James Middleton (British businessman)

James William Middleton (born 15 April 1987)[1] is an English entrepreneur. The younger brother of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, he began to receive media attention after his sister's relationship and subsequent marriage to Prince William. In 2013, he founded personalised greeting card company Boomf. He is a mental health advocate and has spoken about his experiences with major depressive disorder.[2] James and his dog, Ella, are ambassadors for the Pets As Therapy charity.[3]

James Middleton
Born
James William Middleton

(1987-04-15) 15 April 1987
Reading, Berkshire, England
Education
OccupationBusinessman
Partner(s)Alizée Thevenet (engaged)
Parent(s)Michael Middleton
Carole Goldsmith
FamilyMiddleton

Early life and education
See also: Family of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

James William Middleton was born on 15 April 1987 at Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading,[1] the youngest child and only son of Michael Middleton (born 1949) [4] and Carole Middleton (born 1955).[5][6][7] His father came from a line of solicitors who resided in Leeds, in West Yorkshire, and one of his great-grandmothers, Olive Middleton, was a member of the Lupton family who are described by the City of Leeds archives as "landed gentry; a business and political dynasty".[8][9] Carole Middleton's mother's family were labourers and miners from County Durham.[7][10][11][12] His elder sisters are Catherine (born 1982) and Pippa (Philippa Charlotte) (born 1983).

Middleton was educated at St Andrew's School, Pangbourne, and Marlborough College. He attended the University of Edinburgh for a year in 2006 before dropping out.[13][14]

Business

Middleton's cake-making business, which is now defunct, was inspired by reading that a mother's baking is a highly evocative childhood memory.[13] He supplied baking kits so home bakers would be able to get all the ingredients in one place for adventurous creations such as "football cakes".[13] He started baking in the family kitchen and expanded into a freight container and converted barns.[13] Themed birthday cake baking kits were distributed by his parents' company, Party Pieces.[13][15]

Themed cakes were later provided for companies such as Jigsaw, 3 and Ralph Lauren.[13] Middleton caused "shudders" at Buckingham Palace after taking part in a Hello magazine photoshoot for which he was commissioned to bake 21 cakes commemorating its 21st birthday, each iced with one of the magazine's front covers – amongst them, several members of the Royal family, including Diana, Princess of Wales.[16] The business won Smarta 100 and Haines Watts Young Entrepreneur awards.[17] In April 2011 he registered three businesses: Nice Cakes, Nice Wine and Nice Group London and planned to expand the Cake Kit Company.[13][16]

Middleton's company Boomf made a loss of £3 million between 2015 and 2018.[18] James Matthews paid Middleton €110,000 for 12,800 Boomf shares.[19]

Middleton hosts deer stalking parties at Glen Affric Estate, owned by the family of the husband of Pippa

Middleton has hosted weekend deer stalking parties at the 10,000 acre Glen Affric Estate which is owned by David Matthews, his sister's father-in-law.[20][21]

Personal life

Middleton said that he is dyslexic and is raising awareness about the condition.[22] In January 2019, he revealed his struggles with depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.[23] He read the lesson, Epistle to the Romans chapter 12, verses 1–2 and 9–18, from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible at the wedding of his sister Catherine to Prince William.[24]

On 6 October 2019, Middleton confirmed his engagement to French financial analyst, Alizée Thevenet.[25] They planned to wed in summer 2020 but postponed the event due to the 2020 outbreak of COVID-19.[26]

Arms
Coat of arms of James Middleton
Notes
The arms of James William Middleton are the arms of his father differenced by a gold label. In heraldry, the label is the mark of the first son.
Crest
A Rock Argent, thereon a Wolf sejant Azure, gorged with a Collar of Roses Argent, barbed and seeded proper, supporting in the dexter forepaw a Caduceus Or, serpent Gules, labeled Or.
Escutcheon
Per pale Azure and Gules, a chevron Or, cotised Argent, between three acorns slipped and leaved Or (Middleton).
Symbolism
The dividing line (between two colours) down the centre is a canting of the name 'Middle-ton'. The acorns (from the oak tree) are a traditional symbol of England and a feature of west Berkshire, where the family lived. The three acorns also denote the family's three children. The gold chevron in the centre of the arms is an allusion to Carole Middleton's maiden name of Goldsmith. The two white chevronels (narrow chevrons above and below the gold chevron) symbolise peaks and mountains, and the family's love of the Lake District and skiing.[27]

References
  1. Nicholl, Katie (12 August 2012). "The Other Middleton". GQ. UK. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  2. Slater, Georgia (24 June 2019). "James Middleton opens up about suffering from 'crippling' depression". USA Today. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  3. Brunetti, Nic (12 January 2019). "James Middleton reveals his battle with the 'cancer' of depression". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  4. Rayner, Gordon (16 November 2010). "Royal wedding: Kate Middleton's family background". The Telegraph. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  5. Ancestry of Kate Middleton at wargs.com, accessed 4 January 2011
  6. Berlau, John (28 April 2011). "The Entrepreneurs' Princess". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  7. Bradford, Sarah (29 April 2011). "Like the Queen Mother and Diana, Kate has the common touch". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 3 May 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  8. - A Photographic Archive of Leeds, Leodis. "Headingley Castle". Leodis – UK Gov. Leeds. UK Leeds Gov. Retrieved 19 October 2014. The Luptons of Leeds were landed gentry; a political and business dynasty.
  9. The Leeds connection in Yorkshire Evening Post
  10. Duncan, Pearl (24 April 2011). "The History of Families New and Long Lost: An American Compares Coat of Arms with Kate Middleton's". History News Network. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  11. Marquand, Robert (29 April 2011). "Royal wedding: Kate Middleton makes history as she walks down the aisle". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  12. "Kate Middleton's relatives revealed – the postman, the fishmonger and the burlesque dancer". Now Magazine. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  13. Zoe Brennan (27 April 2011), "The very ambitious Mr Middleton", Daily Telegraph
  14. "5 Things You Didn't Know About James Middleton". US Weekly. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  15. Jessica Fellowes (1 October 2008), "The 'posh-preneurs' who mean business", Daily Telegraph
  16. Eden, Richard (24 April 2011). "Kate Middleton's brother wants a bigger slice of the cake". Telegraph. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  17. "Family Value: Why Britain can't get too much of brand Middleton". The Independent. 7 May 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  18. "Kate Middleton's brother is working as a tour guide in Scottish hotel after company woes". 30 September 2018.
  19. "James Middleton's marshmallow firm has just recorded massive losses".
  20. Money-Coutts, S. (21 June 2019). "Wild swimming, hiking and hearty breakfasts: on holiday with James Middleton at a luxury Highlands lodge". Daily Telegraph. Got that? James Middleton will be your host.
  21. O'Ceallaigh, J. (21 September 2018). "An old dog house and shooting with a Middleton". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  22. Walker, Tim (29 October 2012). "James Middleton finally speaks up for dyslexia". The Telegraph. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  23. Brunetti, Nic (12 January 2019). "James Middleton reveals his battle with the 'cancer' of depression". The Telegraph.
  24. Tim Ross (29 April 2011), "How Kate Middleton's brother risks upsetting the Prince of Wales", Daily Telegraph
  25. Pasquini, Maria (6 October 2019). "James Middleton 'Couldn't Be Happier' About Engagement to Alizee Thevenet as She Debuts Sapphire Ring". People. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  26. Greco, Alanna Lauren (21 March 2020). "Kate Middleton's Brother James Is Delaying His Wedding to Alizee Thevenet Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  27. "The arms of Miss Catherine Middleton". College of Arms. 1 May 2011. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
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