Pippa Tip: When one’s boyfriend moves to Switzerland to get away from you, keep him as your official boyfriend and then fool around with all of your exes while he’s away.
Yes, at long last, Pippa Middleton and Nico Jackson are finally over. That took forever, and everyone was getting really tired of all of the “engagement rumors” being floated whenever anyone asked why Pippa seemed to only be photographed with ex-boyfriends these days. That’s not really a slam on Pippa: she’s never had the ring and Nico ran off to Switzerland last year for work, so what’s a girl to do? So in Nico’s absence, Pippa was always being seen with Tom Kingston, James Matthews, Alex Loudon and George Percy. Just last week, photographers got pics of Pippa entering James Matthews’ place in the evening and leaving the next morning. So… yeah. Pippa and Nico are over.
Pippa Middleton is single again, PEOPLE can confirm. The sporty sister of Princess Kate has split from Nico Jackson, her boyfriend of three years. Certainly, Pippa , 32, and Nico Jackson, 37, who now works in Switzerland, have found it hard to spend any long periods of time together.
They were last publicly seen together in September, when they were spotted showing PDA during a night out in London. But before, and since, Pippa has been spotted with friends and ex-boyfriends (like Alex Loudon and friend Tom Kingston) as she vacations in the Caribbean and takes part in extreme sports events.
In happier times, Pippa and Nico, who works for a bank in Geneva, had took a short vacation in Venice, Italy, in April, just before the birth of her niece Princess Charlotte. A few days after leaving Venice, they were spotted having a romantic dinner date in London. But Jackson was also absent at Wimbledon this year (the couple enjoyed top seats in the royal enclosure in summer 2014) with Pippa spending time at the tennis event with her brother James instead.
And Pippa has been spending a lot of time with ex-boyfriend James Matthews. Not only was he by her side on vacation (along with brother James, his girlfriend Donna Air, and parents Carol and Michael) in St. Barts recently, they also competed in the grueling Otillo race in Sweden together (he was James Middleton’s teammate but the group ran half the course as a foursome)
But a source who spent time with them at the Otillo swim-run tells PEOPLE there was nothing flirtatious between the pair. “The group of six of them all seemed very close but there was nothing amorous at all, as far as I could see. They all just seemed like good friends.”
A “close friend of Miss Middleton” also confirmed the split to the Daily Mail, saying “Pippa and Nico have parted ways. No third parties were involved.” Riiight. While Nico always struck me as sort of a perfect complement to Pippa – Nico seemed to love the cameras and attention, just like Pippa – I always wondered if he was more of a placeholder, the best she could do until she scored someone with a title or someone with better connections and/or old money. Nico was sort of nouveau riche, not all that well-connected and too focused on his career for Pippa’s tastes. Anyway… I wonder what she’ll do now. It’s weird to think that Pippa is so much more outgoing than Kate and Pippa has always been The Fun Sister, yet Pippa just can’t get one of these guys to propose to her. Always the bridesmaid?
Photos courtesy of WENN, PCN, Fame/Flynet.
i actually feel sorry for pippa on this one. She’s actually the sister who is interesting, who likes to hustle, who wants to work hard and make a name for herself but the men in that upper class/old money world seem to have a problem with that kind of girl. And if she marries any lower, her family (Carol) has a problem with that kind of middle class guy. She’s damned if she does and damned if she doesn’t.
I’ve heard people say she’s been passed around more than a joint at a Bob Marley concert by those upper class guys and I don’t know why. Pippa seems like she has confidence in herself but maybe Carole thinks marrying well is better than being a whole/self-approved person.
Is it too easy to just blame the mother?
I agree. Carole is so desperate to have the scent of “trade” off her family that she’s willing to encourage her daughter to keep choosing guys who do not have any intentions to marry her. Maybe they smell the desperation on Pippa. I’m not sure. I will say, something must be up with her or them as a family. She’s the sister to the future Queen Consort (?) of England for God’s sake.
The party planning book and her columns showed that Pippa doesn’t want to work too hard. But she does have admirable discipline when it comes to physical pursuits.
Pippa needs to detach a little from her family. Who would want to marry into the Middleton circus besides another grifter?
“Pippa doesn’t want to work too hard”, ITA. And, if she’s making herself too available for certain men, she may have self-esteem issues that are hiding behind a facade of confidence. Makes me wonder how Carole really parented both her and Kate.
i dont know… i think Pippa would work her ass off if the BRF let her. But she’s kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. Too bad she can’t start her own business. I think she’d be great at that like Carole was. The only problem is she would never be able to promote it properly. James has been able to but his businesses are rather on the dim side. I actually think Pippa has potential.
The BRF is not stopping her from working. They never stopped her sister from working either. They actually publicly commented about that, when Kate Middleton was implying during the girlfriend decade that the Palace wouldn’t let her work.
Pippa is free to work. The BRF are not stopping her. She is not, however, allowed to just spend her time trading off her sister’s royal marriage and call it “work”.
I never heard of the BRF telling Pippa not to have a job, not to start her own business, and not to promote it if she did have one.
I have never heard of the BRF OK’ing James having his own businesses. I don’t think they care much about marshmallows.
The only thing the BRF might be against is if the MIddletons used their daughter’s royal connection in some kind of financial scheme. Ex: Fergie trolling for money by (allegedly) selling access to Andrew.
The BRF have never stopped Pippa or anyone else from working. Sophie was allowed to keep doing her job (until that embarrassing call with an undercover journalist from News of the World) and Edward had a job in television for years. Even Fergie has been allowed to write books, do tell-all interviews, sell products on QVC, etc. To my knowledge, none of the in-laws (ie: Sophie’s family, Diana’s family, etc.) have ever complained about not being allowed to work. So, clearly, the problem lies in the Middleton girls’ lack of interest in doing honest, hard work.
Pippa seemed more interested in “get-rich-quick” schemes which preferably wouldn’t stop her from marrying up. So it had to be some kind of “acceptable” job with a lot of money in it.
Like writing a book.
Or a television show (allegedly she tried for that).
Perhaps Carole is holding Pippa back, perhaps not.
As for Pippa getting around with upper class boys: those are rumours and there is no evidence, is there? A dinner with an ex and even a night spent with another ex is no indicator of such things.
And even if: promiscuity is not (necessarily) immoral. Some people enjoy it. And if you haven’t promised monogamy to anybody…
Fergie wrote and published some those books while they were still married, so there wasn’t a restriction on working while a royal. One about Victoria and Albert and the first Budgie books were pre-divorce.
“passed around more than a joint at a Bob Marley concert by those upper class guys”
Ugh. Anyone got a second hand Kalashnikov I can take to the streets of genteel London with?
(Line from a classic Britisher comedy, not a real threat of violence!)
it’s totally not something I came up with Sixer, that’s the exact quote i’ve read regarding her. I know it’s disgusting
It *is* disgusting. And dispiriting. Just LOW. I might even pity Pippa for a brief moment.
As usual–the double standard regarding a woman’s sexuality versus a man’s. Slut shaming. So what if she’s had different boyfriends and had sex with them? That’s pretty much what her generation does. She appears to be a serial monogamist, not exactly a tinder girl. And obviously those upper crusty guys are talking so they truly are f-ckheads and assholes. Maybe she’ll find a nice rich American.
Really. That was a disgusting comment. She’s thirty-two years old. Of course she has had boyfriends and of course she slept with them. Such a double standard.
You know, I read the comment differently. That Pippa is a play thing to them, a novelty, not a girlfriend. It’s gotta be well known that she’s looking for a high profile husband and isn’t just a garden variety aristo playing the field. Not slut shaming as much as commoner shaming.
That wouldn’t be Wolfie would it? The Karl Marx of Tooting. Up the revolution, and the TPF! Power to the people.
That *is* a horrible characterisation of women that other women and men use to put them down. I wish we didn’t have to read stuff like this. Even in gossip sites.
They would never say that about Harry would they ? How many women do you think he’s slept with?
Not this time, antipodean – although I love Wolfie Smith! It’s a line from The Young Ones: “I’ll take to the streets with my second hand Kalashnikov”. I love Rick/Rik too!
I’ve never heard that comment and it made me laugh out loud! It’s in the running for funny of the week. Sometimes things are what they are.
Does she have the hustle? I’m still not clear what happened with that offer from NBC to be a correspondent for the Today show. Lots of chatter that she didn’t want to do the work and have to fly to the US to do the assignments. That was a plum opportunity squandered.
She seems to have regrouped over the last year and pivoted towards focusing on her athletic endeavors and sporty type stuff. Forget the crappy party planning book, I’d actually be interested in hearing about the stuff she’s been doing now.
The initial report said she didn’t want to put in the effort of the transatlantic job or even relocate which was a nice face saving excuse for everybody
Then later it was out that her audition was abysmal. Something about her being unable to be fun and bubbly on camera and awkward to boot.
Being on camera is harder than it looks.
Rick with a silent P. Taking the night bus to oblivion, in Thatcher’s bloody Britain, you mean?
Work hard? Pippa? Please – every advantage she’s gotten, she’s gotten because of who her sister married. She’s been floating around Europe looking for a rich aristo hubby for years, there have been unsavory rumors about how she’s at least partly funded her lifestyle, and the Northumberlands, to date Pippa’s best hope to climb up the social pyramid, were only too delighted when she and George Percy broke up, as his mother made clear in a statement that probably made Carole M. want to strangler her. The longer Pippa waits, the more declasse she will get. Over 30, no visible means of support, her book and Vanity Fair “column” were laughingstocks, jetting from one country to another to one event after another . . . those girls weren’t raised to work hard. They were raised to chase money and social status. Kate succeeded precisely because she knew how to be demure, ever so slightly out of reach, and keep her mouth shut. Pippa isn’t an ingénue any longer. She’d better find a decent husband and soon.
When did the Duchess of Northumberland ever make a statement about Pippa? I find no record of it. This is not strange because George Percy and Pippa never broke up, since they were never romantically involved.
Alex Loudon’s mother was indirectly quoted as saying that Pippa was not “wife material”, but she is not the Duchess of Northumberland.
I think Pippa now has a fitness column in Waitrose Magazine. Ties in with her fitness challenge endeavors.
Jeanne:
I dunno. I cringe at blaming parents for adult behaviors (and it’s almost always moms who get blamed), but when your family is known around the globe, your relationship status is tabloid fodder, and you’ve never actually been an independent adult, I don’t know. I guess blaming the parents is valid.
@Justine – you are correct and I was half-right: it was Alex Loudon’s family who didn’t approve of her and called her not wife material. I remembered the quote but thought it was the Duchess of Northumberland in memory – and Pippa was involved with George Percy. If you google them you’ll find that, as well as the quote about her not being wife material + Loudon. Apologies for the mixup of Percy and Loudon, but yes, she did date both of them and it was Loudon’s family that didn’t approve. Whether they’ll walk that back if they get re-involved – who knows/
seesittellsit you could be forgiven for the mix up. Alex L’s family are landed gentry with a pretty decent country pile too.
I don’t feel sorry for her. She has a stellar education, a better degree, some say better than Kate’s. She has the time to develop a real career in something, anything , yet hasn’t. She’s still a healthy, young woman, who could get a nice career for herself, this is a Educated woman. She does not have to chase a status, or chase a financial future through a man. She needs to look at her “Real Strength’s” and stop trying to live the Middleton Social climbing, Financial security marriage chasing dream to please Mum.
I never respected Kate and STILL don’t because all she did was chase, sit, wait for a Man with a Title and riches. No I don’t think if Prince William were a normal guy, the Middleton’s or Kate would have wasted years on him.
Pippa imo loved Alex, but she ran around and made Alex Louden look embarrassed, when she went to go chase George Percy again, after the Royal Wedding when she received all that press.
I think she got caught up in the BIG TITLE chasing dream again(Earl George Percy) and turned Alex Louden off, and embarrassed him and his family could see what she was really about. Alex was a perfectly nice man and I believe he really cared for Pippa, but he preferred being out of the limelight, basically and his family could see what Pippa was all about when she went chasing Percy again. Then a friend supposedly quoted someone in Alex’s family , as saying Pippa was not wife material and another friend said she collected posh titled friends. They could see what Pippa was about……
So no I don’t feel sorry for her. She has health, she has a STELLAR education, she has time to pursue a career, a job , but all she wants to seem to do is chase a bank account husband or a titled husband.
Pippa never chased George Percy. They had been friends since University days where she was one of his flatmates. He and another flatmate introduced her to her University boyfriend, JJ Jardine Paterson, Right after the Royal wedding, Alex was in Australia on business. George was starting up his own geothermal business and was sharing an office with Pippa. Therefore they started hanging around together since Alex was not around. Usually they were in a group of friends, who were conveniently cropped out of pictures or not mentioned. When Alex returned she began to go out with him and always seemed happy and in love. After the breakup, which was not caused by Earl Percy but by Alex’s unhappiness with the circus around Pippa, George seems to have offered a shoulder to cry on. The press were soon salivating about the chance of a “double duchess”, but then and always the friends of George and Pippa kept reasserting that they were not a romantic couple at all and never had been. One said “they have sort of a brother/sister relationship. It should be noted that even after she started to go out with Nico, she was seen laughing and chatting with Percy at a mutual friend’s wedding. They have never broken up because they have never dated.
IMO, Pippa would never have turned down the opportunity to TRY for George Percy and the Northumberland title and fortune. If they ended up as friends, it wouldn’t be for lack of trying on her part.
@notasugarhere – of course it is possible that she tried for him. However nobody who actually knows either of them has suggested that she did. Aside from the fortune and the title (a big aside, I know!) he is not her “type”. Her boyfriends, JJ, Alex and Nico are all tall, well built and very handsome. George is short and certainly kind of cute, but no Adonis. Carole might have hoped that lightning would strike twice of course. Somehow though I would think that if George knew that she was after him for his position he would not have remained her friend.
Agreed. And I’m not going to bash her on this subject. Do you know how bloody hard it is to nail these fools down once you get to your 30’s? I’m 29 and not one of the douchebag French boys I date even thinks about settling down. Women get crap all of the time at my age but guys that are the same age? Nothing. This guy was 37 and he still can’t commit? Where are the slut shamers when it comes to him? One of my guys is 33, parties like a rockstar, sleeps round and you would never hear anyone telling him “hey you’re getting up there, time to settle down?”. I even tell him he’s getting to old, he doesn’t care. At our age, it’s like it will never happen. So good on Pippa if she’s still not tied down. Even the fun, outgoing, smart, sexy single girls can’t get tied down. My idiot guys are all the same “I really like you, you’re so different, so funny, so sexy, I love how smart you are” yet It’s too hard getting these men to commit. Sometimes I think if I was still in Amerixa and not France I would have an easier time of it and people wouldn’t judge me so much. It’s their fault, not ours. In the meantime let us play the field.
Pippa and her sister are not aging well. I’m not sure what it is, but they aren’t looking fresh faced. I guess all that climbing in their younger years is starting to show. They both look absolutely worn out in the face.
It’s the sun.
I came on to this thread to say that Pippa needs to get sunblock on her face, stat.
Kate is marginally better but she needs it too,
Too much tanning, smoking, or both? I haven’t seen any pictures of them smoking, but maybe those don’t get printed or I just haven’t seen them. She and Harry would make a great couple, though. A couple of wing-dings to counter Will and Kate. They’d be Randy Andy and Fergie, Part 2, and a whole lot of fun. TIA.
Pippa looks like she is in her mid to late forties with that bad skin. Usually this kind of skin damage tends to show up closer to forty but if must be bad if we are seeing about ten years prior to that.
Tanning.
Smoking.
Dieting.
Over-exercising to stay thin.
Cue the rumours of Pippa “crying” on Prince Harry’s shoulder
#pippatip You have to marry one before you can swing like the aristos proper, dear.
It would make my heart sing to have Pips marry an honest con man. I think she might be happier, too.
Or spend her life single and engaged in….well, something productive.
But I doubt either will happen.
*LOL*
An heir and a spare …
Part of the Problem for Pippa is that many who watched Carole, Kate and Middleton en masse, ten year wooing on helping to get Prince William to the alter , a lot of guys are onto their GAME and don’t want to be part of a daughter’s gameplan for a certain Lifestyle. The Middleton’s are only interested in climbing and imo that includes Kate’s pursuit of William for a decade. If William had NOT been Prince William, neither Carole nor Kate would have put so much time or work into him.
@evermoreOriginalhere
You are probably right. Their interest was focused on the ring and the title but not on the responsibilities that came with such a marriage.
And now many aristos see how Kate keeps stumbling through royal life and upper class life and they don’t want the little sister who they suspect to be similar. I kind of get it.
Not everyone wants to get married and although Pippa likes to date monogamously for years, I don’t think she is crying in the corner now that Nico is gone. She has never seemed to me like someone who is just desperate to be married. Remember her on a dance floor, up in the air with some guy who was not Alex, the boyfriend who brought her to the party? If she was desperate to get married she would’ve behaved herself :)))
It seems she’s just living her life, dating, having a good time. She doesn’t have to sit at home and wait for the call from one guy who will give her status and money. She already has that because someone else did the waiting for the benefit of their entire family.
Yes I agree with you. She is hardly the “marriage material” that these aristos are looking for, and moreover, I think that she is simply happy the way she is.
I really doubt that she actually wants to be married… I wouldn’t be surprised if she took her time, probably well into her late thirties before she found someone to settle down with. She’s having too much fun now.
Pippa isn’t in her mid-40ies now so I would argue she still has some time to find Mr Right.
Perhaps she will do better than her sister? Money and no Royal Duties?
Exactly – she doesnt have to worry about money, freebees, all sorts of perks and she will always have plenty of great connections.
Pippa is a Educated woman. She is a healthy young woman who has free time, no real money worries and could be developing a career, or a job, or doing something more substantial than the party circuit, future husband chasing..which I believe she is.
I actually think Carole in a way, does not encourage her daughter’s to use their OWN Strengths but instead chase a man , a title, a social status, a financial level of frienships. It’s sad in a way.
I think Pippa is a bright intelligent lady, but she is not using it to her strength.
The sun damage is showing on both Pippa and her sister. I wish Carole had at least taught her daughters to stay out of the sun or wear strong sunscreen. What a shame.
She’ll never marry an aristo because no aristo wants to have a Middleton in their family. They know the truth of the Middleton behavior with the royals. Does anyone really believe these snobs want Carol running through their homes with additional airs? Nope.
I agree completely
Hmmm kinda makes sense. The aristos may already have close or quasi-close ties to the royals so they don’t need to marry a Middleton. Unless, someone is that desperate to curry favour with the future King via the sister in law. Aristos don’t appear that desperate as yet.
I kinda feel sorry for her if she has been passed around by the aristo kids. The next best thing to please mumsy is to marry a non-aristocrat multi millionaire or a corporate bigwig.
Just a naughty tot, I think it would be hilarious if Harry and her had a drunken romp together. The morning after would be epic, it would be like a sitcom.
Perhaps it is not that important any more to be related to the Royal Family by marriage?
“Passed around”? Pippa is over 30 and of course she has had boyfriends and she has slept with them.
This “passed around” apparently comes from aristo sources and they like to apply double standards:
women = virgin, at least by reputation
men = “sow your wild oats”, “break in your horns”, “play the field”, collect experiences
When rumours appear which indicate that a woman had been “passed around” then somebody seems to try to destroy this very same woman’s reputation.
@ Pondering Thoughts, I have no problem with Pippa having a sex life and I have no problems with virgins or non-virgins. In fact, her reputation seems fine to me, I just see her as having fun before settling down just like everyone is. I meant if she has been manipulated and made fun of by aristo boys behind her back, I do feel sorry for her. And I used “if” because I wouldn’t know if it’s true and I don’t claim it is. If it’s offensive that I just quoted the same phrase another poster used, then my bad for seemingly giving the impression of slut shaming. That wasn’t the intent. And you are right, if that term was used by the boys, the intent is to ridicule her dating reputation.
Personally I feel she should marry whoever she likes on her own terms and she can marry at whatever age or not get married at all, instead of pandering to her mum, but since we are here to gossip about what her mum may prefer and everything else, I gossiped. There.
@ Jade
I am sorry for suspecting shade where there was none. The social climbing of the Middleton’s is easy to dislike as it is largely devoid of merit.
Pippa and all other women who live an active (sex) life should be treated fair and not be shamed.
I don’t think that they’d need to worry much. Carole’s got the run of a bigger house than theirs.
Wasn’t talking so much about the run of the place as the additional feather in her cap for marrying off another kid to quasi-royalty.
Ah; thanks. Understand your point now.
There is something so very Jane Austen about Pippa’s life.
I hate that these two women have taken us back to Jane Austen and there are girls/women who think it’s OK. To have a ‘poor Pippa is an old maid, no one will marry her’ narrative shames all of us, but Pippa and Kate mostly because they don’t appear to value anything beyond an illustrious marriage.
Never a truer word spoken.
ITA. And would toss Carol in there in the role of Mrs. Bennett since her focus seems to be marrying her daughters, and marrying up at that!
Yes! Carole Middleton is Mrs Bennett. I can visualise her dancing around the corridors tipsy and waving to HRM from the car after a party and Harry saying to William “you cannot be serious”, as depicted in the Keira Knightley version of Pride & Prejudice.
Yes, perfect! Mrs. Bennet + Hyacinth Bucket.
Yes, LAK. This narrative is what makes me want to scream.
I have to admit I am interested in the Disappearance of Michael Middleton. The Carole Drunk at the Rugby Game post had photos of him looking grim and as if he wanted to be elsewhere, but otherwise he seems to have exited the Middleton storyline.
I am fascinated by this.
Me too.
Suze: the mystery of the Michael Middleton disappearance continues. It may be right infront of us, like the D/Dss of Kent.
After seeing Cazza Bucket pissed at the rugby sent shudders as I imagined her snuggling up to willie whilst drunk.
Yes, but its also interesting that Carole isn’t as invested in Pippa’s love life than she was in Kate’s – i guess she’s too busy raising the grandkids to meddle too much.
I do sympathise to a degree, she hustles hard but still no marriage but then again she may not even want that. Thou it is rather tacky to been out lunching will several ex’s – she’s in the public eye, where she wants to be, but does she really want the press picking up on this and making out she’s desperate. It maybe innocent but with this family it rarely is.
Out of all the Midd sibs – i do prefer Pips, she has more spark than the rest put together and multiplied by 10.
And so the adventures of Uptradey continue. I just hope she is having a good time. It can’t be easy with all these odd bods for relatives.
Except William is no Mr. Darcy.
Would you call him a Willoughby or a Wickham? Or a combination?
I’d call him Mr. Collins. Wickham is a drunk D… Willoughby married money to save his butt. Mr. Collins married the one that was there and in his mind made him look good.
Just to add, I’m not knocking Charlotte cuz she needed to marry somebody but I’m just saying. Although how she endured getting preg by him, I’ve always wondered.
LOL Reece!! Mr. Collins was the first who came to my mind too!!
William is definitely Mr Collins. 🙂
Wickham ignored society’s rules and ended up with everything he thought he wanted. Trouble is, he got a silly wife he didn’t want and a hated in-law, Darcy, that would watch his every move. Willoughby abandoned the woman he loved for a loveless match, because he wanted an easy socially-acceptable match with money.
I don’t know about William being Mr. Collins. The Odious Collins thought he was a great catch for one of the Bennets since as he was going to get their father’s house and money. He ended up with Charlotte because she recognized a manageable mark when she saw one. She wanted a good marriage and she did whatever it took to get it. I can see William in those things. But Collins always thought he was less important than his “betters”. I can’t see William ever thinking someone else was his “better”.
@ notasugarhere
I would like to add a few thoughts.
Lydia married Mr Wickham because that did kill the potential society scandal of both of them running away. Conveniently this marriage enabled Mr Darcy to marry Elisabeth very soon as the potential society scandal of her sister Lydia and Mr Wickham would have destroyed Elisabeth’s reputation as well. If Elisabeth’s reputation had been destroyed by Lydia’s actions then Mr Darcy couldn’t have married Elisabeth.
Nevertheless Lydia got a really bad future: her husband has no future as his career and reputation are more or less ruined. He is a drinker and gambler and criminal (abducting minor girl). And this is the man Lydia is settled with for life. It is actually quite sad and I doubt that any woman would be happy with such a man. One could argue Lydia was sacrificed for Elisabeth’s happiness. Perhaps Lydia wouldn’t grow up to mature and understand but that is rather unlikely that Lydia’s marriage would develop well.
One could ponder a few possibilities for a different outcome. Of course you can only think within the constraints of those times. So:
In order for Elisabeth and Mr Darcy to marry the scandal must be prevented.
Lydia could be sent to a monastery or some “country home for health and recreation” for a lengthy time and society would stop gossiping as in “out of the eyes – out of the mind. Or she could have been sent on a grand tour around Europe with a chaperone – for her education, of course. And yes, girls would do this, too, although more discretely. All of that would hide a pregnancy and if pregnant then she could give birth abroad. After a few years Lydia could return perhaps with her little “nephew or niece” and perhaps marry a widower. Lydia’s attractivity as a bride could have been improved by a healthy dowry which could have been provided by Mr Darcy. The advantage would be that Lydia wouldn’t be settled with a drinker and criminal. She might have a shot at happiness or at least avoid near certain unhappiness.
As for Mr Wickham:
Mr Darcy is rich and influential. He could arrange for Wickham to be forced to join the army or to go to the colonies – and not return. “out of the eyes – out of the mind”.
The scenarios described above were actually applied in landed gentry and above in order to protect reputation and fortune.
All alternative scenarios would cost serious money and they would delay the marriage of Mr Darcy and Elisabeth.
I sometimes wonder if Mr Darcy had rather selfish interests for pushing for Mr Wickham to marry Lydia. It really depends on how you judge the possibility of the Wickham/Lydia marriage to develop well. I would say there is hardly any chance it would go well.
I totally disagree with Pondering Thoughts.
For one thing, Lydia’s marriage to Wickham had little bearing on Elizabeth’s potential match with Darcy – Darcy intervened not out of romantic hope (which was entirely quashed at that point, and only reignited with the incident with Lady Catherine) but out of obligation as his sister was Wickham’s original mark. Through the book it was obvious that Darcy was in fact a decent man who would have felt a great deal of responsibility for the destruction of Elizabeth’s family over this matter. Either way, the marriage of Lydia to Wickham may have been tainted with whispers, but the scandal was rendered moot and the marriage would actually likely have helped Wickham as an army man (which he already was) as married men would have been treated favorably in officer promotion. The marriage was the easiest and quickest way to solve the issue and protect Lydia’s virtue, not packing anyone off.
But actually, if you want to talk about the idea of social connections, it was actually Jane’s suitor who took the most social risk in becoming engaged to her. Darcy was wealthy and powerful enough that he would have been shielded from scandal in choosing a relatively inappropriate bride. And if you remember, the knowledge of Lydia’s runaway was kept to a small circle of individuals (Lydia and Wickham had run off and hidden) so it wouldnt’ have been the scandal that it could have turned into had Darcy not intervened.
Personally, I would say that there are shades of Mr. Elton in William.
Can I be bold and ask an off topic question? I’ve never understood why Darcy risked his reputation by marrying Elisabeth when (in my mind) she was from an unsuitable family. I adore Austen..this point has struck me everytime I have read the book & watched adaptations of it.
PS I’m loving the comparisons on this site between these characters and Bill/Kate. The more you think about it, all the comparisons pretty much match up.
@ Bridget
Your point is that Darcy ruined Lydia’s life out of obligation as his own sister was Wickham’s original mark? What kind of obligation is that? On which kind of moral rule is that obligation based? Towards whom is this obligation owed? To Darcy’s sister? And isn’t the solution Darcy achieved (Lydia/Wickham marriage) much worse than the alternative outcomes (which I described)?
Do you like me in particular? ;-D
But you’re working on the assumption that Lydia’s life was ruined. Wickham’s life most definitely was left in shambles, but Lydia got exactly what she wanted. She likely spend the rest of her life happily oblivious (and envious of her sisters who married much better than she did).
@ Bridget
Please do not reduce my postings to a single assumption. That is not what my postings are about.
To answer your accusation about my alleged single assumption ;-D :
Lydia got married to a gambler and a drinker and a kidnapper aka criminal. He has no career prospects and no attempts to earn his money with a decent job which he rejected earlier. Yes, kidnapping underage girls was a crime even back then. And yes, well-educated Wickham was old enough to legally and morally judge what he was about to do to a 14-year-old girl. Lydia (<18) is still too young to understand what her life will be like with a spouse like Wickham. Frankly her parents should have taken responsibility and denied her this marriage. So the reasonable rational question is if anybody can have a reasonably happy marriage with such a man. I don't think so. Do you?
In my posting above I asked you what kind of obligation you see on Mr Darcy's side. If anything then the outcome is the best possible outcome for Darcy and the worst for Lydia. Why and to whom does Darcy have an obligation? And on which kind of moral rule is that obligation based? To whom is this obligation owed? And isn't the solution Darcy achieved (Lydia/Wickham marriage) much worse than the other outcomes?
Please, I am really curious about Darcy's obligation you described. 🙂
yes, it’s sad. Two educated young woman and all they seem to aspire to is a titled, monied, social status marriage.
People always say how wonderful the Middleton family is because they are close, but all I see is GREAT Dysfunction in them.
I would think that potential aristocrat in-laws would be afraid that the Middletons wouldn’t practice discretion. What would they leak to the press about the in-laws, about the husband, about the grandchildren?
If only Pippa were a man, then her going around with several men wouldn’t make her look used and desperate, but admired as a playboy (or disparaged as a gigolo?).
Was Pippa trying to make Nico jealous by being seen with other men? Kind of like what Kate tried when William dumped her? Or was it over long ago and the Middletons weren’t capable of admitting it but then it made Pippa look like a cheater?
I thought Nico was a good match for her, because he seemed thirsty for the limelight. But then I guess he got some sense into him and figured that publicity was all he’d get from that relationship, not a big inheritance and not financial and social connections.
The people who move in the aristo circles probably know more than the press and they will have seen how they used the press to play Normal Bill and put their daughter into the position of official girlfriend when in reality she was just his ‘beck and call girl’. No one in their right mind would want to associate with people (or in this case a whole family) that sell’s people out for their own needs. Whoever marry’s in will be tainted by the negativity and desperation that surrounds them.
BINGO …Betti, Exactly. The Aristo circle witness all the maneuvering the Middleton’s did with William and many simply want NO part of them.
I don’t know if Pippa were a man and a playboy at that people would be OK with that. If James was going out with a different woman every week he’d be called a total *hore. So yeah, it’s not so one-sided anymore actually.
Hi all,
I reckon her split’s got nothing to do with the photographs. I think Nico was just waiting for an opportunity to dump her. Pippa is a free spirit!
I think they’ve been done for a while. Quite a while, and just now announced it because Pips didn’t look good spending the night with men when she supposedly had a boyfriend.
I believe they’ve been done for awhile too. I think basically when Nico got the job in Switzerland, it was basically over for them.
I hear Nico is very good at maneuvering himself to get what he wants. I think Pippa got played too or they played each other. It’s been rumored Nico got the connection to that job through the Middleton’s.
At first I read “sporty sister” as “sporty spinster” and did a double take LOL.
I actually think Sporty Spinster sounds kind of cool.
And an excellent band name!
Sporty Spinster and the Grifters! Sporty Spinster and the pals that Party.
Sporty Spinster… who writes an advice column in Cosmo called
Tippa Pippa.
I never really understood why Pippa didn’t move with Nico. Long distance can work. My husband and I were long distance for two years before we got married, but we were in school in different provinces.
I’m not one who always advocates for a woman to drop everything and follow her boyfriend everywhere. But it doesn’t seem like there is really anything tying Pippa down where she is now that she couldn’t do in Switzerland. JMO, of course I have no idea what their relationship is actually like.
Because the chances of snagging an aristo are much higher in London.
For British aristos – yep, London.
For aristos and rich people – London, Switzerland, South of France
Good to know, I shall have to jot that down in my notebook, should I ever wish to uptradey.
Not to mention the paps. Her continued exposure is important to her and especially her mother and I’m not sure there’s any paparazzi in Switzerland.
@ Chrissy
There are paparazzi in Switzerland but they have laws about privacy. Otherwise Switzerland wouldn’t be attractive for certain rich … people.
Switzerland is kind of discreet. Though if you want exposure in the tabloids you could achieve that. But your reputation would go down if you appear in the tabloids.
I honestly don’t believe Nico ever wanted Pippa on a permanent level. I think Nico was “in love” with Nico.
Inside those Aristo circles, Nico is known as a climber too. He only dated Aristocratic girls in the past. It’s rumored He only dated Pippa because she was the future King’s sister n law and Kate’s sister, some say.
He also got access to the Switzerland job, through a Middleton family friend at one of their events or holiday’s.
Nico and Pippa were basically similar, except Nico has a real solid career, but he knows how to play the game. He got publicity, he dated the future Qu.Consort’s sister and I can guarantee you, the next time we hear about Nico dating it will be a European Aristo or woman from a socially and financially prominent European family.
Nico’s mother is also rumored to value socialclimbing and in some ways on a personal level similar to Carole, but she’s just not in your face and in the press.
So basically Nico is more clever?
yes
Am I the only one that thinks that Pippa doesn’t look that interested in landing a husband? She doesn’t conduct herself like she’s husband hunting – that girl has been going out and having a good time ever since The Wedding. These guys she’s linked to aren’t exactly rocket science if she wanted to settle down; behave discretely, don’t make a splash, keep a low profile.
I saw this break up a mile off. As if Mumma Clairol Midds would have let Pippa marry somebody who only has like 2 million to his name! And his parents own a sports shop in Kent. They are RETAILERS for heavens sake. I always found Pipps to be the butch one in the twosome and nico to be the efiminate one. I would say he has made a lucky escape. He has dated posh aristo birds before and I would say will go back to dating much posher birds than the wisteria sista.
I agree with this. She is enjoying the limelight a bit too much to want it to end just yet. Also, I can’t help but think that in the photo above, Nico looks SO much like a villain from one of those 80s movies…you know…the perfect, blonde-haired, self-absorbed, Wall Street type who gets his come-uppance in the end….the guy is just a little too squeaky clean and posh looking. There’s no edge to him. Smarmy. Thats the word.
That said, I’m sure he’s a terrific guy 😉 He just needs a stylist. And maybe some beard stubble a slightly more deconstructed hairstyle and to lose that velvet tux. (Sorry Bro, you’re no Tom Hiddleston)
His look reads too old for velvet without looking like he’s in his Grandfather’s coat. Seriously you guys, this look… it just feels so WRONG to me. Am I the only one who is this bothered by it ?
I guess I just volunteered for the “stylist” gig. That’ll be £2,500 thanks very much Mr. Jackson. Relax, you can afford it.
Exactly Aurelia. Nico is a climber too and he only dated Aristos in the past. Pippa was a vehicle for him in some ways, to get press and rub shoulders with royalty. imo
I think Nico was only in love w Nico and not Pippa.
The English in this People article is hilarious: “In happier times, Pippa and Nico (..) had took a short vacation in Venice…”
What happened to reviewing?
“Third parties were not involved”. Sorry, when the paps catch you doing the A.M. Walk of Shame from a guy’s house who is NOT your official boyfriend (who is away on business), it’s safe to say a third party is involved. Shenanigans like this, plus reeking of Eau de Golddigger/Social Climber/Tiara Chaser, may be the reason the old money guys stay away from her.
It could be a walk of shame, yes.
It could have been that Pippa simply went out do dinner with an ex and then went to his place to talk and have another drink and then it got late and he offered his guest room.
Ridicule me for this but it happens.
Nico and Pippa could have broken up earlier than reported and then it wouldn’t have been a walk of shame.
I think that many celebrities give false dates as to when they break up in order to get some time to heal before they have to face questions from the press.
The odour of Eau de Golddigger is real. As is the rumour mill which is probably fuelled by certain people who want to keep the Middletons out. They close ranks.
The problem with their social climbing is that they don’t even pretend to have merits: some job in a museum or some charity work for some art charity are better ways to mingle with the rich than just party party party. And these tips are old as anything and can be found anywhere on the internet.
Pippa doesn’t want to be tied down, that is kind of obvious to me. Girl loves to party.
..but she’d rather be partying in her own Estate with her own titled husband.
Haha, probably true. But I don’t think you can have your marriage cake and eat it too. You’re either committed to marriage (as a lifestyle choice), or you aren’t. Her very casual attitude about exes, mixed with lots of partying, traveling, and obsessive exercise doesn’t bode well for settling down.
I feel sorry for her. The pressure to make a “successful” marriage must be enormous. Most men would run from that even if that’s not her goal.