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Kate and Pippa Middleton

493 replies

hellosally · 10/07/2022 07:42

I'm reading about Pippa's new £15 million home and another pregnancy. I am sure both sisters are lovely people but looking at their lives, it seems like neither ever had any intention of working and used school and university to get themselves mixing in affluent circles to bag a wealthy man to fund their lifestyles.
Do people like this still really exist? I know we all have choices but at times in my life when I have mixed in more affluent circles in university and London, men would spot gold diggers and women who would need to be financially supported a mile off and would not contemplate taking them seriously. I dont know any women who havent have some kind of career or any men that want someone who hasnt worked.
is there anyone bringing up their daughters(or sons) like this in this day and age? would you bankroll them if it all went wrong? just curious.

OP posts:
FelicityFlops · 10/07/2022 12:40

To clarify, "commoner", in this context, means someone, who is not royal.

SnottyLottie · 10/07/2022 12:40

It makes me laugh that Pippa is sister-in-law of smarmy Spencer Matthews (of Made in Chelsea fame). God he was such a dickhead on that show.

SW1amp · 10/07/2022 12:40

SunniestSunshine · 10/07/2022 11:52

Her dad's inherited wealth was never mentioned.

How do you know about her dad's wealth? @AnnaMagnani

I thought the money for their education came from the party business her mother set up?

It is not that unusual for 2 siblings to go to a public school. I know the cost (I used to work in one!)

Many fairly 'ordinary' parents scrimp and scrape to pay fees, often by one parent's income going solely on the fees and making do with old cars and few holidays. Lots of sacrifices made along the way. And there are also bursaries and reduction for 2 kids at the same school.

It’s rare for those scrimping parents to do private schooling the whole way through

usually they will do state til 8, or 11, and then go private with a bursary

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

The royal family
justmaybenot · 10/07/2022 12:42

OP you sound weird. Who really cares? Woman marries man from her social circle - shock horror. She worked a bit, was probably well paid, then worked in the family business - like plenty of people do. Her advance on her book was 400k - not millions but as much as some people earn in 5 years. She'll soon have 3 kids under the age of 4 and even if she had a job she'd have been on maternity leave for the past 4 years. She's a SAHM like a lot of women are, but she lives in the context of a lot of wealth - more than she grew up with but it's hardly a stretch to imagine someone who went to private boarding school and whose parents have both inherited wealth/status and have made a lot from their business would marry someone who is wealthy - and given the stupid money hedge fund managers make, plenty of people who work in the city earn huge amounts.

Cheesecakeandwineinasuitcase · 10/07/2022 12:42

IglesiasPiggl · 10/07/2022 07:53

They both have jobs, maybe just not ones you approve of for some bizarre reason. How can you possibly think that the Duchess of Cambridge isn't working at the moment?! Pippa is on mat leave.

On mat leave from what?!

LivesinLondon2000 · 10/07/2022 12:48

@AnnaMagnani
I expect that now it’s very likely they may receive financial help - they do have 2 very wealthy sons in law. And it is obviously very important for William & Kate that their children’s grandparents have a secure, private home they can visit. But originally it could have something else - maybe a lottery win they wanted to keep quiet like a previous poster mentioned.
Or I remember once reading speculation that their Uncle Gary paid the school fees. He also ran a successful business I think. It just seems those trust funds would need to be very large to pay school fees for so many descendants- but it’s possible of course.

BruceWaynettaSlob · 10/07/2022 12:50

Her advance on her book was 400k - not millions but as much as some people earn in 5 years

As much as some people earn in 25 years

Summerwhereareyou · 10/07/2022 12:51

Just curious 😂

Really!!

What you have done has made a load of non factual based assumptions!! Whilst nicely attributing decisions their parents made into them!

I'm not even a fan but this is utter tripe op!!

Spencerfig · 10/07/2022 12:52

Well I think the Middletons did well by their children... Prioritised education, sports, interest in the arts etc ensuring all three will be well rounded interesting grown ups...

HundredMilesAnHour · 10/07/2022 12:53

FelicityFlops · 10/07/2022 12:40

To clarify, "commoner", in this context, means someone, who is not royal.

Not quite. A commoner means someone who is neither royal nor a peer. It means someone who doesn't hold a title in their own right. Whilst Diana became a Lady, that was only a courtesy title that she was given when her father became an Earl.

Blankscreen · 10/07/2022 12:54

Kate was lucky she met William at Uni and it worked out.

Pippa was in the limelight at the wedding and I think of it as trickle down effect. The future queen's sister.was hardly going to marry somebody isn't isn't wealthy.

I know lots of women that don't work and their husbands are quite happy with the set up.

CruCru · 10/07/2022 12:59

There are lots of women who don’t work - quite a few of them are on MN.

It’s not hugely surprising that the sisters married the husbands they did. They all mixed in the same social circles and probably found each other familiar and relaxing to hang out with. Most people marry someone from a similar-ish background.

I have Pippa’s book, Celebrate. It got a lot of stick but is actually a really nice book. I have no idea whether she wrote the recipes herself but whoever did is a good cook. I still use the gingerbread recipe.

PeekAtYou · 10/07/2022 13:03

I think that it's a different version of investing in education so that your kids have the advantage of who they know rather than what they know in order to get ahead. There are people who make it despite the odds being against them but why wouldn't you make it easier for your kids if you can pay to make it happen? I'm sure that there will be plenty of people in the reverse situation where the man has married a wealthy woman. We sometimes see this on here when women discuss needing a prenup or legal advice on protecting assets

I'm surprised at the idea that a man at the wealth levels of Pippa and Kate's husbands would want their wives to be equally successful. I would imagine that Boris was very proud when he was married to a QC and while rich, he wasn't billionaire rich so very different.

daisychain01 · 10/07/2022 13:09

hellosally · 10/07/2022 07:59

Of course I appreciate Kate is doing royal duties(extremely well) but this was not a career she carved out before marriage,I know they have helped the parents business etc. but if the business was not very successful and the family had not had much money and they had married low earning men, they would be struggling to pay the bills. my point was that I have never met any men that want a wife who hasnt worked.

The Middleton family are extremely canny folk, and they will have made damn sure all their children were not only well connected but also didn't put all their eggs in one basket. The family shows that success breeds success.

Saying that Kate current role wasn't the one she carved out before marriage shows that she was going about her life intelligently, not relying on any particular outcome, just setting herself up for success. Had she not married William, she could have had the pick of the bunch, and will have gone on to be positive and happy, because she's been well equipped due to her background.

Both Kate and Pippa are intelligent, good looking and know what they want in life. Why is there this incessant need to knock down bright successful people, they could be role models for our children on how to live life to the full instead of turning it into a sour-grapes fest.

SnottyLottie · 10/07/2022 13:10

I had a teacher at high school who basically told us “girls, be smart and marry a rich man. If you want love, buy a dog”

This was at an all girls’ school in the mid 00s and was said by a male teacher in his late 50s/early 60s. Our school was very progressive and our headteacher was a proud feminist.

To this day I still cannot believe a teacher said that to us.

oakleaffy · 10/07/2022 13:13

Arewerelated · 10/07/2022 07:52

When I was younger I was told by one parent to consider marrying well instead of bothering with concentrating on work. Basically because I was pretty and good at small talk/making friends I would make a lovely business wife.
Obviously I thought that was a very bad idea and cracked on with my own independent life.
With hindsight my life would have been far easier if I had been a good little trophy wife, never would have been hungry or had problems with bailiffs or sitting in the dark because the electric had run out. Could have just bided my time until I got dumped for a 25 year old and got a sweet payout by 40

I know of a woman, not a “Looker” by anyone’s standards , or particularly nice ( Very money orientated but didn’t earn herself) who specifically advertised for a wealthy man- and got one!
She has been with him over 10 years and he earns a seven figure salary ( Finance)
She is married to him now, and sorted for life.

We perhaps should have done the same!
Me, Jealous?
Nooooo🤥

LadyEloise1 · 10/07/2022 13:18

@ShirleyPhallus
Vogue Williams Matthews would have been considered MC / UMC / ABC1 in Ireland. Some were a bit surprised she married Brian from Westlife who was married to Kerry Katona

Spencerfig · 10/07/2022 13:31

LadyEloise1 · 10/07/2022 13:18

@ShirleyPhallus
Vogue Williams Matthews would have been considered MC / UMC / ABC1 in Ireland. Some were a bit surprised she married Brian from Westlife who was married to Kerry Katona

No I disagree, I have a very middle class Irish colleague who attended private school etc in Dublin, Vogue was not considered mc & got a very poor leaving cert & didn't attend uni... She was a dublin model & socialite, marrying Brian McFadden raised her profile considerably....

oakleaffy · 10/07/2022 13:31

I had a teacher at high school who basically told us “girls, be smart and marry a rich man. If you want love, buy a dog”

What a wise, sensible teacher you had.
Especially relating to the last sentence.

Dogs are so faithful, so loving- If only humans could be that devoted to their “Partner”, there would be far fewer divorces and upset.

Nanny0gg · 10/07/2022 13:35

hellosally · 10/07/2022 07:42

I'm reading about Pippa's new £15 million home and another pregnancy. I am sure both sisters are lovely people but looking at their lives, it seems like neither ever had any intention of working and used school and university to get themselves mixing in affluent circles to bag a wealthy man to fund their lifestyles.
Do people like this still really exist? I know we all have choices but at times in my life when I have mixed in more affluent circles in university and London, men would spot gold diggers and women who would need to be financially supported a mile off and would not contemplate taking them seriously. I dont know any women who havent have some kind of career or any men that want someone who hasnt worked.
is there anyone bringing up their daughters(or sons) like this in this day and age? would you bankroll them if it all went wrong? just curious.

If you read MN fairly frequently you'll see there are a lot of men out there who want wifey at home to do all the domestic work so they don't have to. All classes

Secretsafe · 10/07/2022 13:38

I feel sorry for Pippa Middleton,her husband is not a nice man ,he may be rich but he she has not married well. I see she is having another child,a pure status symbol in those circles.

Kate Middleton job is to be a future queen,she is still in training

Onborrowedtime · 10/07/2022 13:40

Secretsafe · 10/07/2022 13:38

I feel sorry for Pippa Middleton,her husband is not a nice man ,he may be rich but he she has not married well. I see she is having another child,a pure status symbol in those circles.

Kate Middleton job is to be a future queen,she is still in training

How do you know he's not a nice man?! Do you know him personally? So everyone having a third child is doing it for status? You are being utterly ridiculous!

BellePeppa · 10/07/2022 13:42

SnottyLottie · 10/07/2022 12:30

I’m quite impressed that Kate managed to get such a flexible job at Jigsaw that she could basically go off with William whenever she wanted. I suppose it shows that she didn’t need to worry about money as she always had a trust fund/bank of mum and dad to keep her comfortable.

I’ve read a few times that if things didn’t work out with William that she was thinking of becoming a professional photographer or opening an art gallery.

Didn’t Pippa work in events for a little while? And I seem to remember Kate saying she waitressed during uni? I’m honestly surprised they did any of these jobs if their long term goal was to get a rich husband.

Kate was actually a roller skating waitress if I remember rightly 😁

WisteriaLodge · 10/07/2022 13:46

Aprilx · 10/07/2022 12:15

There was no fuss about Diana being a commoner! Because she wasn’t, she was a member of the aristocracy and a Lady.

Show quote history

Sorry but there was, I was around then and remember it well.. and a commoner is ANYONE who isn't a member of a Royal family, even if they're Aristocratic..

Youcansaythatagainandagain · 10/07/2022 13:48

Secretsafe · 10/07/2022 13:38

I feel sorry for Pippa Middleton,her husband is not a nice man ,he may be rich but he she has not married well. I see she is having another child,a pure status symbol in those circles.

Kate Middleton job is to be a future queen,she is still in training

Why isn’t he a nice man?

Of the two sisters I always thought Pippa had made a much better choice and has a much nicer life.

To answer the OP’s question, I know donn mn windy who went to a private girl’s school in the 1990s and was told there was no need to worry about maths and science and to concentrate instead at finding a rich man. The thing is, a lot of the girls who attended the school did marry ‘well’. They socialised in a circle and would never have entertained or dated somebody who didn’t come from a rich family with prospects. They also married quite young and bought family houses instead of the more usual starter house.