265 thoughts on “Pippa Middleton got a giant diamond ring from her fiancé James Matthews”

1. He’s not my type either, but I’m glad for Pipps. She does look happy. I think the ring had to be as wide and blingy as Kate’s, hence the halo. I wish I could look forward to the wedding (I love weddings and wedding planning) but I’m already dreading the DM running stories every three seconds about it.

   1. It kind of bums me out that there has to be some sort of competition between Pippa and Kate’s rings. But if Pippa is happy with this ring then that’s what matters.

      1. I agree KMR, can’t anyone have something nice without it being compared to Kate?

      2. Thank God the UK’s long national nightmare is over! Brexit what? Boris Johnson who? Which house will design the dress? Will the Queen attend the wedding? I HAVE TO KNOW RIGHT NOW!!!!1!

         Also, does the phrase ‘starter marriage’ seem appropriate to anyone else?

         1. Hm. Homeboy is 40 so I think the time for a starter marriage has passed. Hopefully they truly love each other and will stay married.

            1. You’re assuming he gets a say in it. Serious question: if Pippa were to get a chance at marrying someone with a respected title, either before or after her marriage, do you think she’d pass it up? I don’t. I think she’s settling for this guy because he’s super rich and he’s the best she can do. She’s not getting any younger. I blame Carole. She has nakedly used her daughters as commodities to service her social climbing agenda. I am dreading this wedding and the famewhoring that will accompany it.

         2. The Queen better not attend this wedding. It will only continue to legitimize the Middletons as more than the slippery social climbers that they are. Besides the fact that I don’t think most people would invite their brother-in-law’s grandmother to their wedding…

            1. Totally agree Red!

               Smiling as she semi hook a millionaire who she will dump in a second, as Nico, if a title comes along. The organized classless cheap PR seems as the fake looking ring.

               A wedding is not important for the royals to attend except sister waity and bill middleton ( which he could skip as he did his cousin Peter wedding).

            2. I don’t think Kate and Carole would forgive William for not attending… and I doubt he wants to miss it. He’s in love with that family. He’s part of the clan, blah, blah…

            3. I think William should attend! I would be so mad if my husband didn’t attend my sister’s wedding, too! I was more talking about Harry, Prince Charles, Camilla, etc.

            4. William should definitely attend but I cannot envision HM, Phillip, Charles, Camilla, Harry or even the York sisters there. Just the four Cambridges but I can almost see the Percys (George, at least, since he and Pippa were flatmates at university and they’re still good friends) but I can’t picture any other aristocrats since the Middletons (especially the women) irritated a lot of people (and appear to have burned some bridges) to get where they’re at.

            5. Hey Kimothy, I almost wonder if aristos would dare demure if invited to the wedding. Not a one would care what Carole thinks, but to slight her could be perceived as a slight to the Cambridges and family. They may have to lie back and think of England in this case, however galling that would surely be.

            6. Hasn’t there been palpable tension between Kate and the Yorks? They do not appear to get along and my understanding is that Bea and Eug have never been particularly fond of Kate.

               All of the Windsor women seem to get along fine. They’re always giggling at the polo and the Yorks have been close with Harry’s past girlfriends. I think the fact that Kate has seemingly not been able to bond with Sophie, Camilla, Bea, Eug, Zara, or Autumn is a very poor reflection of her people skills and effort to integrate into the family.

            7. Lindsey in DC,

               There was a well-known incident about 8 years ago when Kate first didn’t invite Bea to that roller skating charity thing and then, conveniently didn’t tell Bea that there was a dress code so when Bea arrived in her usual attire, she was cruelly teased by Kate and other girls. Bea tried to confront Kate about it but Kate used some “lovely” choice words that caused Bea to wind up in the ladies room in tears! A reporter was in the restroom when Bea was there, hence how it became news in the first place.

               Also, there was another time when the York girls and Pippa were all invited to some fashion show. The person who arranged the seating accidently put the Yorks with Pippa at the exact same spot but, the Yorks beat Pippa and when Pippa asked them to move and they said no, Pippa nearly blew a fuse.

               I agree, it does reflect poorly upon Kate the fact that she doesn’t seem to have a good relationship with the other “married-ins” (Sophie, Camilla and Autumn). If I were her, I would’ve made an effort to find some commonality of interest with them!

            8. Thank you for the background Kimothy! I agree with you that she should’ve made more of an effort to be friendly with them. Making enemies is never good for someone in the spotlight. You catch more flies with honey!

               I understand that she is married to the future king, but the Yorks are blood royals and their place should be respected. I’m happy that the Queen changed the rules so Kate has to curtsy to them when William isn’t around. Not to mention that from what I’ve heard, the Yorks are pretty nice and down-to-earth girls. I’m about the same age as them and both Bea and Eug come off as someone I would want to be friends with! With Kate it seems like you’d have to be on the lookout for a knife in your back…

               Regardless of station, it’s inexcusable to be so cruel to someone. The Yorks could’ve been her great friends and advocates and instead Kate chose to be a bully. Not the type of woman I want in my friend circle!

            9. “Hey Kimothy, I almost wonder if aristos would dare demure if invited to the wedding. Not a one would care what Carole thinks, but to slight her could be perceived as a slight to the Cambridges and family. They may have to lie back and think of England in this case, however galling that would surely be.”

               To be honest, I don’t know how much effect William can/could/would have on an aristo if he got pissed off at them for a perceived slight. It’s not like he has the power of old to grant them land and titles and affect their livelihood. If anything he needs them much more, especially when he’s in fund raising mode for one of his charities. I personally would love to see the look on Carole’s face if not one person from a leading family attended.

   2. Hi Sunny, I can’t wait for the DM to run stories about it every three seconds!!! Weddings just turn me all mushy 🙂 I’ll tell you what, I’ll read all the stories so you don’t have too.

      1. I don’t think I said anything rude, I just made an observation. I don’t know if there was or would be a competition between them. Maybe Pippa’s ring is what Kate herself would have liked but she was expected to wear Diana’s ring. Personally, I like Pippa’s ring, I said she looked glowing, and I’m not a fan of the DM constantly grandstanding on everything. If that’s what you want to do, that’s fine, but it should be fine–unless things have changed here, for me to have another view.

         1. I don’t think you said anything rude. I agree with you that Pips was probably comparing her ring to Kate’s. The idea that Pips had to match or outdo Kate in terms of ring size and didn’t go for whatever she really wanted regardless of what Kate has bums me out. I really hope Pips got the ring she truly wanted and it wasn’t just about matching Kate’s in size. I think there will probably be a lot of comparisons between Pips and Kate and I hope Pips has the wedding she truly wants instead of just trying to have something as grand as Kate’s.

            1. I wasn’t looking at it as Pipps having to outdo Kate or James trying to keep up the Windashians. It’s smart to pull snake teeth out before they bite. I do think the DM would have (meanly) said that sissy Pipps got a smaller ring if she had just gotten just a nice, pretty one, and would have ragged on her taking her joy. Somebody with brains probably knew it. Or maybe this is just what she wanted. Anyway, I’m glad she’s happy and the ring is nice. I mega admire her running skills and fab physique, but there are always the things that rub from this family, like how the Midds saw the royal wedding as “just a family affair.” That got a side eye, but all good.

            2. Ah. Okay, I took it in a different way. Yes, if Pips had a smaller ring the press probably would have negatively compared it to Kate’s. Shame. Hopefully Pips is happy with hers.

            3. Hopefully she’s thumbing through her copy of ‘Celebrate’ for some inspiration!

         2. Oh gosh no I’m so sorry if I made you feel that way!! I was smiling as I typed what I did, thinking about how all the press will drive some people crazy and some of us will be in heaven over all the details. That’s why I offered to read all the stories so you don’t have too. Again, I’m sorry my comment about comparison was really directed at the press not anyone here, certainly not you. I mean god forbid someone wear a blue dress, all they write about is how Kate wore a blue dress so that must be the reason why. Again I’m so sorry if what I wrote seemed to be a dig at you in any way, please know that it really wasn’t meant that way.

            1. No, all good, sometimes what I mean doesn’t come through too. I hope Pipps goes in a completely different direction for her wedding, but I’m feeling they’ll get married at James’ parents hotel so they can have privacy, beach wedding.

               Will Kate wear a dress that hugs her bum… or flashing? We should start taking bets. But we won’t get to see any pics not hand-picked, so sad.

            2. I also hope she does something incomparable to the royal wedding. Perhaps something rustic in the country or on the continent? They’ve enjoyed lots of european vacations together. I would hate for a woman’s day to be ruined because she dream wedding is eclipsed by her sister’s royal wedding.

            3. Lindsey from DC,

               Oooh I can sooo picture a rustic country wedding though my version is probably different than those in the UK. 😉

               I too hope Pippa has the wedding she wants and not what everyone expects or (heaven forbid) what her mother wants for a wedding.

            4. Haha Kimothy! I think my vision of a country wedding here in the US includes cowboy boots. Probably not what they think about in the UK!

   3. Sorry to be a downer here but actually no, I am not in the least excited about Pippa’s wedding. I was, in fact, rather annoyed that one of my bing news thumbprint said ‘Pippa getting married’. Like everyone knows who she is and this is the USA. I mean really, what has she done to merit this sort of ink. I like the ring but not as an engagement ring, it’s too big and will hide the wedding ring unless that too is huge. And that silly cutesy little game Pippa played by hiding her hand was just a preview of things to come. Attention, attention, attention. I didn’t click on the thumbprint. I won’t go into what else I’m thinking.

      1. Agree. Why give air to people so undeserving? The coy game of hiding the hand was just cringeworthy. No doubt she will be whitewashed and re-branded for next year’s wedding.

         1. Oh for sure. **rolls eyes** Whitewashing big time.

   4. The ring is elegant in my eyes; it’s size has to do, I’d say, with James Matthew’s feeling he needs to try to give her as nearly as good a ring as her sister has. The pressure is now on the brother (Middleton), when he gets engaged, to buy his fiancée, whoever she will be, an expensive ring too — though I don’t know him and hence have no feelings for him, I feel sorry about the pressure.

2. I’m not a fan of the ring. As for having a say in the design of the ring, I would hope my fiance would know me well enough to know what I like. This reminds me of an episode of Sex and the City when the first ring Aiden bought Carrie was so not her taste. I’m very glad my boyfriend knows what I want. Whenever we see ring pictures on facebook, we’ve talked about it enough. Plus that’s what my friends are for. I’d hope that he would turn to them too for help when picking out a ring.

   KMR, he’s not my type either. But she’s always dated the hedge fund/financier type. Looks like Carole got her other daughter married off to a rich guy. I am excited to see George and Charlotte in the wedding party. At least you hope they will be. Part of me thinks that Kate and William would deny that with the whole “can’t be seen in public” crap.

   1. Maybe it’s because I don’t like surprises but him picking out a ring without consulting me – even if he picked one I liked – wouldn’t sit well with me. But I would hope he would know me well enough to know that. But that’s just me. There are many women who like to be surprised. To each their own.

      Pips does like the pretty boy banker type, so James does seem like her type. I like nerds with brown curly hair and glasses.

      I hope George and Charlotte get to be in the wedding. I also hope they get to be in Harry’s wedding whenever he gets married.

      1. Funny how we all think of this differently, no wonder men are so confused by what women want! I would want the proposal to be a surprise, so I would think the man should pick my ring.

   2. I don’t like it when the “halo” stones are close in size to the center stone. It throws the ring out of proportion and makes the center stone look smaller. people do this for several reasons. Halo stones are cheaper because they are usually lesser quality stones. So if you can’t afford a big high quality central stone, buy the biggest you can afford and surround it with smaller lesser quality halos or baguettes. The ring is still big, but it costs less. And some people just like lots of diamonds. But I think there must be some mathematical ratio of attractiveness between the central stone and any side stones. Maybe no bigger than a third of the central stone’s size? I’ve given this way too much thought. I love gemstones and spend hours thinking about them. But, as others have said, if the wearer likes it, that it is all that matters.

   3. Agree but let’s wait until….

      She’s out about with her many engagement pap strolls. What a classless bunch of middle trash!. These midtrashions are so selfish useless lack a sense of humanity, never mind our neighbours pain and sufferring to our fellow men.. Its all about money, social climbing, selfish title hunting middleton trio. Boggles the mind with all going on in the world so many nonsense article on this partying man hopping individual, who has done nothing to earn an entitled life – (same as waity) – than the other person, yet there multiple arrticles in DM.

      1. +1

3. Not my type either but you can tell she’s genuinely happy. I like the vintage feel of the ring but it’s a tad bit too big for my taste. Congrats, again!! Can’t wait to see what kind of dress Pippa will wear and wonder if Kate will outshine her (snarky but I had to #sorrynotsorry).

   Edited to add: I too hope George and Charlotte are in their Auntie Pippa’s wedding! Strange that they’ll have two uncles named James!

4. I like art deco inspired jewelry, but I kind of feel like this ring looks more like a cocktail ring than an engagement ring. But she looks very happy and that’s what matters.
   I like her outfit today. Sometimes she wears clothes that IMO look too old for her but this white dress with the sandals and bag is nice. I would wear that dress. I even liked that she painted her toenails. LOL
   I think Pippa’s gown may be a little bit sexy. She will probably wear the type of wedding gown that Kate would have worn if she was not marrying the future king. Maybe a little figure hugging or a little low cut? But then again, maybe she wants to avoid people commenting on how her butt looks in her wedding dress and comparing it to how she looked on Kate’s wedding day so she may go in the opposite direction and wear something that completely covers her up. It will be interesting to see. Hopefully Kate and Carole don’t both wear white to Pippa’s wedding like how they all wore white/beige to Charlotte’s christening.

   One other thing…When did Pippa start wearing a signet ring? I thought only the men in the family wore it?

   1. Pippa has been wearing a signet ring since the family got their coat of arms back in 2011. The entire Middleton family wears signet rings including Carole.

      1. Go figure. I never noticed. I have never been comfortable wearing a ring on my pinky or a thumb ring.

         1. Me too! Always felt like a Mob Boss whenever I did!

            1. Hahaha. I’m in tears right now.

      2. It’s funny that she’s not wearing the signet for the engagement ring photos.

         All the better to see the engagement ring!!!

      3. Say what you will about the sparkler, thank heaven its knocked that pretentious signet ring off her pinky!!

         1. lmao :)!

         2. I recoil each time I see them wearing that beeping ring.

         3. LOL Pixie819!! 😀

5. I really like the design of the ring but for my liking it’s bit too big for an engagement ring but I would generally prefer smaller rings for those I would wear every day and something which wouldn’t give me sleepless nights because of the price… but guess it’s nothing I would ever need to worry about xd

   And I also like the white dress she wore and also the combination with brown bag and shoes. Fits this time of year and nothing too fancy.

   1. The ring is not is not my taste either. However when she looks at it and admires it she can know that it’s her ring and not a hand-me-down like Big Blue.

      1. Exactly, Pippa has to like it and actually the design and colour is timeless so not the worst choice…

         I never got the hype about the big blue, it’s just too much imo

         1. The funny thing about big blue is that Diana deliberately chose the biggest, gaudiest ring from the catalogue Charles sent over to her. She chose it to be contrary and to irritate him.

            When William talks about giving his mother’s ring to Kate, i shudder because it is a ring from a doomed marriage, but additionally for the fact it wasn’t a lovingly picked or indeed selected token from a man in love to his intended.

            The way the story goes, you get distinct impression yhat Charles’s secretary had more say in choosing the catalogue and the range from which Diana was to pick her own engagement ring.

            To compound the unromantic ring picking, that catalogue was publicly and widely available before the engagement and for years post-wedding and at a reasonable price point that made it available to Joe Public so can’t even argue exclusive angle.

            To think that Albert used to give Victoria jewels for breakfast just because…..

            1. I think it depends on what the bride (and groom) wants. If a woman wants to be surprised with a ring, then being given a catalog and told to choose a ring would suck. But if a woman wants to pick her own ring, then being given a catalog and told to choose a ring would be great.

               And as for Kate, if she wanted Diana’s ring then William choosing that ring was the best decision. If Kate wanted something else then William choosing that ring sucks. It all depends on what Kate wanted.

            2. You are so right KMR. And very wise.

               I think the reason the Diana ring picking strikes a cord with me is because Diana was a romantic in those early years.

               She was a passionate reader of ‘Barbara Cartland’ romances and the raison d’tre of those books is damsels in distress being rescued by the handsome prince who sweeps you off your feet complete with big romantic gestures. They are more sugary than a disney animation of the romantic type.

               Choosing your own ring from a catalogue doesn’t fit in that scenerio even if you are marrying an actual prince.

               Alot of Diana’s disappointment with Charles, apart from the more obvious one, was that though he was a real-life prince, he wasn’t a fairy-tale Prince. And for all her later adjustments in re-telling various stories from that early time, it comes through very strongly that she walked into that marriage still wearing the ‘Barbara Cartland romantic googles.

               Those types of books are the reason so many women have terrible romantic lives especially if they read them at a formative age.

         2. I think Willy gave Waity his mothers ring because it saved him the bother and expense of picking out and buying a new one. He’s lazy and cheap.

            1. Agree.

               This was only an arrange what he settle for… his heart, romance was is not in the cards.

               He didn’t need to impress – he was is already a Prince. The absolute carole waity the meddletons could ever dream of!

            2. I wouldn’t be surprised if Scarole created a narrative about how it would be nice to link Diana and Kate….

6. Congratulations to James and Pippa!!!! I think they make a great looking couple and hope that they will be happy for many years to come!

   For being a rather unemotional person I do get rather gushy around weddings and love all the little details that go into them. So I for one can’t wait for all the details!

   I like this ring and think it suits Pippa rather well but I do wonder if she’ll take it off when competing in races and such. I like that James bought her ring that didn’t belong to anyone else first and I’m assuming one that he knew she would like. I’ve never liked that William gave Kate his mother’s ring and wonder how she really felt about it.

   1. Do you know I was just talking to my aunt and cousin about that last night? I said that if I were Kate I wouldn’t want a ring that was A: associated with an unhappy marriage and B: a ring that will forever be associated with Diana. I would want my own ring and maybe just use Diana’s ring as a cocktail ring or something. Harry’s future wife is lucky that she will get her own. I’m sure Kate loves her ring as she is always showing it off but I would want my own if I were in her position to help create my own identity as a member of that family.

      1. Yeah, I don’t even know if it’s the association with Diana, although who would want a ring that represents a failed marriage, that bothers me as much as it means William put little to no thought into selecting a ring for a woman that has been with him for so long and put up with so much.

         I don’t know if she loves it as much as she knows how crazy the press and fans would go if she decided not to wear it one day, speculation of trouble would run rampant. That being said though I’m sure she loves the symbol of victory for her that this ring represents.

         1. I wouldn’t have mind some ring who belonged to someone else if it would represent love and a happy marriage and was like of some great-grandmother or smt like that but giving Kate Dianas ring was always a weird choice for me, like you said because of the unhappy marriage and the association with Diana, but also because Harry was the one who had picked it and it never seemed that William thought everything through.

            Maybe it was, like some say, the cheap option.

            1. or maybe , as she is always more than proud to show it off , she or her mother “indirectly” hinted or asked for it

            2. Agreed. IMO it should have been made into a beautiful pendant that Kate could have worn with her many blue dresses, but not everyday, and had a new ring. That would have been nice; symbolic but recognizing it wasn’t the happily-ever-after ring. Plus with Diana’s death, it took on a sad note of tragedy. If she was here, it would be a little different. But then Kate would probably never have made it to Mrs. Windsor.

            3. I also think guys view things differently when it comes to jewelry and giving rings especially when one of the parents is deceased.
               Carolyn bessette Kennedy reportedly wasn’t a fan of her ring but it was similar to something Jackie had and I think Maurice templesman designed it.
               William probably doesn’t see it as a sign as a failed marriage but something that was his mothers. Kate probably sees it differently since she tries to broadcast it every chance she gets.
               So I think for guys the simplest explanation is they sometimes go for what their mom’s had.

      2. To my knowledge Harry inherited the ring. William asked him for it when he had decided to get engaged, and Harry gave it to him (perhaps they swapped for something else?) Can anyone confirm?

         1. I heard that too. I think William has her watch or something like that.

   2. Lauri, I would never think of you as unemotional. Oh, well, live and learn.
      I’m with you, I got teary eyed for a minute, too.

7. Yep, he is not my typer either. The ring though I love, even though it’s huge it’s still elegant. Well Ma Middleton must be happy now that the youngest daughter has made a good match.

8. What I find irksome is the pic from the evening engagement where she’s hiding her hand-if you didn’t want people to know yet then leave the ring at home. So the coy, I’m hiding my hand to make you guys guess wink wink is annoying.
   The real ? Isn’t whether Charlotte and George get to be in the wedding, it’s will they release pictures or consider it a “private” affair?
   Cushion and ascher cut are my two favorites so I like the center but agree with the comments that the halo makes it too big/bulky. At some point it’s no longer about design and just about how big. It’s been my experience that those with old money are usually the nice but elegant pieces and those with newer go towards the flashy big pieces.
   Since the Middleton women only seem to find their self worth with a man, I hope this makes her happy

   1. You really think it will be a private affair??? No way!! Haha this family lives for the media attention.

      1. Yeah but throw william into the mix and you get the privacy/secrecy thing going on…
         I’m usually not big on emerald cut because they don’t have the sparkle effect that the cushion and ascher cuts get but I do like Camilla’s but mostly because it belonged to the Queen Mum and Charles was always reportedly close to her. Plus, Camilla can pull off those bigger pieces of jewelry!

      2. I agree Lela, the Mids and their PR team will be pushing this in the media pretty heavily

      3. Which means that there will be RPO’s all over the place at the taxpayer’s expense. That’s a given with waity and billy attending, and the little ones. Oh, ma must be just preening and trying to impress people with that. I agree, there is no way that this is going to be a private family affair. No way. We’re going to get to hear every tiny little detail, good God we already had to know that Pippa wore her ring on a jog. I didn’t read the article, but saw it here. At this point I can’t stomach the DM, and I’m still irked that it was news here in the US, with just Pippa’s first name. Not sure why that irritates me so much but it does.

         1. So…has Hello been contracted to be the official media outlet for the wedding, at a price of course? It would be easier to control the published photos and the message.

   2. Have you seen Camilla’s? Yowza. Now *that’s* a thing of beauty!

      http://queensjewelvault.blogspot.ca/2015/03/the-duchess-of-cornwalls-engagement-and.html

      1. Now that is my kind of ring! Just wow

      2. That is my favourite ring of all the Royal ladies…..exactly what I would have if unlimited funds were available. The rocks rock.

      3. Thanks for this link! I’ve never seen it before and I love bling! Whenever my tiffanys catalog comes I take it home and my niece and I go over the pieces together! Gotta teach them young=) I then tell her when it says price upon request means we can’t afford it=) =(

      4. Camilla’s ring has always been my favorite! It’s exactly how I’d like my own ring to look. I think Camilla’s is large enough to show her station without being too large and nouveau-riche looking. Pippa’s is so large it almost looks like a rapper or NBA players wife. so much sparkle!!

      5. The difference in Charles’s choices of rings for his two wives is very telling about his feelings for the 2 women.

         With Diana he sent over a catalogue for her to choose….she chose the biggest, tackiest one from the selection offered to be contrary.

         With Camilla, he gave one of his beloved grandmother’s rings, often worn by said beloved grandmother who he was very, VERY close to.

         More thought and thoughtfulness for wife no 2.

         1. Well, the Queen Mother’s ring wasn’t available when Charles married Diana since the QM was still alive.

            1. The point i was making wasn’t about availability.

               It was about thoughtfulness and thought and the different depth of love.

               Also, there was no rule that he should give Camilla the QM’s ring or Jewels.

               And engagement ring aside, Charles was never stingy about making sure Diana was bedecked with Jewels, so it’s also not about what Jewels are/were available. Charles is not stingy where his women are concerned.

               The extra poignancy of giving Camilla his grandmother’s ring lies in how much he adored his grandmother.

               It would have been very easy for him to buy Camilla a ring or even send over another catalogue as he did with Diana, or choose any number of other rings worn by his grandmother, but he chose that particular ring which was known to be one of her favourite pieces of jewels outside of her wedding/engagement rings to give Camilla.

         2. That’s interesting to hear Diana picked Big Blue from a catalog. I’d read somewhere that Charles had asked the jeweler to put together a selection of different rings on a tray and Diana had picked the sapphire because she liked the color of the stone and, probably more to do with the fact she was only 19 at the time and her tastes hadn’t matured, she picked the biggest sapphire on the tray.

            1. I read the same thing, Cathy. And, that the Queen was horrified because Di picked the most expensive ring! I’m thinking I may have read it in Tina Browne’s book. Not sure, though.

               At any rate, I am reading another Diana bio now and when you look at the photos, she certainly does not flash the ring the way Kate does. Yes, it’s visible in many pix, but it’s just there. As others have said, she wore it. The ring wears Kate.

               How are you Cathy? Nice to be online at the same time you are. Ah, all those time zones! Wishing you the best.

            2. That’s what I had always read, too, Cathy.

            3. I heard that too. Probably the Morton book. She picked the ring off of a tray of rings to choose from.

            4. Hi Jenny. Nice to hear from you. How are you and your family, big hugs to little Madde from me. What is she up to now? Has she discovered that she can escape her pushchair yet? I had my first god daughter do that to me in a big department store, that’s when I discovered just how fast a little baby can crawl!
               It’s winter here, I was feeling grumpy and cold when I went to the post office 2 hours ago and then I saw a group of males wearing shorts and flip flops so I decided it wasn’t that cold after all!
               Big hugs from a not so chilly Auckland!
               And yes, I am with you – the ring wears Kate!

            5. Hi, Cathy, Sending you lots of cyber hugs, too. Sorry for all that winter weather. We have had a nice summer on Long Island, but the last few days were so humid, I wanted to pack it all in and head somewhere cool! Today, is picture perfect and lacks humidity, though. So, I am going to stop complaining.

               Madeleine is doing so well. Thanks for asking. She is crawling and enjoying herself immensely! No, she has not escaped yet. I guess that is about to happen in the near future. Time surely flies. Last year around this time, I was one grumpy pregnant lady. It was beyond hot and humid and I felt plain miserable. Today, I am enjoying motherhood — although it is exhausting. And, I am eager for my little girl to start walking and talking. Well, talking more. She does say a few things and it’s funny when she not only repeats words adults say, but in the same tone that they have been uttered.

               I loved the fact that you are wearing your grandmother’s engagement ring on your right hand. A lovely place for the ring and a wonderful way to remember her.

               Yikes to the fact that your mother-in-law chose your engagement ring! Did she have good taste, at least? What was your ex-husband thinking?

               I hope the weather will be turning nicer for you and I send my best. Always good to read your comments on this blog. Be well.

            6. “She does say a few things and it’s funny when she not only repeats words adults say, but in the same tone that they have been uttered.”

               That’s so funny Jenny, and cute too!

               I’m wondering if it would be a good thing to invent some kind of GPS device to attach to toddlers when they take off? That god daughter who crawl escaped from me? By the time I got to her she had crawled out of the door of the shop and was half way across the food court in front of the shop! Big sigh of relief that we were in a mall!

            7. Hello again, Cathy, I think you are onto something. A GPS fir babues/toddlers. If you could get that done and go on the TV show, Shark Tank, you might get it into the market! Wow!

               How scary for you when the baby disappeared. I cannot believe how far she got. Amazing.

               Yes, it is funny to hear little Maddie speak. And, her ability to mimic tone of voice is really funny.

               Hope it is getting nicer weather-wise and all other ways for you.

      6. Now that is my kind of ring. But it looks like an emerald cut, not a square cut as the link says. Emerald cuts are often paired with Art Deco settings. But I like a central stone with some color. Make it an emerald or a sapphire for me. And that makes it cheaper too.

      7. It is a yowza indeed – but in some lights it has grey overtones – the first picture of it I saw it did not look like white diamonds and I was surprised – but later it was clear it was white indeed – maybe it needed to be sent for a clean ?? It is very classy indeed. As for Pip’s – well it has WAG overtones to it – big and blingy. I like halos – but I don’t think the centre stone suits a halo setting – it might be better to have stones on the side

      8. That ring is so beautiful. It’s one of my favorite royal engagement rings.

   3. yes , I’m with you Sara , although I wish Pippa and her future husband all the happiness , but she could have left the ring elegantly at home instead of hiding her hand that way yesterday , and I’m sure James would have understood

      1. There is a picture circulating of that hand and she did leave the ring off so I don’t know why she was playing all coy for the cameras and hiding that hand. I’m pleased for her as it seems a love match but the ring is not to my taste at all.

         My prediction for the wedding gown……Phillipa Lepley.

         Hello dear Alia. Xx

         1. Hello Mrs BBV , how are you doing ? looking forward to this wedding , but if yesterday’s drama of her hiding her hand was a preview of what’s to come in this engagement , then we’re in for a lovely entertainment this year 🙂

            wishing you a lovely evening Mrs BBV , hope you’re OK with the warm weather in England these days..Xxxx

         2. Yes it is a mutual love match: she with his large monetary wealth and he with her Royal connections.

            1. Ha this made me laugh! I hate to be cynical about someone’s engagement but with this family it’s hard not to! Before they gave their ok, did Carole asked to see his financials?!=)

            2. I actually thought she wouldn’t go for money (the Middletons aren’t short) but she would aim higher with her attempts to marry into an aristocratic family. That’s why I actually think this is love…she’s settled for money when Carole aspired for a better social standing for the girls. I also I think this younger brother is a liability too……can’t believe he’s going to be so close to the Royal family via the Middletons. He’s a tawdry bed hopping, coke snorting, steroid using reality TV reject who’s always in the tabloids. The Matthews version of Uncle Gary really so he needs to be distanced from them before he causes any more scandals. It may be a materially advantageous match but it’s not a socially advantageous one for Pippa. However she will get to mix with real wealth via his parents hotel, Eden Rock in St Barts.

            3. Mrs. BBV didn’t Pippa do practically everything she could to land an aristo? She burned some bridges with her actions and didn’t that incident in France with a gun being pointed at photographers kind of cap her possibilities because she basically threw her “friends” under the bus when the whole thing flared up.

               Someone please correct me if I’m wrong. Also, Pippa had a tendency to step out on the guys she was with. She did it to Nico with James and I think she did it to James in their first go round.

               I think Carole and Pippa are just happy she got someone period.

            4. I thought all the aristocracy peeps were running away from them so she just settled on the uber wealthy..? Didn’t know the brother was so sketch. Do they also own the Eden roc in Antibes as well?

            5. Oh I think you’re right…..no matter how hard they tried no aristo family would take her and there was every danger she would be left on the shelf. But given the choice I think it would have been breeding over money which is why I think she’s actually in love with this guy. I think when she set her cap at the Percy heir just after Kate & William’s wedding the upperclass started to close ranks to keep the chances of her marrying into them highly unlikely. Certainly the Loudon boyfriend’s family were not happy with all the attendant publicity after the wedding and that gun incident in Paris was the straw that broke the camels back……plus the way she went after commerciality with the book, the magazine column etc…I think by this point it had become a clash of values breeding versus money and the breeding was taken away from their grasp which leaves money as the only option. But the last few boyfriends had money so why this one? Especially with the Uncle Gary figure for a brother-in law who is very current in the British tabloid press. Has to be a good reason for marrying into the Matthews…..love is as good as any.

               Eden Roc in Antibes is Roc. Eden Rock in St Barts in Eden Rock. Antibes venue has been there for the jet set for years. I don’t think the Antibes venue is Matthews as they are new money.

            6. Aristocrats closed ranks: no entry. Only option left was a rich guy; Alex, and then Nico took walks – Nico fled to the neutral zone of Switzerland – so who was left. Pippa’s been on the market for a while with no takers. To pop kids out she needed to seal a deal asap. Whether love comes into it – ‘whatever love means’ – who knows; the driver has always been money for Middleton’s. One thing for sure: if James didn’t have significant funds, he would not be considered.

               Not convinced that Party Pieces is the earner claimed. I wonder if its success has been inflated to help make the family look more desirable to the upper crust, with cash infusions from Uncle Gary.

      2. I did not care for the pictures hiding her hand. I found it to be unnecessary. Imho, it’s playing the media game that they court, but don’t “like”.

         1. Coy is not a colour that suits Middleton’s. Pippa is a tiresome attention-seeker. I wish the media would not persist in thrusting her in front of the public for the sake of fueling her ego and ambition.

9. He is so not my type, but that ring sure is! The bigger the better is my philosophy when it comes to diamonds.

   I hope this wedding, and all the events surrounding it, lure the Cambridges out of their Amherst lair so that we can (hopefully) see them with real smiles on their faces.

   1. I’m sure the Daily Mail will be headlining every move Pippa makes from now until, and including, the wedding day.

      1. omg, do you think the wedding will be televised? I couldn’t bear it. I want to see what she wears, but if it gets such air time, I think I will become seriously ill.

         1. I’m having a hard time understanding why Pippa is getting all of this press. She is only the sister of Kate, not a star or royal in her own right. Everything she has done has failed (well, not if you count James). Yes she does charity events and is in great shape but what else has she done to deserve all of this attention?

            All I can say is Carole is getting her money’s worth out of whatever she is paying her PR people. I can’t think of any network that would send a crew to cover Pippa’s wedding. Still photographers, maybe a local camera crew who shares the footage in a pool, but nothing like BRF royal weddings. Although I’m sure Carole will do her level best to make something happen.

            1. Lisa, Pippa is getting attention because (a) her parents employ PR people to make sure she does gets media attention, and (b) media outlets are scrambling to write anything, even about a woman who does nothing, to get clicks.

               In the delusional Middleton mindset, I’m sure they’d want coverage and no doubt there will be photographers there. It will make the papers because of (a) and (b), above. They don’t care that no-one cares; they’re ready for their close-ups.

            2. Oh I know Jen, but I long for the days when most journalists had integrity and wouldn’t give this girl the time of day, let alone front page coverage.

               The Midds have been practicing for their close-ups since Kate started dating William (probably before). There’s no way they are giving it up without a fight.

            3. Lisa, the 24-hour news cycle, pay-by-the-word journalism, the rise of independent social media, and paid PR placement all contribute to people with nothing to offer having a profile.

               The Middleton’s are cunning and know how to play to win. They’ll only go away when they are mortally humiliated and/or people just refuse to engage with their PR ie do not buy the magazine that will eventually feature Pippa’s wedding, do not click on Daily Mail stories etc. If no-one cares, media outlets simply won’t feature them.

               I’m guessing the wedding date and venue will be chosen after much huddling around weather predictions: not so much looking for a sunny day but the windiest place in the UK. That way, the three Middleton women – all in full skirts – can do what Middleton women do best. Whoosh! The Middleton salute!

   2. I love the ring, too!

10. Not my type of ring. I just hope she is happy and loved. It must be yucky to have a sister in the spotlight all the time. I think she could use a new hair cut. Love the white dress.

11. I think Pippa looks really happy and maybe even a touch relieved! For the girl who was always thought of as the pretty, smart, sporty, vivacious, fun Middleton sister- I’d say she’s back on top? (The pretender can shuffle on over)

    1. Ha! It will be interesting to see what happens between the sibs. Pips will have a life of sumptuous leisure and Waity will be stuck with onerous duty and an albatross. Can’t wait to see their wedding attire. Why are they waiting so long?

       1. Are they still close? You never see pictures of them out together and you used to.

       2. Someone wanted the life of the 1% plus the fancy title to go with. Because castle.

          It’s true what they say about having your cake and eating it too…Pippa will certainly have the luxury and the freedom and the anonymity (if she choses) her sister obviously desires. It will be interesting.

       3. In my opinion, they’re waiting so long so as to garner the maximum of attention and in their minds build everyone’s anticipation. Longer time, more ink. And pictures. And details. And ma can come out of the sewer now and Billy can’t stop her, she’ll be all over the place picking this and that out, and she and Pippa are shopping and being selective. And I’ll wager that the paps are on speed dial.

          1. What do you mean “waiting so long”? It takes months to plan a wedding. If they did it quickly they could maybe pull one together by the end of the year, but maybe Pips and James want to get married in the spring or summer and not the winter. Get engaged now and have a spring wedding – that seems normal not nefarious. Why is taking 9 months to a year to plan the wedding unusual and “waiting so long”?

             1. You make a very good point KMR, and I guess I’m just cynical. My husband and I met in December and got married in August so I’m also not very good at math or thinking things thru before I open my yap. It does take time to plan a wedding and they may have a special date in mind. I let my loathing of the social climbing Middletons take over and while I don’t think nefarious is quite the right word, I still wonder why they had to be all over the news the nano second the ring was on her finger. I don’t see the justification for this, but again, that’s just me. I also have to admit that the bouncing back and forth between boyfriends on Pippa’s part is making it a bit hard to believe the so much in love story. I am of the opinion that there is a mutual benefit for both of these people, and I think that Pippa loves money. As far as the ‘royal’ connections? That to me is like having a ton of confederate money. Utterly worthless, but not all that common so sort of an antique in a way, that not a lot of people have.
                But, back to my original answer to your comment. Perfectly reasonable in terms of time to plan.

          2. In the states a yr is about the norm, at least in a big city. Availability of venue and other vendors type of thing. For personal reasons I wish it would be quick so I wouldn’t have to see story after story but after the wedding I’m sure every camera will be aimed at her uterus to start that dreaded baby watch, which will be equally dreadful. CNN had the engagement on their news crawl!! Gah

             1. Yep, she has already shown that at Wimbledon, all but putting an arrow pointing to it, and then passed it off as a wardrobe malfunction. Of **course** it was.

                “CNN had the engagement on their news crawl!! Gah”
                Might I add BLECH!!! to you Gah? I reckon ‘crawl’ is an appropriate term, though.

    2. Ray, lol.

12. The freeloading Dolittles and Midds must be doing a happy dance. Doesn’t his family own a luxe hotel in St Bart’s? Free island holidays the rest of their lives. Yay!

    I find her ring overlarge and therefore garish- a lot of bling and no taste. It also reminds me of Diana’s in basic design. An Asscher cut is so righteously elegant it doesn’t need no stinkin’ halo.

    I bet everyone’s relieved (including Pips) she’s no longer on the shelf.

    1. Agree with everything, especially about the Asscher cut.

    2. +1

13. Well, there’s a ring on a finger. Pippa and James appear to be very happy with things. Good for them. Now we just need to get them down the aisle. And I’m sure we’ll get every little detail from some “family friend” as reported to DM.

    I’m not crazy about the ring and while Pippa should stand as her own person and not be compared it’s just not going to happen. Everything will be compared to Kate, including the ring. Different style but the rings could be “sisters” from a distance.

    I don’t anticipate Kate taking on the role of matron as Pippa did as she is now royal and wife of heir to the heir and mother to heir to the heir to the heir. I fully expect George and Charlotte to be in the wedding party with Kate smiling on from the sidelines gracing the proceedings with her approval.

    It will be interesting who from the BRF attends. Obviously William and more than likely Harry. Invitations will probably be extended to many, but I don’t know who else would show up. Then there’s location, other guests, the dress and on and on.

    As two people starting out a life together I do wish them happiness. But Pippa, ignore any advice Kate gives you on make-up, hair and your dress for your wedding. You don’t want that look on your day.

    And may I also predict a pregnancy announcement in the coming months from the Cambridge front? I can’t see Kate letting Pippa hog all the spotlight until the ceremony. If they can throw shade on Harry’s functions, they can throw it Pippa and James too.

    1. I’ve also wondered if Kate will be “too royal” to be a Matron of Honor. A pregnant Kate as Matron would certainly be the predictable move to steal the spotlight from Pippa!

       1. I’m not so sure that a pregnant Kate would sit well with the public, and besides doesn’t she have HG every time. Oh wait, I forgot for a second. Her HG is the special kind where she can do what she likes and is violently ill at other times. While I avoid articles on the DM right now, I haven’t enough Pepto on hand, I did hear that Pippa is getting a better deal than Kate. Mega money, no accountability or responsibility, so she can do as she pleases when she pleases.

          1. Well, you’ve said the magic word: it’s all about ‘the deal’ with these predator Middleton women. Thus far, the relationship has only been discussed in material terms, I imagine because that is all that matters. And the icing on the cake? Pippa is better off than Kate because she doesn’t have to do anything for anyone. What disgusting, useless human beings.

             1. +1 I absolutely agree.

    2. The only other royals (other than Harry) I would imagine them inviting would be Charles and Camilla, as William’s father and stepmother.

       1. But is it customary to invite your sibling’s in-laws to your wedding? I don’t think there is an obligation there. If they invited Charles and Camilla it would just be to cement their “closeness” with the RF, which is why I hope, if invited, they don’t go.

          1. I should think that you only invite them if they already friends and or closely intertwinned in some way, no?

             1. Unless you were unusually close with them, I don’t think you’d invite them. But I’m agreeing with the comments on the thread that Ma Midds will want as much attention and grandeur as possible so will probably try to get as many peers and royals there as possible.

          2. You have to put on the twisted thought process of Carole the social climber. First to make this *the* wedding of the year she needs as many royals and aristos there as possible. I seriously doubt she’ll be issuing invitations to the people of Bucklbury this time around to fill Pippa’s side of the guest list. And it will give her an opportunity (in her mind) to twist the knife a bit with Harry in that Pippa’s now married, he had a chance but he’s all alone. For all we know he’ll show up at the wedding with a girlfriend by the time the whole thing happens.

             I know it hurts to make your mind think like Ma Midds but you have to see things through her skewed view of the world. Royalty and aristos and money. I wonder if Uncle Gary will make the list considering he’s pretty much been shut out of family events.

             1. Odd question: does anyone know if Harry ever met Pippa before the lead-up to the royal wedding?

    3. I hope Harry is smart and is busy that day. Personally I think Pipps wanted to marry him and he wasn’t going for it. Being at the wedding would be the perfect rub of “you could have had me,” when Harry’s been open about wanting to marry and have kids. I’m really proud of him for realizing that he’s a passionate guy who needs to find someone who really wants him, and not his title. He’s just like his mother on that, and it was one of the many things I really loved about her. Unfortunately, I think he looks at every woman with a jaundiced eye like she’s out to get a crown. He may never marry because the ideal seems to unreal. That would be sad. Why doesn’t he have any guy friends to introduce him to some terrific ladies?
       That said, I think Pipps and James will be very happy. And Kate will probably eventually hate her.

       1. Harry has never been close to the Middletons. WK’s wedding and the prep was probably the longest time he spent with them.

          He has rarely been seen with them in the intervening years, even when he has attended the same functions.

          There is also the rumour that Carole doesn’t like him and finds him obnoxious.

          All of this rules out his invitation unless they decide to have a splashy society wedding where they invite every person they’ve ever met, as they did with Kate’s wedding.

          1. There were the pictures years ago of Harry vacationing with Kate, Will, James and Pipps. Not sure if the Midds senior were there too, but I remember Pipps in her bikini because she was definitely showing off her fab abs plus, as is her right. It got tongues wagging more that Pipps was trying to reel in brother #2, but Harry went on his way. I agree with you that its unlikely we’ll see Harry crying in his mimosa while Pipps walks up the aisle. I do think the boy needs to start putting some names on his dance card though.

             1. The papers have been shipping Harry and Pippa since the wedding, but Harry has never been close to them nor has he ever been on holiday with them.

             2. I never saw the pictures of Harry vacationing with the Midds. Now I’m super curious! Where did they go? Mustique?

          2. Well excuse us, Carole. Many of us, find you you obnoxious. I think Carole might be upset that Harry never proposed to Pipster. And, why on earth would Harry want to go to the wedding, anyway?

             Gosh, hasn’t Pippa stolen a bit of the thunder of PG’s upcoming b’day?

          3. Oh to be a fly on the royal walls.

14. The Middletons, in general, leave a bad taste in my mouth, so it’s hard for me to be happy for Pippa. They just come off as so disingenuous and slimy. I’ll be pretty disappointed in the Windsors if they make a large showing at this wedding. I get very sick of the special treatment that the Middletons seem to get. The family’s of other Windsor wives don’t seem to have inserted themselves into royal matters like the Middletons. Didn’t the Middletons even attend holiday church with the Queen one year? I don’t mean to sound so mean spirited, they are just so hard for me to like.

    At least one positive is that now the rumors about Harry and Pippa will (hopefully) stop.

    1. +1 I’m not a fan of the Middleton family. At all. Scarole reminds me of the mother in the movie The Manchurian Candidate. They are too “in your face”. I liked them at first, but they seem too smug.

       1. I agree! They make it too obvious how hard they are attempting to social climb. The Queen has to notice right? I highly doubt she takes kindly to manipulative social climbers. If I were Charles I would put a quash to the Middletons attending royal events that aren’t about K+W or the kids immediately. I believe there might be some animosity there because the Midds seem to get a lot more access to the kids than C+C do.

          Fingers crossed that the Middletons aren’t invited to Charles’s coronation. They have no place there.

    2. Agreed. They were all quiet and discreet but as soon as Big Blue was on Kate’s finger…..BAM!! Out of all of them, I feel the most sympathy for Michael (yup, the patriarch) simply because of the fact he always looks uncomfortable in the spotlight while Carol relishes it. Pippa seems to have always pushed to the side in favor of her older sister. James (the brother)? Nooo idea but he seems to just go with it.

       1. I agree, Kimothy! Michael does just seem to be along for the ride and genuinely seems squeamish about some of the stuff Carole drags him to.

          1. The kids are a product of both their parents’ values. Michael doesn’t get a pass from me. He’s just as complicit.

             1. +1

    3. I don’t think you sound mean spirited at all, simply honest and I think my loathing of these blatantly social climbing ‘royaler than the royals’ wannabes is probably causing me to be suspicious of the motivations behind every move they make. I am not happy for Pippa at all, I see her as an opportunist and attention seeking desperate for fame and fortune woman who isn’t any better than a gold digger. The rumors about her and Harry were ridiculous and pathetic. Harry has better taste and higher standards, and enough trouble with his drooling sister in law and clingon mil. The special treatment they get is in my opinion just because they steam roll and shove their way into places, and courtesy and politeness are the reason they aren’t publicly humiliated. The RF doesn’t need any more drama and to try to stop the March of the Middletons would be akin to trying to stop a freight train at full speed. These people plan and connive and with their intense determination to be ‘noticed’ there’s nothing off limits and quite frankly they haven’t boundaries. Pippa’s wardrobe malfunction was if not deliberate, then for sure not dealt with in a hurry as would another woman’s (mine anyway), it lasted long enough for those mean old paps to get a shot or two or ten. I have been chastised a bit by KMR and rightfully so since again my loathing is causing me to be skeptical of the motivation behind anything these ghastly people do. (In my defense I wasn’t the **only** one questioning the gap between the rock and the tying the knot, but it is a reasonable amount of time. I just think that the announcement could have been put off for that same amount of time, or at the very least kept out of the news. Pippa isn’t any more news worthy than I am, but a whole lot of people who have done nothing but happen to be related to someone have been treated as though the world should stop in it’s tracks and pay proper homage to them. How dare I think otherwise, and just go on about my business of making a living and taking care of a family when there are such huge and important people out there doing very very special never before heard of in such a manner things. Pippa the author, Pippa the nutritionist, honestly her ice making tip saved many a party and not just plain ordinary parties where people head to a convenience store, or grab some from their common ice makers, oh no, these are society parties. I know I hide my feelings well but I detest the Middletons and consider them an infestation that should have been killed (not them, the infestation) before it spread. Sorry KMR.

15. I can confidently make two predictions: The Queen will not attend the Wedding and Kate will not be “matron of honour”. They don’t have the latter at English society weddings. Bridesmaids are traditionally single and younger than the bride. Kate will just be a guest – but I’d love to see George and Charlotte as page and bridesmaid (do you think Charlotte will still be too little?). Rumour was Pippa tried to get someone titled, but the millions still look ok!

    1. There are matrons of honour in english society weddings. Katie Percy, who is older and was married, was bridesmaid alongside Chelsy Davy to her younger sister Melissa’s wedding.
       Now if Kate will do the same thing I don’t know. She probably thinks it’s too low for her.

16. I join with everyone in wishing Pippa and her fiancee, a very happy future.

    “For her engagement ring pap stroll, Pippa wore a white Whistles Lisa Embroidery Dress which cost $113.00 and French Sole sandals.”

    The price of Pippa’s dress reminds me of the cost of clothes Kate used to wear. Kate’s wardrobe was subsidized by her mother, and she did not wear dresses that cost thousands of dollars, as she is now spending. I’m somewhat of a frugal person, but I love expensive, classic styles. I quench my penchant for expensive, classy styles by shopping whenever there’s a sale @50-75% off at one of our high quality department stores, and I very rarely buy clothes at full price. This way, I don’t feel guilty that I’m wasting money. That said, my frugal side cries out against Kate’s wasteful spending. When all is said and done, clothes, jewelery, mansions and over the top stuff, are only things, and do not bring true happiness. Happiness is fleeting, but joy is lasting.

    1. Good point about Pippa’s pap stroll clothes. I had thought of that when I read the article but forgot to mention it in my comment. IMO, Kate looked better/fresher/younger/more human/real when she wore nice but affordable clothes from stores where I could shop. Frankly I tend to think she looks ridiculous most of the time these days. Another lace D&G, anyone?

       1. Kate used to wear dresses priced at 38 pounds and from off the rack. Now, she’s too hoity toity for that. She’s so very shallow. Maybe when she acquires some wisdom she’ll understand that it’s not the *things* that make a person, it’s the person’s *heart*.

          When people get into the mode of buying expensive stuff to impress others, it becomes a very difficult task to keep raising the bar.

17. I for one am genuinely over the moon excited for Pippa. She’s been my favorite Middleton since the royal wedding, and despite her flaws and flack from the press, I really believe she’s a good person inside. (or at least less self-absorbed than Kate is). It’s not her fault who her mother is *shudder.* I know she gets a lot of criticism that her charity endeavors are basically opportunities for her to get “free” sporting vacations and opportunities to show off her body, but none of that really bothers me. I’m just glad she’s willing to do SOMETHING/ANYTHING (sorry for the all caps KMR – just making my point) instead of hiding away screaming for privacy. I wish her sister could learn to use her talents & interests as well. What a great team they would make if they would make charity/sporting related events together.

    Has Kate ever performed in a wedding ceremony (besides her own?). She barely even attends anything anymore. This “upstaging the bride” bs makes me roll my eyes, but maybe I just don’t get it because weddings have never really excited me like they are supposed to. If I were friends with someone famous, I can’t imagine that I would want them to stay away from my wedding because of taking the attention off of me. But then again, everyone feels differently.

18. Kate must be inwardly fuming at Pippa hooking a millionaire. After all, no one is entitled to hog the spotlight away from Kate. I suppose Pippa’s fiance will be at George’s party, as he’s now one of the Midds folk. Poor James Midd’s GF/fiance does not have a prayer, as she’s not an aristocrat.

    I wonder if Ma and Papa Midds had a talk with Pippa’s fiance about his intention towards their daughter, like William had to to undergo. Some months ago Pippa, James and Ma Midds had dinner in London, so I guess he passed the test.

    I was reading a book on Diana’s and Charles’ life, and all of the rules BRF had set out for Charles’ bride. (1) She had to be a virgin, and (2) come from an aristocratic, and/or other Royal lineage. After reading that book, I think that it was somewhat unfair to Charles, Diana, and Camilla, who was Charles’ true love. I feel for All of them. Why didn’t the same rules apply to waity and William who were living together for so many years pre-marriage? Also, considering all the stuff waity and her family gets away with, I’m somewhat more sympathetic towards Charles and Camill. They were two people who loved each other but had to marry other people. Anyway, who said life was fair?

    1. The virgin part is an exaggaration. What they wanted was someone without a past or at least a very small one. Nothing worse than a stream of past lovers selling their stories to newspapers or like Sophie of Sweden whose past is always being brought up as if she’s been branded with a Scarlet A.

       In the case of Kate, though she lived with William for years, she has no-little past before him. William is only her 2nd boyfriend. Her first acknowledged boyfriend was on the scene for less than a few months and her chatty high school comrades said she barely kissed a boy throughout high school.

       If Kate had married at 20 like Diana, they would have matching or nearly matching pasts.

       In that sense, the archaic preference for little/no past applies with Kate.

       Unfortunately where Camilla was concerned, not only did she have a past, she was also terribly indiscreet.

       Yet the biggest lie told about Charles and Camilla’s early relationship is that Camilla wanted to marry Charles. She did not. She wanted to marry Andrew PB. He was the catch of the season and Camilla was triumphant that she got him. Charles started out as a diversion that led where it led, but he was not her initial choice of future mate.

    2. Vonnie, in addition to what Herazeus said I think W&K got away with so much for a couple of reasons. First William playing the poor, pitiful me, my mother is dead card and second, they didn’t want a repeat of Diana and probably hoped that Kate would acclimate better being with William for so long.

       It appears it didn’t work. But those are just my opinions.

       1. Hi Lisa: It galls me that K&W got away with their flaunting in the face lifestyle. Did Kate not have any pride? However, I did read that Charles spoke to William and told him that he needs to make a decision either marry someone else, and let Kate move on with her life, or marry her (waity) as their lifestyle was scandalous for the BRF.I don’t think the ultimatums set forth made things better, but worse.

          I come from a family that’s very old-fashioned and W&K’s lifestyle would have been unacceptable. My grandmother thinks that women who are not virgins should not wear white and the veil should not cover her face. I don’t think modern day women would pay attention to gran. lol.

          1. Hello Vonnie, By “their lifestyle” do you mean living together (and therefore presumably having sex) before marriage? I guess I didn’t realize from American press that they had been so “indiscreet”. Although, as a millennial living a more liberal city, I don’t see anything wrong with how they chose to live.

             1. Living together before marriage has been acceptable for over 40yrs.

                Heck, Sophie and Edward lived together for a few years before they married, and that was the 90s.

                I’m always surprised when i read negatively judgemental comments on pre-marital living arrangements because that sort of judgement isn’t the norm anymore. There is always a very specific reason, unique to the commentor, as to why they hold on to this type of judgement.

          2. I don’t think that Kate and Will’s “lifestyle” or openly living together itself was scandalous to the BRF (Fergie and Andy, Sophie and Edward, Zara and her boyfriends, etc.), but what was somewhat objectionable was the length of time and the fact that Kate was doing absolutely nothing else at all but being William’s mattress. Even the Queen questioned Kate’s laziness, and Prince Charles, when the engagement was first announced, said something along the lines, “Well, they’ve been playing house long enough.”

             1. LOL Lizzie. “Being William’s mattress.” I actually just giggled out loud in my office.

                All the Kate sugars will say that she wasn’t able to get and keep a job because of her position as William’s girlfriend, but I’ve always thought it was more that she wanted a job with complete freedom to jet off with him when she wanted. If she was actually willing to work hard and be treated as a semi-normal employee, I bet any emerging fashion brand would’ve been happy to hire her for the PR.

19. I am afraid the groom and the ring are not to my taste. Any pictures of James Matthews have always kind of made me go Ick. It might be the beard. As for the ring, it looks too much like a cocktail ring or keeping up with big sister to me. Personally, I am more of a diamond solitaire kind of girl – simple, elegant and timeless (the ring not me – ha ha) In the end, if they are happy that is what counts. Unfortunately, I have always gotten a desperate vibe from Pippa. She has to get married and have kids for security and he has to have a title and money or at the very least lots of money.

    The wedding should be interesting. I can see a battle of “wills” (pun intended because it fits so well) taking place. Carole will want to sell the exclusive pictures of the whole business to some publication. Her daughter’s big society wedding with her Prince and Princess grandchildren as page boy and flower girl. William screaming bloody murder that no one is taking pictures of his kids – privacy don’t you know. Be interesting to see who wins. Personally, I almost hope they go for a small, intimate wedding at his parents hotel with no press. Apparently, I am having delusions today!

    1. Question: Am I the only one who thinks Charlotte looks like Pippa? I saw a picture of Pipps in the purple-blue flower dress at Wimbledon and her smile was Charlotte’s.

       1. @Sunny I agree. You’re right. When Charlotte was on the BP balcony sucking her finger, her face was turned sideways and I saw some resemblance to pippa around the mouth and jawline. I don’t particularly like Pippa’s face as it’s somewhat flat absent cheekbones.

          1. Hi Vonnie,
             I guess we’ll see more as Charlotte grows. She may change a lot from now until two, but if she stays a little mini-me for the Midds, I worry about how she’ll be treated. It’s wrong when dislike of one generation rolls on to the next.

       2. I see Ma Midds every time I see Charlotte.

       3. I always see the Queen! Especially around the eyes

       4. +1

20. Hi Herazeus: Thanks for enlightening me. The little I know of the BRF is from reading books and watching the BRF on PBS. However, I do think that Charles is so much happier these days as he has his true love. I also feel that at some point, Camilla might have realized that Charles was the her love also. I know that Camilla and Parker-Bowles had divorced, and that gave Charles the green light. It’s amazing how the situation unravelled. Diana had to also pay a huge price, as she did not have the man of her dreams. She had to live by the edicts set forth by the BRF. Oh what a tangled mess….

    1. Unfortunately, the Charles and Camilla love story is a work of fiction. Helped along by the fact that most people won’t talk publicly and the 2 loose-lipped people who might spilled the beans are now dead. The re-writing of history, sanctioned by Charles, means the complete picture will continue to be surpressed for decades to come.

       I think Charles had a passion for Camilla, but a few months later he conceived a similar passion for his other long-term mistress Kanga.

       The Camilla-Charles-Kanga love triangle started in 1970/71 and lasted until the late 80s.

       All participants married to other people. Charles also managed to squeeze in several girlfriends in there.

       It’s always inexplicable to me that Diana publicly befriended Kanga and vilified Camilla yet everything she accused Camilla was equally applicable to Kanga.

       Camilla won the race is the best way to describe their love story. If Kanga or some other woman had won, you can be sure the story would be crafted along the same lines and Camilla and the other women erased from history.

       Since her death, there has been a conspiracy of silence around Kanga. To extent that perhaps only royal watchers from the 70s, 80s, 90s remember her name. Despite the reams of paper written about Camilla and Charles’s great love affair, Kanga is never mentioned.

       When lists of Charles’s girlfriends or rumoured girlfriends are written in news articles, Kanga is never mentioned. Yet, you can google youtube interviews she gave where she talks about Charles and their relationship. There are news articles from that time that give very specific details about their relationship.

       And it was as secret a relationship as Camilla’s own relationship with Charles, meaning that everybody, including the media, knew about it.

       I will add that Camilla and Kanga were very similar nurturing types who treated Charles the same which is probably why he kept up with both of them for so many years.

       They both fulfilled something he needed, unlike poor Diana, which is why he is happy and content these days.

       Having said all that, i genuinely believe that the marriage to Diana was completely wrong. They were completely wrong for each other and even if Camilla/Kanga had not been a factor, they still would have been divorced.

       1. Yes, I remember “Kanga” – she was Australian, and her nickname was an affectionate derivate of Kangaroo. She was featured a lot in Australian women’s magazines when I was growing up and regarded as a close confidante of Prince Charles. She died tragically and no more was heard about her. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1076026/The-lonely-death-Charless-mistress.html

       2. @Herazeus, thanks for enlightening me on Charles’ women. I’ve got to admit though, I know nothing of Kanga. I remember reading that Charles used to date one of Diana’s sisters. Most of my knowledge of the BRF is from PBS film and documentaries, and some from articles.

          I remember watching a movie on Diana’s life. In the film, William asked Charles whether he ever loved Diana, and Charles’ answer was yes, but they were from very different schools of thought (not verbatim). That being said, I felt sad for both of them to have had to live together bound by Charles’ parents’ interference. I’m a romantic at heart and always want to see “happily, forever after”. Too many fairytales.

          I

          1. Vonnie: Since you watch docs, here is one on Kanga. It was made by channel 4, which seems to be subversively republican ie they tend not to go with the officially sanctioned version that PBS/BBC do.

             https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=26oQjwgS6kE

             https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JGkzdbiMqaA

             https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5U3SN1E8xUs

             https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xrtsBD0uNZw

             https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JM3kfmAga4o

             1. Herazeus, mucho thanks. I’m so excited to watch Charles’ romance with Kanga, who, was a beautiful woman. It must have been very difficult for Charles when he had to marry Diana, as his heart was somewhere else. I like Charles and have always felt some sadness for him with respect to being rushed into a semi-loveless marriage. Anyway, he’s gotten two sons from his marriage to Diana, and I’m sure he’s proud of them. Herazeus, thanks again.

21. Am I the only one who likes this ring? The Asscher cut rules and the stone size is perfect! The ring is better looking than the groom that’s for sure. I just do not find him very masculine, he is skinny and looks disheveled all the time.

    1. I like it too! I think it’s beautiful!

    2. I agree re his presentation – his hair needs a cut and get rid of the facial hair. I have seen older photos where he looked OK – presumably he willscrub up for the wedding

    3. I don’t think you are BostonBrahmin, I like it too!!

       1. I like it too! You’re in good company!

    4. The rings not bad, but the groom is icky. He looks feral.

    5. I like the ring, too. As for the groom, he does look scruffy in every picture I’ve seen. He looks like he would clean up well, though.

22. I’m happy for Pippa. I know that some don’t like her, but I admire her charity work and how much work it must have been to complete the events she competed in. I like the ring too!

    I couldn’t help but think she is living the life that Kate should have. I wonder if Kate regrets becoming a royal. She certainly doesn’t give the impression that she enjoys it.

    1. + 1

23. Well, all best wishes to the couple. I think Pippa looks very happy and I hope the marriage is a good one. I have not read every single post yet, but I am wondering if they set the date. I know Pippa must want kids and so I am sure she wants to get the wedding out of the way soon. A fall wedding? Not next spring, do you think?

    I think the ring is very vintage looking. I agree that it looks more like a cocktail ring than an engagement ring, but if it’s what they like, good for them!

    Pippa has played second fiddle to Kate for way too long — always with a smile on her face. So, I hope her wedding day will be special for Pippa and her groom. If she marries, soon, I don’t think Charlotte will be old enough to toddle down the aisle, but George will be a darling ring bearer.

    The groom’s looks don’t send me, but I’m not the one marrying him!

    Carole must be in her glory. I hope she pays half as much attention to Pippa during the engagement as she has always paid to Kate.

    Here’s to love!

24. I am sorry, but the ring wasn’t the first thing I noticed. I noticed the condition of Pippa’s cuticles and nails. Get a manicure, even if it’s a no-polish one, just to clean up your cuticles and smooth out your nails. Ugh.

    1. I agree. I’ve noticed that the two women, Kate and Pippa, are not as fastidious about their hands and feet, with respec to manicures. Kate’s hands are ugly and shrivelled, a skeletonization is happening, and Pippa, even though her hands are not as ugly, can do with some help, a manicure and other hand treatment. People do judge women by their hands and feet. I was told by a very rich woman who complimented me on my hands, that hands tell a story of one’s grooming. The Midd women are only concerned about their hair and the price tag of the dress. Both women have ugly legs and toes.

       1. May be I’m weird here,but I personally like bony hands like Kate’s.I have always preferred them to smooth,dimpled ones and I also loathe nail polish.
          I think that Pippa’s skin is not in great condition,but her legs are fantastically toned.

25. I hope I’m not weird for admitting this but I think George Percy (who Pippa went to university with, was a flatmate with, tried to nab soon after W & K’s wedding AND will inherit flipping Hogwarts castle someday!) is adorable/cute and if he didn’t smoke (EWWWW!!!!) I’d still have a crush on him!! 🙂

    1. You had me at Hogwarts.

       1. Hahahahahaahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, sleeping in a castle *is* on my revamped bucket list! 😉

    2. George Percy is dreamy!!

       1. Lindsey in DC,

          Thank you!! The only turn off is his smoking. EWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Other than that, George (and his family) appear to be down-to-earth for aristocrats and he’s *still* got that baby face at 32 years old! 🙂

          (Heck, I’m 36 and just a few weeks ago, I was out with some girlfriends and was nearly carded when I ordered a drink! They got a big kick out of that that this 22 year old kid thought I was younger than him!! 😉

          1. It seems like a lot of the British aristos smoke? I know Harry was pictured smoking multiple times, and many believe Kate still smokes. Is it more common in the UK? Of course, the sample size I’m looking at is quite small.

             I think I’d almost rather be married to a duke as opposed to a prince. Wealth, title, grand home, but much less pressure and publicity. You could in theory still hold a job or do charity work. A little bit of notoriety, but not the “following your every move” paparazzi that the royals have to deal with.

             1. Princess Eugenie also smokes and Princess Margaret was a smoker as was her father, King George VI. I can understand King George VI and even Margaret but Harry, Eugenie and George P know what smoking does to their bodies! Sad.

             2. Is Princess Eugenie a social smoker? I don’t believe everything I read in the papers now about Harry and the York princesses’. My grandmother was a social smoker during the war. It took the anxiety away.

       2. And smart!

26. Not excited for the wedding itself but curious about what kind of dress she’ll wear, what Kate will wewr and whether G & C will be part of the bridal party. Anyone thinks we’ll get a Hello mag exclusive? Btw, do you think Kate will use this as an excuse to get out of more work?

    1. Haha! I wouldn’t be surprised if she used “exhausted from planning my sisters wedding” as an excuse to skip the Irish Guards parade next year.

       1. LOL Don’t give her any ideas!

27. Interesting article…umm…appropriately catty and snarky 🙂

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3698479/JAN-MOIR-Sorry-Kate-little-sis-FAR-better-match-Clever-Pippa-scores-bullseye-engagement-wildly-wealthy-James-Matthews-live-life-Duchess-dream-about.html

    1. That was depressing! It made women sound like they depend on men for any financial security and happiness. i like to think that both Kate and Pippa would have found much happiness in life even if they did not marry rich men. They would have been financially secure due to their family business, but hopefully they would have found their own niche too. Pippa may not have had international, amazing success with her fitness articles and party planning book, but I think it would have been enough to create a satisfying career as a freelance lifestyle writer.

       1. Sadly, the Middleton daughters were raised to marry well. Their only career option, and they have been more tenacious on this path, was to marry rich and titled, and if titled failed, rich only.

          This has been their narrative since they were children and Carole encouraged them to befriend only super wealthy kids with titles.

          This type of article is culmination of lots of other similar articles over the years from various media outlets that have made it very clear that is how the girls were raised and how they value themselves.

          And whilst we all know the media can get carried away with a narrative, think on this; the DM’s sunday Editor has been the middletons’ media advisor for more than a decade. He is the originator of several narratives around the Middletons especially the ‘plucky Middletons vs the snobby Aristos’ narrative. He used to edit Tatler Magazine where he frequently promoted the girls as wonderful wife material.

          Once Kate was safely married, the Middletons showed their hand, and never shut down any commentry about the daughters’ ambitions to marry well as their only career options.

          We may not like it, but it’s their raison d’etre.

          It’s the same narrative that the famed Miller Sisters pursued in the 90s except in their case they were chasing Princely titles as they were already billionaires. The Miller sisters managed 2 out of 3 daughters married to a Prince and the 3rd daughter married to a Getty.

          1. What does it say about Michael and Carole that they thought so little of their daughters that the best, if not only, option for them was to sniff out rich, titled men. Not encourage them to find and develop their own abilities and create their own successes and future, just be attractive and ‘available’ enough to be picked and poked by rich men until something sticks.

             I feel the need to shower just thinking of the creepy Carole and Michael. Geez, Charlotte especially should be kept well away from her grandparents.

             1. And yet they both had the best schooling money could buy. Both went to top universities. Both never had a real job. I find it disgraceful. At least they didn’t waste a spot at Cambridge or Oxford.

             2. I think they’re the same way with James. What has he done? Nothing. All 3 Middleton children have been spoon fed their entire lives and taught to find a sugar daddy/mama. It’s kinda sad seeing as Carole and Michael obviously worked hard themselves to build their fortune. You’d think they would’ve passed that on to their kids.

             3. But did they work hard and build a fortune, Miss K? If so, why wasn’t a work ethic – other than chasing the rich and titled – ever instilled? Their story doesn’t gel. If they are so wealthy, why are they still chasing money like their lives depended on it? Well, apart from greed. It seems odd that all three children could not work or be independent and could only see a future latching onto others’ wealth…

             4. Both Carole and Michael, mainly Carole, has exhibited extremely bad parenting, especially towards their daughters. I know that there are many, many rich people around, but it’s especially sad that the girls were pimped out by their mother. Carole has been vicariously living her life through Kate, and now, through Pippa. I don’t know of any decent and principled mother who would endorse their daughters’ sleeping around with several men (Pippa about 4 men, and Kate two). I’m aware that imes have changed from when I got married, but I’m only a few years older than Kate, however, my family being old-fashioned would not entertain the kind of lifestyle the Midds seem to endorse. If indeed Pippa had her eye on Harry, the BRF would not have endorsed her as she’s had a multiple partner past. The Midds are parents with very loose morals. I see this looseness more as a Carole thinking than Mike. Mothers are the ones grooming their daughters and encouraging them to live a decent life.

                I sincerely hope that this engagement works out for Pippa culminating in marriage, or else it will be another rich guy who will be added to her colorful resume.

             5. Both parents share equal responsibility here. Carole is a vile piece of work, to be sure, grooming her daughters… just unspeakably awful, but their father was also part of that strategy too. He is not guilt-free, just lurks in the shadows.

                The girls’ partners are their business; I pass no judgements on numbers. My disgust is due to the overt targeting of ONLY Very Rich and Titled Men as a species because money, title, easy life, no work. God help us that we have their avarice and smugness shoved in our faces as ‘news’ and – what? – expected to admire this type of moral bankruptcy?!

                What a grubby family.

             6. I agree re both parents equally responsible. I don’t think Michael should get a pass just because he’s quiet.

             7. Jen, it’s just all assumptions on my part. I don’t know much about either Mike or Carole or their business experience other than what the sugars have posted. But you’re right. It seems a little weird to me. I grew up with a very similar background to Kate (or at least what’s been written about) and my parents definitely made sure I knew what it means to work. My parents made sure we knew that at the end of the day, you can really only rely on yourself so you better make sure you can get through the day.

    2. It is appropriately cynical and accurate in my view.

       The Middleton family has chased after the wealthy and titled for at least a couple of decades now, with successful infiltration of preferred social sets. They are a family of opportunists. There is nothing in their known histories to indicate that either daughter has considered anyone but wealthy men to consort with.

       If the article appears catty and snarky it is because Pippa, until now, has tried and failed to seal the deal with a number of wealthy men. If her engagement is viewed in purely craven terms it is because for over a decade or so in the public eye the Middleton women in particular have presented themselves as nothing but craven, viewing wealthy men as a commodity.

       I don’t wish Pippa ill, but let’s not fool ourselves here: her activities to date have been nothing more than the preservation of a spotlight for mercenary reasons.

       1. This last line is my favorite “Kate can shriek with rage all she wants into her cup of fat-free cappuccino, but down in lonely Anmer Hall, no one can hear her scream.”

          I do wonder as Pippa and Kate’s lives move forward, if their relationship will become strained? As this article suggests, Pippa will probably end having the better life, all that money without having to make nice with pesky sick kids and troubled adults. Also, George’s birthday is this Friday and I was wondering if W&K delayed releasing his birthday photo because of Pippa’s engagement, if they did that probably went over like a lead balloon.

          1. I do think that Kate would not have been satisfied marrying just any rich man It’s the title, plus all the pomp and circumstance that makes marriage to William so very appetizing. Kate loves the special attention that the title affords, vis-a-vis, the adoration from the crowds, seeing her picture in every newspaper, her special seat at Wimbledon, people having to treat her with kid gloves, and the idea that eventually she will become queen consort, is very, very quenching to her greedy heart and small mind. I thinkl that the only thing Kate dislikes is visiting her charities, but she is over the moon with everything else that her station in life affords her.

             Kate is acutely aware that she is in the coveted status in life as William’s wife, and she wouldn’t want it any other way. She can coast on William’s title and ignore what she’s supposed to do, and still come out looking like a rose. Isabella, Wills’ true love, has married a guy whose father is worth billions, and we never see pictures of her nor hear of her comings and goings, like Kate’s.

             Pippa, on the other hand will not have so much attention as there are several rich men living in London. Of course she will be able to surround herself with servants, etc., and wealthy friends/acquaintances, but will remain anonymous to the public at large.

             Since it’s the norm for Kate not to invite the GF or BF of siblings, I’m wondering if Kate will now invite Pippa’s fiance to George’s birthday. I find it very rude of Kate to ignore her siblings’ significant others in get togethers. Yet, Kate still holds a grudge that she was not invited to the BRF functions as Wills’ GF, and one would think that Kate being slighted would have a more open minded attitude. I’m thinking that if Kate was married to any other rich man, she most probably would not be so picky about the BF, GF thing, or would she? IMO, it’s as though Kate is dangling the fact that she is the privileged one in front of her siblings. Kate has to learn a few life lessons and achieve some wisdom, then we’ll probably see more depth to her character and her behavior in general. When all is said and done, family is what life is all about, not the title and riches. IMO, Waity is one of the most shallow women on this earth.

             1. Interesting observations, Vonnie. Kate as a child comes across as dull, nondescript; largely invisible, no special achievements or talents, unremarkable even at university but wanting very much to be ‘someone’. She has achieved that through (a) marriage to a ‘prince’ from a high profile family and (b) focusing on/ using her body/ sexuality. I agree, attention and all the material trappings are very, very important to Kate’s sense of self-worth. They make her ‘better’ than others: those people who had better grades, special talents, or came from wealthier and/or titled backgrounds. The beige girl won.

                Yes, she is extraordinarily shallow and vapid, completely unfit for the role she occupies. And cold. Clearly, her parents have emphasised a set of values that repulse many, but as an adult, one can choose another path. But hey, it’s all worked for her so far.

                Pippa seems to like the attention too. If she continues to be in the press ad nauseum post-marriage it will be because she chooses to be. The Middleton’s use/have used the services of a PR company and others to manage their public personas – as Herazeus has pointed out – and I can’t see why it will change. The Middleton’s have ‘made it’ and everyone must be told, many, many times.

             2. Very interestiing comments. I just flashed on that photo of little Kate where she looks like she is climbing up a large rock. The “climbing” was so appropriate for a photo opp back then, for Carole really did push those Wisteria girls to climb, climb, climb their way up the social ladder of wealthy success.

                Gosh, in today’s world, women make their own way and hopefully, most marry for love. They become their own person and do something with the education they achieved.

             3. It cracks me up that Kate holds a grudge about not being invited to functions pre-marriage. I don’t blame the BRF for enforcing this sort of policy especially because for all they know, K+W could’ve broken up and Kate could’ve gone to write a tell-all book if they had let her into the fold. I would also keep SO’s at an arm’s length if I was the Queen/Charles. There’s too much at stake for them.

          2. Shades of William and Harry’s sibling split Yes, I think Kate and Pippa may not be so close down the road. That means, Kate will only have Carole to go to for advice, etc.. Good luck with that.

       2. I’ve counted Pippa’s past boyfriends to be 4 plus her fiance. I doubt she’d have passed the BP test for a “clean past”, which is absolutely ridiculous rules, as the only marriage that has remained solid is that of Sophie and Edward.

          Somehow Pippa’s fiance does remind me of Hugh Jackman, but Hugh’s so very sexy.

          The whole idea behind these spouses for the daughters of the Midds, is pure and simple, money.

          The ring is fine but it lacks the ‘wow’ factor. Perhaps a solitaire with a high setting, and a few baguettes along each side, (not all around) would have made the ring more beautiful.

          1. As crude as this is going to sound, it’s because they didn’t “test drive”. Yes, there are some relationships where you just know they’re the one, but for the most part, you really don’t know who or what you want in a person until you’ve been in a few relationships. And sadly for the BRF, none of them “test drove” and look at how many of their marriages failed.

28. Haha kudos to Kate for rockin the heavy eyeliner till it came back in style! At least according to Neiman’s =)
    http://ebm.neimanmarcusemail.com/c/tag/hBXjgg3AB8$L1B9P0YOC54ULX.AJLRQVH2/doc.html?password=&RAF_TRACK=&email=sarahewallace@hotmail.com&remove=&SAS_ENCRYPT=df4fQ0rfwwfl06QgE7f1walg7&MD5_HASH=411169ef11dce801892c37bfddef3f7c&t_params=I_BOTRD5%3D2%26I_QUICKLINKS%3D0%26I_SHIPBANNEROPT%3D0%26I_SHIPDISCLAIMEROPT%3D0%26I_TOPRD4%3D0%26EMAIL%3Dsarahewallace%2540hotmail.com%26ITEM_URL9%3DNMEM__071916EVXX0286%26MD5_HASH%3D411169ef11dce801892c37bfddef3f7c%26PASSWORD%3DAB8%2524L1C54ULXBXjgg319nqSapCj8yi%26PROD_DESC9%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.neimanmarcus.com%252FSale%252FOnline-Clearance%252Fcat46040734_cat980731_cat000000%252Fc.cat%26PROD_IMG_URL9%3D07_18_16_DBB_OC_SIP.jpg%26REMOVE%3Drm-0b874hzda508xtyauk56tqdjuk1ajjw%2540neimanmarcusemail.com%26SAS_ENCRYPT%3Ddf4fQ0rfwwfl06QgE7f1walg7&I_BOTRD=&VEN1=&VEN2=&ECID1=&PROD1=&IMG1=&smtrctid=C54ULX

    1. Sorry, ,this is not the same artistic flair to the waity thick liner …

       The pips seem to have added lengthen rearrange extensions/filliout for engagement PR.

       1. Pippa’s hair is shoulder length, but she adds wiglets, especially at the crown, and extensions on the sides and back.

          I often wonder how much hair Kate actually does have as the length keeps changing. I don’t see many comments nowadays about her long hair looking beautiful because it’s now been revealed especially by her past hairdresser that she has weaves and stuff. It’s probably why she holds onto the hair when the wind is blowing. Vanity, vanity….

          1. You must teach me how to spot these wiglets!

             1. Always look at the crown of her head. It will look like a bump that sits slightly higher than her hair. Also if it’s a windy day, a wiglet won’t blow in the wind.

             2. Rhiannon, I love you. Great tips for spotting a wiglet! You need to start writing items for the DM!
                How are you doing? I hope today was a good day. You had P/T, right? That can be a strain, but stay with it!

29. Pippa is not a royal.Why did you cover her?

    1. The person this blog is mainly about, Kate Middleton, made a statement (through a rep) about the engagement. Plus I wanted to talk about the ring. I was going to ignore it until I saw Kate had made a statement and I saw photos of the ring.

       1. Hi KMR
          There will be so many comparisons to Pippa and Kate leading up to Pippa’s wedding so I think it was valid posting about Pippa’s engagement.

          Thanks for the pictures of her ring. It’s pretty but not quite my cup of tea. My engagement ring was actually purchased by my mother in law (yes, really!) so I returned it when the marriage was over and I know wear my grandmother’s engagement ring on my ring finger (that’s the finger it fits!)

       2. Considering that it is Kate’s sister, and the Midds have pushed themselves to be front and centre of all that they can, then I think that it is an appropriate topic for “review” by us. Luckily for the Mids they won’t have to pay the all the costs of this wedding either – the groom is so rich he probably will be signing most of the cheques. I don’t see them getting married in the village church – it will either be a society London venue or St Barts – maybe with a Hello mag feature – OK is too low brow for the Mids !

          1. And People is going to be all over this like ugly on an ape. I very rarely read People anymore since all the covers and biggees are about less than ***in my opinion*** less than worthy of covers people, and the really awesome and worthwhile articles are buried in the pages. I did go ballistic when they groveled at George’s birth, and blasted them on face book.

       3. Hey KMR! I’m happy you posted about this FTR. It produced a good discussion in the comments section.

30. I don’t get the big deal about this, it;s still on the Facebook trending section :/

    I don’t know why, but I really don’t like it when couples get engaged less than a year together. Yes, yes, I know they dated before for a little while, but that was then.

    1. To be fair, they’ve been friends for a very long time. It seems they remained friends after their initially dating in 2012. They have been each other’s companion in all those endurance races she’s been taking for years. Dating for a second probablt clarified the situation after several years of friendship. Why waste time.

    2. Mr from Ca and I got engaged after about 2 months of dating but had been best friends for over a year prior and we’re going on 18 years married. But I agree seeing some celebrities getting engaged after only knowing each other for a few weeks just makes me shake my head.

31. KMR I appreciate your hard work, but I’m offended you have given this space to this non royal, useless person.

    This news could have been included under the dutiless, workshy waity previous article, instead of a separate post. Its the same of the undeserving royal photo for the daughter Baptism, when the real royal King Henry was missing from whiny bill daughter’s baptism.

    1. “Its the same of the undeserving royal photo for the daughter Baptism, when the real royal King Henry was missing from whiny bill daughter’s baptism.”

       Are you saying I shouldn’t have covered Princess Charlotte’s baptism because Harry wasn’t there?

    2. Is this… a joke?

       Honey, take a look around the world. There is a lot more to be actually “offended” about.

       Also, this is KMR’s blog, and she can do what she damn well pleases.

32. Pippa is sister of a future queen and Aunt of a future king. She may not be Royal, but she has very close family links, and I for one am interested in how the plans for the wedding develop and how much Kate is involved.
    Whatever we all may think of Pippa I am in the group that hope she is marrying for love, and wish her happiness. As we have said so often Kate may have been happier marrying a wealthy man rather than a Royal.

    1. Ah, Birdy, it is so easy, I think, to love such a wealthy man! Jaded me.
       It is my hope that this will be a happy marriage. Pippa deserves it after being pushed aside for the rising star in the family — Kate. Still, I wonder. How much love is there? Deep, spiritual, love. I don’t think I could imagine her falling for a middle class guy, but still, all this talk about love when it’s probably the prestige of the money and what it will continue to bring. Oh, why am I so cynical? I guess I just am, that’s all.

       Let me say, I hope the couple will be happy. Pippa deserves her day in the sun. Her sister is always having her own sun-filled festival, so give Pips a chance.

33. Congrats to Pippa. I’m not a fan of the ring. But I think that if she likes it, I love it.

    Out of all of the Middletons, I can deal with her. She does a bit more for her charities than Kate. However, I often wonder which is the duchess or private citizen. I’m sure Kate is envious of the life that she is leading.

    I hope that she’s truly happy and not settling. That will surely end in disaster. As far as her wedding, I have a feeling that a spread in a magazine will surely happen.

    KMR, thanks for covering this. Due to the close nature of the relationship between Kate and the Middletons, this is quite appropriate.

    1. I agree with you about the magazine spread, but how on Earth will they justify it when he is so, so wealthy, even by wealthy people’s standards.

       1. I’m sure they would donate it all to one of Pippa’s charities. Win, win for all involved

       2. I envision a spread – Scarole with a huge, self satisfied grin on her face.

       3. As seen on people.com:

          Super-Fit Pippa Middleton Takes Her Giant Ring Out for Jog (Of Course She Does!)

          A preview of things to come.

          1. In DM as well. DM must be in heaven – both Pippa and Miranda Kerr engaged the same week – imagine how many articles are to come . . . .

             1. Ugh to Miranda Kerr’s gross Snapchat dudebro.

             2. I don’t Snap Chat, I never will so I don’t know anything about this Evan guy. What’s the story with him?

             3. Spiegel is a disgusting, horrible frat bro which is evidenced by his NSFW emails and texts while he was still at Stanford.

                http://valleywag.gawker.com/fuck-bitches-get-leid-the-sleazy-frat-emails-of-snap-1582604137

                Spiegel apologized and claimed the texts and emails “in no way reflect who I am today or my views towards women”, but yeah nope. I still think he’s gross.

                https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/28/confirmed-snapchats-evan-spiegel-is-kind-of-an-ass/

             4. Thanks KMR. Somehow I think that part of him is still very much like that. If they do end up married, I’m expecting the prenup to end all prenups and probably a divorce with a fight for money. It makes me wonder what she’s really like if she likes this guy enough to take his ring.

             5. Ugh.. I don’t SnapChat. From what I’ve heard, the app originated as a way to send dick pictures to girls and have them disappear so there’s “nothing” left on your phones. But let’s face it, once something is out on the internet, it stays there. Either way, if this is truly the original reason behind the app, it’s just vile.

34. I wonder how and where Old Ma Meddleton will try to replicate “The Balcony Scene” It sure won’t be Buckingham Palace

35. Could some one tell me why pm future in-laws have not congratulate the happy couple on the engagement! This couple have had any interview? Is this a british ettiguette rules?

    1. I’d imagine their respective families and friends have congratulated them. Pippa and James are private citizens and have nothing to do with the public.

       When relatives of other non-‘royals’ marry into the BRF have weddings, etc we don’t hear about it for the same reason. Pippa is in the ‘news’ is because she, like the rest of her family, has courted media outlets to plant and develop her public profile. The Middleton’s pay people to put their business in the media.

36. Just read on the daily mail that Pippa will have a title after all, Lady Glen Africc in Scotland. Her future father in law is the current Laird and James Matthews will inherit the title eventually. So there you go, Pippa is to be married to a man wealthier than William, will get to live the life of the idle rich without any pesky public duty or scrutiny and will have a title to boot ????

    1. Oh my, big sis really will be pea green. More cash and a title minor enough not to require any (tedious) public service.

    2. Ah, there is some justice after all! Let’s see if Kate’s smiles look strained in the next few weeks.

       Way to go, Pippa.

37. Congratulations to Pippa. I did not see this coming and I am pleased to be wrong. I adore the ring. I think that is a rock. I don’t find James Matthew hot/attractive. I think he thinks its time I settled down. I honestly thought George Percy being a friend was more of a chance and Kate would have been annoyed that her sister would be a Duchess too. I hope Kate is happy for her sister. Mind you it seems school days Kate has always been the second to Pippa.

38. What if, instead of disappearing from public life the way the Royal Family seems to expect, she doesn’t? What if she revels in being a wealthy socialite?

    1. Of course she will revel in her new-found status! Very publicly I’d say.

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