge and Pippa Middleton, spectates from the Royal box on day four of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. London, United Kingdom – Thursday July 6, 2017. UK, FRANCE, AUS, NZ, CHINA, HONG KONG, TAIWAN, SPAIN & ITALY OUT Photograph: Ã?© Stephen Lock/i-Images, PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Avalon): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE,Image: 533038972, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: i-Images, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
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- Carole Middleton (third from left) and Michael Middleton (fourth from left) at the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, held at Westminster Abbey, London.,Image: 724111600, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Dominic Lipinski / Avalon
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- Michael Middleton and Carole Middleton The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen, Service, West Door, Westminster Abbey, London, UK – 19 Sep 2022,Image: 724158040, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: James Veysey/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- Carole Middleton The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen, Service, West Door, Westminster Abbey, London, UK – 19 Sep 2022,Image: 724158170, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: James Veysey/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- Carole and Michael Middleton arriving for the ‘Together at Christmas’ Carol Service at Westminster Abbey in London. The service will be broadcast on ITV1 on Christmas Eve as part of a Royal Carols: Together At Christmas programme, narrated by Catherine Zeta Jones and featuring an introduction by Kate and tributes to Queen Elizabeth II.,Image: 744946541, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Kirsty O’Connor / Avalon
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- London, UNITED KINGDOM – Members of The British Royal Family attend “Together At Christmas” Community Carol Service at Westminster Abbey. Pictured: Carole Middleton, Michael Middleton and Pippa Middleton BACKGRID USA 8 DECEMBER 2021 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- London, UNITED KINGDOM – Members of The British Royal Family attend “Together At Christmas” Community Carol Service at Westminster Abbey. Pictured: Carole Middleton BACKGRID USA 8 DECEMBER 2021 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- 18/05/2019. Windsor , United Kingdom. Michael and Carole Middleton arriving for the Lady Gabriella Windsor at St.George’s Chapel, Windsor, United Kingdom.
It won’t be a Russian she sells to given Russians have been made to sell their interests in British companies after the war against Ukraine broke out. As I said last week Carole has hit pay dirt. Kate has the Duchy money now and Carole doesn’t have to pretend to be a business mogul anymore.
Do they? I read somewhere that Kate and William are not yet officially the Prince and Princess of Wales – that won’t happen until William”s investiture as such.
Also, does the Cornwall title not merge with the Crown and need to be officially granted, by Letter Patent, to William? Has that happened yet? It seems to me that if they were rolling in Duchy money Kate would be wearing better clothes and jewels. 😂
William officially became Duke of Cornwall the moment QEII died, Charles became king, William became Duke of Cornwall.
William officially has the title of POW already. Charles rushed that out IMO because the Welsh were rallying Republican forces against a POW title existing. The investiture, like the Con-A-Thon, is performative only.
I don’t know how the Duchy money is distributed* but yes, William is officially the Duke of Cornwall. The title is automatic to the male heir to the throne (so QEII was never Duke of Cornwall). He’s also the prince of wales, Charles issued letters patent to that effect a few weeks ago but I also think he was POW just bc Charles said so. Whichever the case may be, the investiture is not required. William is PoW.
*meaning I don’t know if it’s an annual pay out, quarterly etc. someone below posted a link that in 2013, Charles got 19 million from the duchy, and after paying for his work related expenses etc he had 9 million. That’s not bad for your annual income after you’ve paid for everything else (like Kate’s professional clothes for example).
They have that weed farm though right? They’ll be fine.
🎵🎵 pass the Duchy Pon the left hand side🎵🎵
Ba-dum tish
🤣
“And let’s not forget that, following the Queen’s death last September, Kate and William have never been busier with official duties.” As in, they’ve never been busy with official duties at all, and that hasn’t changed. Wordplay.
Yep, the have NEVER been busier ’cause they’ve never been busy. Cracks me up that they say this following radio-silence for what? Three weeks now?
I love how they completely left out Pippa’s three kids. We know where Carole’s priorities lie.
I mean didn’t she always have high ambitions for kate? We’ve known for a while now that she’s carole favorite. Seems to extend to her grandchildren too.
I don’t think Kate is her fav, or if she even has one. The child that managed to land the most important/wealthiest spouse was going to be the ‘fav’.
If Kate had failed at William but Pippa managed to land George Percy, Pips would have been the fav. If both Kate and Pippa ‘failed’ but James had landed divorced Missy Percy, he’d have been the fav.
My mother was the same with my older brother. Along came his future wife and she was taken into the fold. When they had children, they joined the special little group. She treated my sister, her firstborn, like garbage all her life. My second brother was treated very well, but still not like the first son. I didn’t mind that because he was a lovely brother. Then there was me and another daughter..
It was much easier for my younger sister as my older sister and I took the brunt. Our dad died when I was five, and I know life was hard for her. But she was absolutely awful to my older sister who is a gentle, sweet, caring, loving, generous woman, the best sister you could wish for. When the other three gave my mother framed photos of her grandchildren, they went up on a wall._ when my sister and I did that the photos were never seen again, Mothers hey.
What became of the Middleton son?
Kate is Katherine Elizabeth while Pippa is Phillipa. Carole named both her girls after the Queen and Prince Phillip – she always had dreams of a royal marriage.
I think Kate’s only been Carole fav child since she secured the bag with willie. I can imagine growing up it was Pippa that was the star and expected to go the distance.
Yep @Ameerah, I too noticed no mention of Pippa’s kids. Though the writer says CarolE has ‘so many grandchildren now,’ Pippa’s kids are pointedly not mentioned. CaroleE is surely mainly focused on the royal fruits of her and Khate’s ten-year stalking labors.
BTW, I thought it was shady Uncle Gary’s money that gave PP its initial boost, and somehow laundering may have been the trade-off, allegedly…
Their son in law is going to take care of the whole family through the duchy money. I mean he bought them a house the minute he got his inheritance from his late mother’s estate. It will be like how Charles has continuously taken care of Camiĺla’s family including her interior designer sister.
I read somewhere that Charles made it difficult for William to just get his hands on the Duchy. If that’s true then they all might be in for a surprise. Plus I have a question. I have heard lots of rumors that Party Pieces is really just for laundering money. Does England have the laws where if your selling a company the prospective buyer can demand a forensic accountant go over the books to make sure they aren’t buying something illegal. Carol may be setting themselves up for something bad.
There is nothing to hand over! The company is already screwed and when people like the middleton family are in charge of it… then there is nothing left to save.
By the way, I’m sure that the bin Laden family is interested in it, since they already get along so well with Charles and Co
I wonder if the party pieces business was so bad the last few years that Mike and Carole are basically bankrupt. And i don’t mean their business i mean them personally. Obviously they have wealthy relatives to bail them out of any trouble, but i also wouldn’t be surprised if they used up all of their savings just to keep party pieces afloat.
Either way I am still surprised they managed to turn it into a million pound company in the first place. It doesn’t really seem like a business that would make that much profit
Looks like there’s nothing for the business to wash anymore.
I do think Carol(E) and Mike (old George) have been “struggling “ in that the maintenance on their Berkshire estate is a lot. I saw pictures of them hanging out there over the years and to me, it’s not an estate as pristine as I would expect. Check the pool patio cracks and patio maintenance in photos.
There was barely any business to begin with. It has never been a multi-million pound business, this wasn’t what funded the Prince Hunt. If you are clearing millions a year? You don’t have two off-shore mortgages on your primary house and yet pay cash for a London flat.
The only article to look into the lies about MIddleton money was a Telegraph article around the time of W&K’s engagement. Royal Wedding Middletons Money How Was It Made.
Having it be an off-shore privately-held company for so long is what hid the facts. Now that they’ve brought in outside investors, the jig is up. They’ll shutter it and hope no one ever investigates what *really* went on for 25 years.
I hope it’s doesn’t get bought by some royalist that takes out a massive bank loan.
I think I’ve said this before but Carole could have pivoted to being an influencer. She could have taken a page out of Martha Stewart’s book and had the added intrigue of her royal connections. To add: I don’t blame her for wanting to retire too to spend more time with family etc. just saying there are other possibilities.
Maybe K can officially employ CarolE as her umpteenth private secretary.
Lol, I suddenly feel the need for 3 meters of Coronation Flag Bunting with Charles’ head in gold foil – but, sadly, the web site says it’s both sold out and coming soon and £7 not £4.99.
🤣🤣🤣
I know it’s their business but it just seems so tacky selling banners with your child’s father-in-law’s picture on them?
Well, it’s part of the Britain “God Save the King” collection, or something, along with Union Jack paper plates, cups, napkins, etc. But tacky is the norm for Royal tchotchkes as far as I’ve seen. Years back, I had a boyfriend whose family owned a minor porcelain factory in Stoke-on-Trent. They made the most awful mugs and dishes with Diana’s face all over.
The first part of the article sounds like an advertisement for PP items for the struggly.. how dignified and classy, lol.. and what about this phrase:”No parents could be prouder of their daughter, who discharges her royal and familial duties with such impeccable grace” .. somebody reading it would think that Kate is the winner of Nobel prize or something similar… the propaganda is endless and bottomless…🙄🙄🙄
Because it is..they’re merching, something they accuse Meghan of doing. As always, it’s projection with this lot.
I thought this part of the phrase, “…who discharges her royal and familial duties with such impeccable grace” was particularly barf-worthy. I would be so embarrassed to have someone write that about me! And ‘discharges’?? Ick.
^^ Yeah @BeanieBean, et al. ‘Ick’ is definitely the word for that toothless, over-keening embiggening shite. We all know Khate’s true petty, selfish, mean-spirited colors. 🙄
I’m starting to believe the separation rumors. My guess is that Carole is trying to unload the business while her daughter is still POW. When they officially separate, the value goes down.
I also think this.
The announcement is coming soon as Willy gets the ok from Chuck, so not long after the coronation.
Kate will need her mom full time, since she’s not once stood on her own.
this also makes sense to me. The line about how she wants to be so close to her grandkids – well 2/3 of the Wales’ kids are in school FT, and if Louis is not, he will be this fall. Kate has nannies, staff, and does not work anywhere close to full time. I’m not saying that a woman in that position can’t need or want her mother or that the mother (grandmother) can’t want to spend more time with her daughter or grandkids.
but doesn’t it seem if Carole was going to retire the time might have been a few years ago when Kate’s kids were younger and she lived primarily in Norfolk and London? I’m also sure that Party Pieces probably got a lot more attention around the time of the wedding (or even Pippa’s wedding) than it does now? I mean sure Carole is older now so may just want to retire and she didn’t want to do so 10 years ago.
But even so…..the timing makes a lot more sense if this is part of the lead up to the Wales’ separation/ divorce.
That’s a very interesting comment, FC. If there were a separation or divorce announcement, the Middletons would lose what little access they have to Royal properties and monies, and you are right, their influence value would plummet.
With my tinfoil tiara on, I could see this selling of PP as a way to free up lots of time to be with the royal grandchildren and therefore influence them much more, to the Middleton’s benefit. Influencing George is influencing a future king.
I’m a Canadian but I grew up in Yorkshire, and the Middletons always make me think of the phrase “not backward at coming forward”.
Nah, doubt it, W and K have their eyes on the crown, they are only loved because of their seemingly happy family, they will never have the courage to officially separate, and somehow I don’t think they are unhappy with their relationship.
W&K aren’t loved. Charles and Camilla have set the stage for William to set aside Kate and marry whomever he wants. Frequently in public, neither W nor K can conceal their dislike of each other. They are very Charles/Diana with the Korean & Welsh flood tours.
The con doesn’t take Kate any closer to being Queen than she already is. The “step closer” was taken when QE died. And tacky way to look forward to Charles’ death. The press war must really be on. Let them keep taking bites out of each other and competing. Then they can leave H&M out of it.
Well said!
“No parents could be prouder of their daughter, who discharges her royal and familial duties with such impeccable grace.” OMG! 😆🤣 I’m dying.
@brassyrebel, yep, pass the sick bucket!! Ma middleton is doing it now in the hope that the coronation will be a golden goose for her, you can just see the front page of their website
“we are extremely sorry to announce, that for the next 3 days our business will be closed.This is due to the fact that our daughter” The PRINCESS OF WALES, don’t ya know, is going to be attending her father in laws coronation, (Yes she is married to prince William). We will be attending the coronation in our capacity as in laws to the future king – yes, our son in law is THE HEIR! AND along with the fact that we are grandparents to the future heir. it is our duty as loyal subjects to All of them to be there “so please, accept our apologies for any inconvenience, but as you can see, our king and country and our lazy ass daughter needs us, but if you call 08***”**””””you could be in the exciting position of being able to buy this wonderful business so completely alined with our Royal family “🤣🤣
I wonder if Carole regrets her part in hounding out Meghan? From a business perspective I wonder how quickly she realised it would have been more useful to have Meghan’s name to drop than Kate’s when she tried to get PP started in “Overseas?” If Carole hadn’t planted vile stories about Meghan and Harry to any sewer rat who would listen, she may have been able to pick up the phone and ask Meghan and/or Harry for help. As a result maybe, (just maybe) Meghan could have introduced her to some of her contacts who would have helped Carole to raise the profile of the PP brand. Meghan could have invited her onto Archetypes to discuss how difficult it was for a mother with young children to get a business off the ground. Still it doesn’t matter now, Carole has to try and sell her floundering business to whoever takes pity on her. Meghan on the other hand (despite the negative press that was actively encouraged by Carole and her lazy do-nothing daughter) has flourished, and is collecting one prestigious award after another.
If Meghan was still a working royal, Carole could have created products that incorporated their children; Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Duchess Meghan would’ve too busy to do anything more than that.
I was thinking lauraD meant if Harry and Meghan still left but Carole hadn’t been part of the bullying.
‘Retiring’ is code for closing the business down as they can’t sell it – I would be VERY surprised someone buys it and if they do it will be for a bargain price. That business ain’t worth sh!t and everyone knows it.
I suspect Mike will work with James on whatever his latest ‘business venture’ is and Ma well, she’ll move in with kHate to help raise her royal grandchildren the Middleton way i.e. to do whatever Granny wants. Carol(e) is angling for a title, its been a while since we’ve seen stories floating that idea with the public.
So the New Jersey expansion didn’t bring them more revenue?
Apparently they thought Americans would buy their over priced junk when Brits wouldn’t. Such deluded, arrogant fools.
Last week, The Guardian broke down the money William will receive from the Duchy. We have discussed this before. Stop believing the hype. William inherited a billion-dollar portfolio that consists of land and property that he is not allowed to sell for profit. He gets 24 million a year from the Duchy but is responsible for the upkeep of the land and property out of his personal funds. Give it some time, and you will eventually hear about his money laundering and back door dealing with shady characters once the press stop defending him. He can’t afford to hand out money to the Middletons. The only difference is now he doesn’t have to ask Charles for money.
There is also a board of trustees that approve everything and the fact that every penny spent has to be accounted for – so no way Ma is getting any handouts from that money.
I strongly suspect a divorce announcement after the coronation and before Peggy is invested as PoW. Remember a divorce means she loses her HRH even thou she keeps the title.
Charles was able to get astronomical increases in revenue from the Duchy of Cornwall even in lean years. There are so many “loopholes” to the accounting and he was aided by the royal exemption from the Freedom of Information Act. He could block tenants buying leases, he could arbitrarily raise rents, and he could take money and “reinvest” it and write it off for tax purposes. Any board will bow to what the royals want to do with the money. But even then it wasn’t enough for Charles which is why we have the suitcases full of cash stories.
The royals cannot do whatever they want with the Duchy. The biggest example? They went directly against Charles’s request to change the inheritance rules of the Duchy in 2013.
Agreed, DU. If not a divorce announcement, a separation announcement in a year or two. An indefinitely delay of the POW investiture, publicly given as ‘not in these economic times’ and so soon after the Con-A-Thon. That might be part of William’s public reluctance for such a ceremony, because he wants to hold off on it a few years until Kate is legally gone.
I continue to think William paying part of the Midds new home was Kate’s post-nup. Adelaide Cottage is the separation home. William’s angling for Royal Lodge as the home for Wife #2 and Second Family.
I’m not seeing that? I AM seeing that in 2013 at the time Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee was calling for an investigation into the Duchy’s finances. But it is not an example of how it runs all the time. The increases during Covid show that.
You cannot inquire into the Duchy’s finances because it is considered a private estate, but for tax purposes they also treat it like a corporation. It goes back and forth depending on what will benefit Charles.
There are a lot of privileges where the loopholes can be exploited. Charles was allowed to inherit the money and possessions of anyone in the Duchy who died without a will or next of kin. The duchy also has the right to examine legislation.
The royals don’t get the final say. As I wrote, if they did, Charles would have gotten his desire to change the inheritance laws. If W&K had had a girl first, that child would not have been the future Duke of Cornwall and would have had no access to the funds. Princess Elizabeth had no right to the Duchy funds either; they had to go to Parliament to get her a controlled allowance out of it.
Yes, the Freedom From Information business needs to be removed from the Duchy, but no, they aren’t pocking millions of private cash. There’s a board that does keep the Windsors in check.
I have searched for info on them refusing to allow him to change the inheritance laws and can’t find it? I am curious how they keep it in check when Charles has all of the privileges I mentioned above. There are countless articles detailing how Charles has “ripped off” tenants in places like Scilly, how the revenue for 2020 didn’t match how Covid had impacted the Duchy, how Charles only voluntarily pays tax on it. Some of them were even covered here. So, I have to disagree.
Way back in 2013 Charles received, after taxes and official costs, over gbp9 million. That was his to do with as he wished. I’m sure, given his investments, he has more than that in subsequent years. He definitely has had millions to do what he pleased with as will William.
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmpubacc/475/475.pdf
Again, the board may be giving the royals enough rope – but the board still ultimately controls the Duchy. The Succession to the Crown Act (2013) does not cover the Duchy of Cornwall.
The trustees of the Duchy of Cornwall get to make their own rules – and they voted down the change. If W&K had had a girl first, she wouldn’t have been the future Duke of Cornwall. She would have had no access to any funding from the Duchy without Parliamentary approval.
They refused to ratify the changes Charles wanted, IMO, because it would have helped the female heirs who are trying to get back the estates, wealth, and House of Lords seats that are inherited by younger brothers, uncles, male cousins. That case is currently at the EU Court of Human Rights iirc.
Just to say that the European Court of Human Rights is not part of the EU and we (the UK) are still in it, for the time being. If the Tories pull us out, as they have said they will, then that case about the aristocratic women won’t see the light of day (it probably won’t anyway, but that would kill it for certain).
Which would be terrible for those women who have been robbed simply because they’re women.
It would also nullify the threats from William’s lawyers to silence the affair talk. He could no longer claim the ‘right to a private life’ clause that is in the EUCHR law but NOT in the UK version of the law.
Charles was taking bags of money from the Saudis because the duchy is not the free for all people think it is. As monarch, now he has all the money, as did the Queen when she was alive. But the duchy of Cornwall is monitored enough that while William would do well, he can’t just funnel money to the Middletons. I also suspect he wouldn’t now even if he could.
Kate can go wild with clothing because she makes it a tax write off.
Based on the link above, it seems there is no accounting for the 9 million Charles got AFTER he accounted for royal expenses etc, and that 9 million is what he paid taxes on so there is probably some creative accounting going on. I mean we’ve all seen the numbers. Kate buys 10 pairs of jeggings but if she wears them to work Charles could write them off essentially and they wouldn’t come out of his final payout each year, but out of that initial 19 million or whatever surplus.
It’s almost like – hear me out – they deliberately keep the heir’s income and spending as murky as possible. They can only hide so much because of how the duchy is run but it’s not completely transparent either.
That said, @Nic, I’m on board with the line of thought that William wouldn’t want to bail out the Middletons even if he could.
^ this
No doubt a wealthy acquaintance who wants closer ties to William and the RF will happily purchase Carole’s company as a tax write off.
I reckon it has been a front for shady money laundering for years. Now that William and Kate have the Duchy of Cornwall they’re free to bank roll Carole and Michael as well. There is no way Charles would have done that for them. I bet they had to ask for every penny and provide itemised bills.
I read an article about stores going out of business and Party City was on the list.
I think Carole partners want to cut their losses.
Top picture, the dress! I’ve said it before and now I want that dress even more. Absolutely love it and I’ll take her shoes too. I really really want it.
I was going to post the same thing! The picture always makes me laugh because of the face she’s making, but I love the dress and would totally wear it. The shoes and handbag, not so much. I don’t like the color.
Overall, Carole is a much better dresser than Kate. She dresses for her body type etc. I think part of the problem is Kate dresses too much like her mother, without accounting for the fact that she and her mother have very different body types.
She copied her makeup style as well.
I don’t know if I agree on that, Becks1. In the second photo you can see how she and Pips are doing the same unflattering ‘my waist starts at my breasts’ trick.
The success of the company was based entirely on her daughter joining the royal family.
It is beyond a decade, her daughter’s flaws are ever present, the competition is lean and mean, hence the losses.
The only value the company has is its name, some one can buy it and reinvent the brand.
The name may attract eyeballs but a new exciting product will keep buyers.
1 Empire is stretching it. It’s a serious reach
2. Not surprised their America expansion didn’t work….we have dollar trees and dollar generals with whole aisles filled with party supplies.
3. As a kid who was often forgotten by her mom’s parents in favor of the other grandkids, I feel for Pippa’s grandkids. It’s awful.
I wonder where Uncle Gary is in this mess? He certainly shored up PP for a long time, possibly used it to launder dirty money, but he’s gone silent lately. Used to be he was bloviating constantly on TV and in print, but he seems to have gone doggo. Maybe he’s having cash flow problems too…or he’s been told to STFU by higher-ups. Either way, the writing appears to be on the wall, the Midds are circling their wagons and preparing for a post-Chuckathon separation.
@JADED, uncle Gary has gone to POT 🤣🤣🤣
Hahahaaaa!!!!
Bloviating and gone Doggo? LMFAO 🤣
The latest available accounts for the company show debts of nearly £2 million (and debts have increased since the new investors came on board only a couple of years ago). It sells bits of tat made of paper and plastic. You can buy better party stuff in any supermarket. No one has ever made a fortune out of this business or ever will. And once the Middletons are no longer involved, the company no longer has its USP (the tenuous royal connection). So, really, I can’t see that it’s going to be attractive to any buyer. It would be throwing money away.
If some shady oligarch wants some royal influence, he’d be better off approaching Charles and/or William with a load of cash in carrier bags – apparently that’s how it’s done.
I think the Middletons are only pursuing the possibility of a sale to avoid the embarrassment of a bankruptcy, but I think that’s the way it’s heading.
Kate and will busy with royal duties the article reads. As if.