There is speculation that Kate Middleton and her boyfriend of seven years, Prince William, are to eventually marry She is still waiting for her own big day seven years into her romance.
But in the meantime Kate Middleton can take a little inspiration from her parents' latest business venture.
Carole and Michael Middleton are branching out from selling children's party goods on the internet - with a wedding accessories range.
Items on sale include everything from wedding-cake-themed blowing bubbles costing just 45p to packets of embossed confetti for £1.99. There are also invitation cards for £6.99 and a three-tier wedding cake stand, a snip at £19.99 instead of the usual £39.99.
Brides-to-be can also snap up heart-shaped lanterns costing £29.99 for a packet of ten, a £1.99 'Just Married' silver banner and a £1.50 strip of white ribbon for the wedding car.
Sources close to the Middletons claim the move is simply an astute business decision.
However, it is likely to raise questions over whether the family is 'cashing in' on speculation about a royal wedding between 28-year-old Kate and her boyfriend of seven years, Prince William, 27.
The Middletons' Party Pieces website is also filled with snippets of advice for brides planning their wedding, including placing boxes of trivia questions on the tables to get guests chatting.
'An organza drape can be used as an elegant overlay over the top of your tablecloth, an organza roll can be used as a table runner or chair bows, to decorate flower centrepieces and to disguise unslightly (sic) balloon weights,' the website says. 'Little touches make a big impact.'
One family friend yesterday defended the venture, saying: 'Recently the business branched out from selling children's party goods to items suitable for golden wedding anniversaries, murder mystery parties and birthdays, so weddings were
obviously the next step.
'It is a hugely lucrative market. The Middletons have always attempted to keep out of the limelight and to suggest they are trying to cash in on Kate's relationship with William is hugely unfair. 'They are not members of the Royal Family and are simply getting on with running their firm.' The British wedding industry is worth £4.9billion a year, with the average wedding costing £17,000.
Since meeting William as a student at St Andrews University, Miss Middleton has had only one part-time job and now works for the family firm, based in a former cow shed in Berkshire.
Her apparent reluctance to go into the wider workplace has led her to be nicknamed 'Waity Katie'.
Party Pieces was founded by Kate's mother, a former air hostess, from her kitchen 23 years ago.
Although there are no publicly available accounts for the company, it is believed to have made Mrs Middleton and her husband multi-millionaires.
Last week Kate - who fiercely defends her right to privacy - was criticised for revealing childhood secrets on the website to publicise the business.
In an interview, accompanied by a glossy picture, she recalled her favourite birthday parties and revealed how she used to love dressing up as a clown and playing musical statues.
source: dailymail
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