Middletons go home ... £250,000 poorer: Family’s huge bill for hotel, banquets, outfits and jewellery

By ROBERT VERKAIK

All smiles: Pippa, in jeans showing off the figure that has won her fans on Facebook, leads her mother Carole, brother James and father Michael out of the Goring Hotel yesterday


After a long day and night of celebrating, the Middletons finally emerged from the five-star Goring Hotel yesterday... perhaps thinking: ‘And about time, too.’

As speculation intensifies over the family’s wealth, inquiries have revealed that the wedding has cost them at least £250,000.

The bill for the exclusive hire of the 71-room hotel near Buckingham Palace is estimated at £85,000 alone. The Royal Suite, where Kate spent her last nights as a single woman is so exclusive, it has not been officially priced.


Rear of the Year? It's already in the bag: Pippa says a final farewell before starting the journey home


But the 200-strong crowd that cheered the family outside the hotel did not detect any regrets as they headed for their chauffeur-driven car, waving and smiling.

Pippa, 27 – carrying a bag and wearing skin-tight white jeans that accentuated the derriere that has inspired many Facebook tribute sites – led out her parents Carole and Michael and younger brother James, 23.


Pricey night: The bill for the exclusive hire of the 71-room Goring Hotel is believed to cost £85,000


The family is also estimated to have paid £25,000 for two parties at the hotel. On Thursday, Kate treated 120 friends and family to a buffet. And after Friday’s ceremony, Carole and Michael hosted an extravagant wedding party for a wider circle. Beluga caviar on The Goring restaurant menu is £400 for 100g while a bottle of Dom Perignon can cost £1,530.

Even if some Middleton guests paid for their rooms and the family secured a discount they will still be facing a bill approaching £100,000.

Last night the hotel said the terms of the booking were private. Kate’s bridal gown, designed by Sarah Burton, is said to have cost up to £40,000. Carole’s outfit by Catherine Walker would have cost £10,000 and Pippa’s dress, also by Sarah Burton, about £20,000.

Kate’s earrings, from Robinson Pelham, are believed to have set her parents back £15,000. A pendant and earrings for Carole, earrings for Pippa and gold tie sticks for Michael and James cost about £30,000.

The bridal shoes, designed at Alexander McQueen, and bridal flowers would have cost at least £3,000. Morning suits for Michael and James, by Gieves & Hawkes, would have cost £10,000. The Middletons would have also paid for suits and dresses for the evening, costing up to £20,000.


My hat: Mr Middleton loses his topper as he exits the bride's Rolls-Royce



Proud moment: The father of the bride looks on as Prince William is joined by Kate at the altar

source: dailymail

Her Royal Hotness will be next to wed...

By SARAH OLIVER and KATIE NICHOLL

'Very close': Pippa Middleton last month in the arms of her 30-year-old City broker boyfriend Alex Loudon


It was the day Royal Maid of Honour Pippa Middleton dazzled the world in a dress that left very little to the imagination . . . but it emerged that she may have kept something secret after all.

For it seems that Carole and Michael’s second daughter is engaged in all but name to her City broker boyfriend Alex Loudon.

The couple have stayed silent about the future of their relationship for fear of detracting attention from William and Kate.


Catching Harry's eye: Pippa and the Prince on the Palace balcony. He had already walked arm-in-arm with her down the Abbey aisle


The Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Harry, who flirtatiously walked her arm-in-arm back down the aisle after the wedding ceremony, were two of her most immediate admirers in the Abbey. Outside, her appearance ignited the blogosphere and almost led to the crash of Twitter. In America and Australia too, Pippa was declared a knockout.

Those in the Abbey who watched her arrival thought just one thing – that Pippa looked smoking-hot in what was probably the kind of dress Kate would have chosen if she had been a Bucklebury bride and not marrying into the House of Windsor.


We are amused: Pippa pulls a face as a beaming Harry makes a wisecrack


But the revelation of the day was not just what a wonderful rear view Pippa offers – her bottom now has its own internet appreciation society, which already had 54,000 members last night – it was her polish, her self-possession, her grace and her diligence towards her sister.

Just as the fraternal bonds between William and Harry were plain to see, the Middleton girls seemed to have a powerful, loving link, with Pippa the best supporting actress in her sister’s romantic drama.


Pippa with Alex on Bond Street where tailors Ede and Ravenscroft was closed to the public while he was fitted for his suit for the wedding


Much has been written about Kate, already the subject of several biographies, but what do we know of Pippa? Philippa Charlotte Middleton is Carole and Michael Middleton’s second daughter (she is 27 to Kate’s 29) and their middle child. She was not even at school when her parents founded their company, Party Pieces, on which they would build the family’s financial and social success.

She lived the first ten years of her life in a four-bedroom Victorian villa in Bradfield Southend, Berkshire, before the family moved in 1995 to the mansion where they remain today, two miles away in the village of Bucklebury.

Like her sister, Pippa attended Marlborough College in Wiltshire before following in her footsteps to a Scottish university. But while Kate chose St Andrews, where she met her Prince, Pippa selected the party town of Edinburgh.


Without overstepping the mark, he managed to deliver just enough of his trademark cheeky charm to add a youthful sparkle to the day


Chelsy may have been back with him for the big day, but there's no wedding on the horizon for them


source: dailymail

Whisked away by helicopter... but Wills's back to work on Tuesday

By IAN GALLAGHER

Newly-weds: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walk hand in hand from Buckingham Palace as they prepare to board a helicopter to fly off on their honeymoon


Honeymoon postponed to a later date

Couple staying in an undisclosed location in Britain, possibly Scotland

The Middletons return to their quiet country home in Berkshire


She awoke at Buckingham Palace a Princess, the first day of a new life that must have once been impossible to contemplate.


The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walk hand in hand after a lavish bash for 300 people on Friday night


After a light breakfast, the new Duchess of Cambridge emerged from the garden entrance of the Queen’s official residence still on a high, and still wearing the joyous smile that bewitched billions on Friday.

The couple are thought to have spent their first night as man and wife in the ground-floor Belgian Suite of the Palace, which is traditionally reserved for visiting heads of state.


Day of joy: The newly-weds thanked Buckingham Palace footmen and spoke briefly to the pilot before boarding the helicopter


As they strolled hand-in-hand along a gravel path and out on to the lawn, they were bathed in bright sunshine.

Wearing a light blue dress, dark jacket and platform shoes, the same ones she wore at the Goring Hotel on her last night as a commoner, Kate giggled at Prince William’s asides and looked relaxed and confident.

They had wanted a people’s wedding, with limited pomp, and in keeping with that unfussy spirit William announced his intention to go straight back to work.


Taking flight: The Queen's helicopter, a maroon Sikorsky with its own crest, takes the Royal couple from Buckingham Palace to a secret location to 'unwind'


It came as a surprise. Sources had previously indicated that the couple would jet off immediately for a two-week break, somewhere ‘hot and sunny’

But postponing the honeymoon to a later date, William, who wore his trademark chinos, light blue shirt and navy jacket, will now return to his job as a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot on Anglesey, probably as early as Tuesday.

Saturday night, however, the couple were staying at an undisclosed location in Britain, possibly Scotland, where they planned to ‘unwind’ over the long weekend.


Maid of honour Pippa Middleton, brother James and their mother Carole emerge from the Goring Hotel on Saturday after Friday night's wedding celebration


Shortly after the happy couple left the Palace, Kate’s family checked out of the exclusive Goring Hotel nearby, posing briefly for photographs in their casual clothes.

Kate’s father Michael told the gathered crowd: ‘We had a wonderful time.’

The family then returned to their quiet country home in Chapel Row, near Bucklebury, Berkshire. The village has been bedecked with Union Jacks and bunting as the residents held their own wedding festivities.


Party's over: The scaffolding is removed from the Goring Hotel, central London after the Middleton's departed on Saturday afternoon


Memorial: Kate's wedding bouquet was returned to lie on the tomb of the unknown soldier at Westminster Abbey - a tradition for all Royal brides


Busy day at the Abbey: Tourists flock to Westminster Abbey on Saturday where the trees are still in place after the Royal Wedding on Friday


Clear-up: Cleaners sweep up rubbish left behind outside Buckingham Palace on Saturday after Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, celebrated their marriage on Friday


Sleepy: Guests leave the Buckingham Palace party. The guests started to depart at 11pm on Friday and the last left at 3am on Saturday


source: dailymail

'Where are the black people?' asks Sherri Shepherd as The View hosts discuss Royal Wedding

By Daily Mail Reporter


Burning question: Sherri Shepherd was searching for black people at the Royal wedding on The View today


Never mind who wore what, the View's Sherri Shepherd had another more controversial question about the Royal Wedding today.

'Where are the black people?' the outspoken actress, 44, asked as the panellists critiqued Prince William and Kate Middleton's ceremony.

The star said she had earlier searched through the footage of guests at Westminster Abbey.


'Audrey Jones our producer was looking for the black people in the wedding and we found our Rosa Parks moment, because we were like 'where are the black people'?' she said.

'It was like where's Waldo, where are the black people?' she added.

'We found one little black child in the choir but where's the black people at this wedding?' she repeated.

'Wait a minute the Calvary guy, from New York,' said Goldie Hawn, 65, who was a guest host for the day.

Hot topic: The panel discussed the Royal Ceremony today


'Well the guests, there they are,' said Sherri, pointing to an area in the Abbey reserved for foreign royals, Governor generals and high-level diplomats.

'They are segregated but they are at the front so we have our Rosa Parks moment,' she added referring to the African-American civil rights activist Rosa Parks who refused to obey a bus driver's order to give up her seat for a white passenger on December 1, 1955.

'I don't know why they put all the black people over here but they are at the front of the wedding so I ain't complaining, they got in the front,' added Sherri.

The women also mocked the Queen and the dresses of princesses Eugenie and Beatrice.

'Rosa Parks moment': Sherri pointed to a screen showing a small group of black people at the front of the congregation


Joy Behar, 68, said the Queen of England looked like: 'A bumble bee with a drinking problem,' live on air.

'Holy Moly, who wears yellow?' continued the comedian, who was wearing a crinkled brown suit.

'I've never seen a Queen wearing yellow, she looks like a taxi cabkeep that meter running Queenie,' she added.

When talking of the outlandish Philip Treacy hats of Eugenie and Beatrice host Sherri Shepherd said: 'Oh my god, that is Lady Gaga. Straight.'

Joy Behar said the Queen looked like 'a bumble bee with a drinking problem'


'They look like they are auditioning for Let's Make a Deal, you know that show?' said Joy, referring to an old NBC game show where audience members used to dress in hilarious costumes, often like clowns.

'They look like horns,' said Sherri.

'Like a deer in the headlights,' added Goldie Hawn

The cackling celebrities from The View were not the only Americans to take a pop at the Royal Wedding.

Actress and comedian Kathy Griffin, 50, also took the opportunity to have a dig at the Royals during a TV Guide Network special that broadcast after the wedding.

'Look at Posh's second head,' Ms Griffin said, referring to Victoria Beckham's Phillip Treacy hat.


Joke: Actress Kathy Griffin said the Queen looked like she had taken a nap during the wedding service


Spotting Guy Ritchie among the congregation gave the comedian a chance to make a joke about his ex-wife Madonna.

'That’s gotta hurt Madonna. Madonna’s at home in her apartment with Sarah Furgeson and they are eating donut holes and crying,' she told her panelists, including author Jackie Collins.

She added that the Queen had decided to 'take a nap' during the service, describing it as 'fantastic.'

'I am out, I am Queen, I can decide I am bored. Spice it up I never heard this song,' she imagined the Queen as saying.



source:dailymail