Back to reality for the Middleton family - As the new Duchess of Cambridge adjusts to life as a global household name, the rest of the Middleton family have been enjoying a taste of normality.
Forty eight hours after standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in front of a sea of faces, Michael and Carole Middleton were savouring the peace and quiet of their home in rural Berkshire, perusing the Sunday papers and even fiding time to mow the lawn.
The couple, who run an online party accessories business, spent the day with their two younger children, Pippa and James, at their secluded home near the village of Bucklebury.
They headed straight to the family home on Saturday after leaving the exclusive Goring Hotel near Buckingham Palace where they stayed for the royal wedding.
Yesterday Mr Middleton was the first to venture out into glare of publicity, taking a short drive in his silver Land Rover to Peaches newsagents in the village.
He returned 25 minutes later, looking relaxed with his shirt-sleeves rolled up, taking the line of photographers parked on the grass verges at the end of their private lane in his stride. Undaunted, he later re-emerged to mow the lawn.
Carole Middleton and her daughter Pippa arrive in Bucklebury
Pippa, the bride’s 27-year-old sister and maid of honour – who has herself become a global household name since Friday – had a taste of what lies ahead when she emerged in the passenger seat of a silver Mercedes C-class coupe mid-afternoon.
Wearing dark designer sunglasses and a white blouse, she also appeared unfazed, smiling broadly as she swept past a line of photographers.
As their new coat of arms, granted by the Queen, and inevitable place at the top table at society gatherings for life attest, life will never be same again for the former British Airways workers and their children.
But after days at the centre of a dazzling global spectacle, the family must now adjust to what will pass for normality.
Their connections to the Royal family could make them the subject of not only curiosity from the media and public alike but even a potential target for terrorists.
But while St James’s Palace have urged the media not to publish any photographs of the cottage on Anglesey where Prince William and Princess Catherine will live, there was no overt sign of security being stepped up at the Middletons’ home yesterday.
Even the customary police car, which has been stationed outside the converted farmhouse almost around the clock since the engagement was announced last year, was notable by its absence.
The family is however said to have been given personal security briefings but have not been assigned their own protection officers although Thames Valley Police is expected to keep a discreet watch on the property.
The Princess’s parents are widely expected to continue living in their home and running their business, Party Pieces.
They may have little choice about that - estimates for their share of the bill for Friday’s festivities range from £100,000 to as much as £250,000, including the cost of hiring out the hotel.
James Middleton, the bride’s 23-year-old brother, was also showing no sign of taking life easy to enjoy a celebrity lifestyle.
The young entrepreneur, who regularly works 14 hours days, is in the process of setting up three new businesses to complement his upmarket bakery, Cake Kit Company.
For the bride’s parents and siblings alike the challenge will now be to combine their new status as royal in-laws with business-as-usual.
As the bunting came down across Britain yesterday, the festive mood continued on Party Pieces – where red white and blue bunting was still proudly on sale at £5.99 a roll. ( telegraph.co.uk )
Forty eight hours after standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in front of a sea of faces, Michael and Carole Middleton were savouring the peace and quiet of their home in rural Berkshire, perusing the Sunday papers and even fiding time to mow the lawn.
The couple, who run an online party accessories business, spent the day with their two younger children, Pippa and James, at their secluded home near the village of Bucklebury.
They headed straight to the family home on Saturday after leaving the exclusive Goring Hotel near Buckingham Palace where they stayed for the royal wedding.
Yesterday Mr Middleton was the first to venture out into glare of publicity, taking a short drive in his silver Land Rover to Peaches newsagents in the village.
He returned 25 minutes later, looking relaxed with his shirt-sleeves rolled up, taking the line of photographers parked on the grass verges at the end of their private lane in his stride. Undaunted, he later re-emerged to mow the lawn.
Carole Middleton and her daughter Pippa arrive in Bucklebury
Pippa, the bride’s 27-year-old sister and maid of honour – who has herself become a global household name since Friday – had a taste of what lies ahead when she emerged in the passenger seat of a silver Mercedes C-class coupe mid-afternoon.
Wearing dark designer sunglasses and a white blouse, she also appeared unfazed, smiling broadly as she swept past a line of photographers.
As their new coat of arms, granted by the Queen, and inevitable place at the top table at society gatherings for life attest, life will never be same again for the former British Airways workers and their children.
But after days at the centre of a dazzling global spectacle, the family must now adjust to what will pass for normality.
Their connections to the Royal family could make them the subject of not only curiosity from the media and public alike but even a potential target for terrorists.
But while St James’s Palace have urged the media not to publish any photographs of the cottage on Anglesey where Prince William and Princess Catherine will live, there was no overt sign of security being stepped up at the Middletons’ home yesterday.
Even the customary police car, which has been stationed outside the converted farmhouse almost around the clock since the engagement was announced last year, was notable by its absence.
The family is however said to have been given personal security briefings but have not been assigned their own protection officers although Thames Valley Police is expected to keep a discreet watch on the property.
The Princess’s parents are widely expected to continue living in their home and running their business, Party Pieces.
They may have little choice about that - estimates for their share of the bill for Friday’s festivities range from £100,000 to as much as £250,000, including the cost of hiring out the hotel.
James Middleton, the bride’s 23-year-old brother, was also showing no sign of taking life easy to enjoy a celebrity lifestyle.
The young entrepreneur, who regularly works 14 hours days, is in the process of setting up three new businesses to complement his upmarket bakery, Cake Kit Company.
For the bride’s parents and siblings alike the challenge will now be to combine their new status as royal in-laws with business-as-usual.
As the bunting came down across Britain yesterday, the festive mood continued on Party Pieces – where red white and blue bunting was still proudly on sale at £5.99 a roll. ( telegraph.co.uk )
No comments:
Post a Comment