Kate Middleton is famously “middle class” in England. That doesn’t mean her family is struggling financially at all – it means that her parents were born middle class, and are now very, very wealthy (nouveau riche) because they started a successful business called Party Pieces. It’s a catalog company which sells, for the most part, “kits” to help facilitate parties. Like, kids’ parties and party favors and disposable dishwear and paper hats and tea sets, that sort of thing. Our Little Waity allegedly “worked” for her parents’ company for years, although I tend to think it was the kind of “work” where she got to take off 11 times a year to go on holiday with her prince boyfriend, plus all the time off she wanted to follow him around for various events, shopping excursions, nights out, etc. Quite honestly, I think Carole Middleton, Kate’s mother, agreed and cosigned with her daughter’s “career goal” of getting the ring, and the Middletons helped facilitate the ring-getting however possible.
Now that Kate has gotten the ring and is slowly being introduced to her “royal duties,” it’s time for the Middletons to cash in. Fortunately, no one is writing a tell-all book, and no one is giving some kind of major interview to a tabloid. Unfortunately, their sell-out does involve tacky corgi-themed wedding party crap.
This probably won’t sit too well with the royal in-laws! Princess-to-be Kate Middleton’s parents, Michael and Carole, are hocking items on their online store, Party Pieces, perfect for throwing at-home wedding celebrations for their daughter and Prince William. Although the Middletons deny they’re cashing in on their daughter’s big day, their British Street Party Collection – which includes windmills, Union Jack teapot vases and corgi cake toppers – will coincidentally be available on their site just six weeks before Kate’s April 29 wedding.
[From Star Magazine, print edition]
Yeah… this is totally not as bad as it could be, but it’s still pretty tacky. You’d think that the Middletons – who have played everything so beautifully up until now – would have stopped and asked themselves, “Hey, our daughter is going to be queen one day… maybe we shouldn’t try to profit from her wedding with cheap corgi wedding-cake-toppers?”
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I’ve always kind of gotten a sketchy vibe from her parents even though I have very little knowledge about them.
I suppose they are just doing what every other party supply store in the UK will be doing. And yeah, corgi cake toppers are tame compared to what I am sure will be available from other suppliers.
I don’t think it’s “Cashing in” on their daughter marrying William – I think regardless of who William married, they’d be selling this stuff anyways. People all over Britain will be holding street parties to celebrate the wedding, and they are in the business of party supplies. Now if they’d pushed Kate to marry William strictly so they could sell these products, then they’d be cashing in, but I seriously doubt that’s what happened.
people need to lighten up.
Well, at least their not in the sex toy business.
The Party pieces website is really cute and reasonably priced. I don’t consider adding festive party ware related to a national event cashing in, as most other party accessory stores will be doing the same thing.
I predict foil Union Jack windmills. Tackadelic.
This is hardly cashing in. It’s a new line of (admittedly tacky) party items and they are in the business of party items.
Besides there are a LOT of people who profit from a royal wedding, faces on plates and all that crap…
Wow, her mother’s beautiful.
LOL I think it’s a fun idea. I don’t think they are cashing in at all. They seem like a really nice family.
I’d rather have tacky corgis than Wills&Waity cake toppers. If they ever were to attempt that…
Anything else is just business as usual.
I don’t get the dislike for the Middletons! They have worked hard, made money and as their business is “Party Pieces” it would seem strange not to sell Corgi cake toppers (although why anyone would want to buy them is beyond my comprehension)
As for Kate’s Mother, Carole, colluding with her for the ring – every Mother want her daughter to marry the man she loves and who loves her, why wouldn’t she be supportive?
The Queen herself is already cashing in big on this. Just got back from living in London for 2 months and believe me, you go to any of the Royal “thingys”, like the mews at Buckingham palace and all you see are the two of them on plates, Christmas ornaments,etc.
A Corgi cake topper can hardly compete with what the Royals offer and profit from this stuff.
She obviously get her looks from her mum….
They run a party planning business-it makes sense. Other companies are doing the same, like others have said it would be different if they were doing exclusive Will/Kate pieces. But you can get similar items from other places.
@tiffany I cosign. There’s plenty of official items from the crown available for sale as well.
While I have no inside knowledge of the bride’s parents and business one has to hand it to them: starting with nothing and making a fortune from their hard work. Including their daughter who was hardly idle. I mean it IS a family business. I concur with a previous comment about the selling of royal souvenirs. This is much ado about nothing. Some people will always criticize. Want to tear up some ass??? Start with Prince Andrew and that awful ex-wife of his. Now, there’s a story!! No, make that MANY stories and most of them terrible!
“…which includes windmills, Union Jack teapot vases and corgi cake toppers”
These things are made up.
No biggie…
Ahahahah, I love that “Noooooooooooo!” look on Kate’s face in the third picture.
Seriously, what mother wouldn’t “colude” with her daughter to marry the future King of England? especially when he is young and handsome (I think so, anyway)? Good job, Mrs. Middleton.
I just got my newest catalog today, from Party Pieces. I have bought tons of supplies from their company, as I am kind of a nut and go overboard for my daughter’s birthday parties…love ’em!
I didn’t think there was anything tacky in there at all and pretty much everyone I know is having a street party here in Southern England…except us…my 6 year old really wants to camp out on the streets of London on the day of the wedding.
I think I need all of the platters and plates for my royal wedding party. 🙂
The Middletons are tacky-oh puhleez!
What could be tackier than some of the stunts that the Royals have pulled over the years, the fact that they still use the word “commoner” (extremely demeaning and offensive) and also the fact that the Royal Family, unbelievably wealthy just from the lands and properties they personally own (Balmoral is one, and I believe, most of Cornwall) are still sucking the lifeblood out of the British people with their ridiculous allowances?
I’m sure it was a HUGE concession for Q-Tip to pay for the wedding.
I am glad (and honored) that my ancestors decided to fight for American Independence. No Commonwealth crap, and no Queen on our money.
Oh, please. Why shouldn’t the Middletons make some money on wedding souvenirs and such? Every other hack, cheap-shit souvenir outfit in Taiwan sure as heck will!
So people don’t expect a return on The Middleton’s investment.
That’s just too funny! Merchandising your own daughter’s wedding.
everyone else is, why not them especially?
I just went to the site. It’s not nearly as bad as this led me to believe. I mean, it’s not “Royal wedding” theme party, it’s British, and there is no reference to any wedding at all. It’s hardly cashing in. I think it shows restraint.
Look at all the excuse making going on here. Everyone else is cashing in, why shouldn’t they? Good heavens, how tacky.
This is the one thing the Middleton family should NOT be cashing in on; their daughter’s wedding to the future king. Can they? Yes, of course. Should they? Not only no, but #$@*&% no!
Oh hell, @REALIST, get over it. Those political events occurred centuries ago and reflect in no way on the realism of political standing today. That’s glorified history book sh*t.
And no, “most of Corwall” is not turned for profit by the Royal family. That’s like saying “Most of Texas is owned by an American political fam-“…oh wait.
Umm have you seen the newest official wedding memorabilia? Engraving of Kate (but the coin says Catherine and William) and William on a coin with Grandma Queen Liz on the back. Now THAT is tacky!
Well arent the taxpayers of England and the rest of the bloody commonweath paying for their friggin wedding??? good to see someone in the middle class making a bit of thier tax dollars back!
Err Kaiser, Kate Middletons parents are not both middle class themselves. Yes Waitey’s father is from good decent merchant stock but mini skirt wearing mumma Carole is strictly working class true and true. The lowest eschelon in fact – coal miner stock. Carole was born on a council estate in Southwell, South London which is one of the lowest of the lows. I’m talking like 8 Mile Detroit. Just as well William has the common touch when it suits him. It was actually drug dealing Uncle Garry who financially supported his sister Carole to pay for the trappings of wealth etc etc and exclusive schools for the “Wisteria Sisters” (Kate and Pippa – extermemly fragrant and extremely good climbers) It took years for the ex trolley dolly and admin desk job parents to accumulate some wealth.
They supported her and turned her out in style for all her years of waiting. Don’t blame them one bit for trying to recoop their money.
@Aurelia: Thank you for nicely demonstrating everything that is wrong with the class system.
Hahaha. The Corgi cake toppers are already sold out.
@32 Aurelia.
“mini skirt wearing mumma Carole is strictly working class true and true. The lowest eschelon in fact – coal miner stock. Carole was born on a council estate in Southwell, South London which is one of the lowest of the lows.”
You are an appalling snob.
I was in England times ago, there’s a lot of Royal official merchandise with the Queen on t-shirt, dishes, mugs etc. etc. this is the Middleton’s job, they can sell wathever they want, if they didn’t problably we would have had another title, something like The shocking truth: the royal family forbids to the Middleton to work.
@Aurelia
Wow. I have such admiration for Mama Middleton now. To think that she came from so little. Then, with nothing but her smarts, single-minded determination, and the patience to work through the sneers and snobbery of those who see fit to deem her “lowest of the low,” she was able to give her children anything they could ever want, and to rub the class system in the faces of those who hold it most dear.
What a cool lady. Thanks for sharing.
If the Middletons are cashing in on the Royal Wedding then by golly so is the Queen as they get some profits from those “official” wedding souviners. Plus they’re going all out with the wedding to “save face” with the British public when a small and private wedding like Prince Edward had would be Prince William’s preference.
I want a corgi cake topper!
I dont find any of them remotely attractive.
So what! If my daughter was marrying a prince you better believe I would make some money too.
The Middletons tacky? They earnt their money and pay for their own holidays UNLIKE William and the rest of his shallow genepool. He’s lucky to have her.
The mom looks too young, looks like she has some ‘work’ done. I even heard Kate had a little tweak done to her face, too. But what the heck, every famous person gets a nip and a tuck.
“People all over Britain will be holding street parties to celebrate the wedding”
Are you SERIOUS, no 3?!?! No we won’t!! Stereotype or what?? Things have moved on a bit from the 1950’s!
The only wedding party ordering I might do is for a ‘Royal Sick Bag’ – http://www.lydialeith.com/ – and Waitey’s parents don’t sell these!!!
Realist is right.
Like it or not it wasn’t that long ago that America did humanity a favor and rejected monarchy.
Europe focuses on the French Revolution as the starting point of a new day, well it was made possible because of our Independence. And they helped us too so kudos there and all kept leading to further developments continually rejecting inequality.
So I’m glad that I and my leaders don’t have to bow before anybody and that the outdated system of being born into a higher realm of being is out.
Here the Middletons would be celebrated for making themselves into something on their own, and their rich pampered daughter would still marry some schmuck who never had to work a day in his life and thought he was royalty. Difference, there he’s right. Some balding kid will become ruler of the national church and head of the monarchy for no good reason. Good genes cannot be it so the theory of great royal blood was wrong.
Making a national holiday out of marrying for money and status and a press that demonizes the parents who earned everything they have as “common” is not as good as full blown democracy.
Full equality is something worthy of continuing to strive for. I’ll celebrate Hef purchasing a woman or the idiots that accept before I’ll celebrate this old relic of inequality.
@Aurelia – Carole’s brother didn’t financially support his sister. Their money is not only from the business but Micheal Middleton’s family. One of his ancestors made a fortune and set up a trust fund for his children. The money that the Middleton’s have is partly from this trust fund.
The money enabled them to leave their jobs and set up the business.
I like them – they have worked hard and reaped the rewards. Good luck to them. I think it’s easy to sneer. But they took a risk and it has paid of.
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