James Middleton (British businessman)
James Middleton | |
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Born | James William Middleton 15 April 1987 Reading, Berkshire, England |
Education | |
Occupation | Businessman |
Spouse(s) | Alizée Thevenet (m. 2021) |
Parents |
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Family | Middleton |
James William Middleton (born 15 April 1987)[1] is an English entrepreneur. He is the brother of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
Born in Reading, Berkshire, Middleton was educated at St Andrew's School, Pangbourne and University of Edinburgh before founding a cake-making business. Middleton began receiving media attention during his eldest sister's relationship and subsequent marriage to Prince William. In 2013, he founded personalised greeting card company Boomf. Middleton is also 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]
Middleton civilly married French financial analyst Alizée Thevenet in France in September 2021.
Early life and education[]
James William Middleton was born on 15 April 1987 at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading,[1] the youngest child and only son of Michael Middleton (born 1949), a former British Airways flight dispatcher,[4] and Carole Middleton (born 1955), a former flight attendant.[5][6][7] His father came from a line of solicitors who resided in Leeds, West Yorkshire, descended from the landed gentry Lupton family.[8][9] His mother's family were labourers and miners from County Durham.[7][10][11][12] Shortly before his birth, Middleton's parents founded Party Pieces, a mail-order party supply company, estimated to be worth £30 million,[13] though accounts show that the company has lost £1.068 million since its inception.[14] His elder sisters are Catherine (born 1982) and Pippa (born 1983).[15] The family resided in Bradfield Southend, Berkshire, before moving to the nearby village of Bucklebury in 1995.[16][17][18] Middleton was educated at St Andrew's School, Pangbourne, and Marlborough College.[19][20] In 2006, he attended the University of Edinburgh, studying environmental resources management before dropping out a year later.[21][22]
Career[]
Middleton's cake-making business, which is now defunct, was inspired by reading that a mother's baking is a highly evocative childhood memory.[21] 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".[21] He started baking in the family kitchen and expanded into a freight container and converted barns.[21] Themed birthday cake baking kits were distributed by his parents' company, Party Pieces.[21][23]
Themed cakes were later provided for companies such as Jigsaw, 3 and Ralph Lauren.[21] 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.[24] The business won Smarta 100 and Haines Watts Young Entrepreneur awards.[25] In April 2011 he registered three businesses: Nice Cakes, Nice Wine and Nice Group London and planned to expand the Cake Kit Company.[21][24] The Cake Kit Company dissolved in 2015.[26]
In 2013, Middleton founded Boomf, a company that makes personalised marshmallows and greeting cards.[27][28] In 2015, the company raised £700 in funding, and was valued at £10m.[29] Boomf made a loss of £3 million between 2015 and 2018.[30] Hedge fund manager James Matthews paid Middleton €110,000 for 12,800 Boomf shares.[31] In 2019, Middleton announced that that the company had reached profitability with an income of £176,000 in the previous year.[32] Boomf raised $1m of funding in 2021, with plans to expand its product range.[33] In May 2020, Middleton launched Ella & Co, a mail order dog food company that offers freeze-dried, raw, organic dog food.[34]
Personal life[]
Middleton is dyslexic.[35] Middleton read from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible at the 2011 wedding of his sister Catherine to Prince William.[36] In 2019, he disclosed his struggles with depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which he attributed to public scrutiny from age 23 as a result of his eldest sister's relationship.[37][38] He sought treatment in 2017, undertaking cognitive behavioral therapy.[38][39] Middleton also spent "restorative time" at the Glen Affric Estate, owned by his sister Pippa's father-in-law.[38][40][41] In the same year, he penned a column in the Daily Mail about mental health.[42][43]
Middleton is an ambassador for the Pets As Therapy charity, and has credited his dog, Ella, for helping him through his depression.[44][39] He breeds dogs, owning six, as well as one rescue lamb.[45][46][47] Middleton also keeps bees on the grounds of Bucklebury Manor.[48][49] In April 2020, he founded the Paw Print Fund in aid of animal welfare charities.[46]
Middleton was in a relationship with actress Donna Air from 2013 to 2018.[50] Middleton met French financial analyst Alizée Thevenet in 2018, and announced their engagement in September 2019.[51][52] They planned to wed in summer 2020 but postponed the event twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[53] The couple married on 11 September 2021, in Bormes-les-Mimosas, France; his wife having worn the 1980 wedding dress belonging to Carole Middleton, her mother-in-law.[54][55]
Arms[]
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References[]
- ^ a b Nicholl, Katie (12 August 2012). "The Other Middleton". GQ. UK. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
- ^ Slater, Georgia (24 June 2019). "James Middleton opens up about suffering from 'crippling' depression". USA Today. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ^ Brunetti, Nic (12 January 2019). "James Middleton reveals his battle with the 'cancer' of depression". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
- ^ Rayner, Gordon (16 November 2010). "Royal wedding: Kate Middleton's family background". The Telegraph. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^ Ancestry of Kate Middleton at wargs.com, accessed 4 January 2011
- ^ Berlau, John (28 April 2011). "The Entrepreneurs' Princess". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ - 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.
- ^ The Leeds connection in Yorkshire Evening Post
- ^ 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.
- ^ Marquand, Robert (29 April 2011). "Royal wedding: Kate Middleton makes history as she walks down the aisle". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^ "Kate Middleton's relatives revealed – the postman, the fishmonger and the burlesque dancer". Now Magazine. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^ Cirilli, Corynne. "Everything You Need to Know About the Middleton Family". Town & Country. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Party supplies business run by Kate Middleton's parents lost £1m during pandemic". The Independent. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ Gonzales, Erica. "Everything You Need to Know About Kate's Brother, James Middleton". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ Luu, Christopher. "Kate Middleton's Brother Shared a Peek Into Her Family's Home". InStyle. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Everything you never knew about Pippa Middleton". Evening Standard. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ Andersen, Christopher (2011). William and Kate – A Royal Love Story. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 77. ISBN 9781451621457.
- ^ Stacy, Danielle. "Duchess Kate's former teachers reveal what she was really like at school". Hello!. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "The mysterious life of James Middleton, Kate's party-loving little brother who runs a marshmallow company". Business Insider India. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g Zoe Brennan (27 April 2011), "The very ambitious Mr Middleton", Daily Telegraph, archived from the original on 28 April 2011
- ^ "5 Things You Didn't Know About James Middleton". US Weekly. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
- ^ Jessica Fellowes (1 October 2008), "The 'posh-preneurs' who mean business", Daily Telegraph
- ^ a b Eden, Richard (24 April 2011). "Kate Middleton's brother wants a bigger slice of the cake". Telegraph. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
- ^ "Family Value: Why Britain can't get too much of brand Middleton". The Independent. 7 May 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
- ^ Praderio, Caroline. "The Mysterious Life of James Middleton, Kate's Party-Loving Little Brother Who Runs a Marshmallow Company". The Independent. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ Hyde, Marine (6 May 2016). "Boomf! James Middleton's printed marshmallow business puffed up by investors". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ Lodi, Mari. "Kate Middleton's Brother is Engaged". The Cut. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Boomf Raises £700 in Funding". FinsMes. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Kate Middleton's brother is working as a tour guide in Scottish hotel after company woes". 30 September 2018.
- ^ "James Middleton's marshmallow firm has just recorded massive losses".
- ^ Ward, Fiona. "James Middleton reveals exciting news: 'It's a wonderful feeling'". Hello!. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ Dunsby, Megan. "Kate Middleton's brother secures over $1m for Boomf marshmallow start-up". Startups.
- ^ "Introducing Ella & Co, James Middleton's new canine-approved business". 18 May 2020.
- ^ Walker, Tim (29 October 2012). "James Middleton finally speaks up for dyslexia". The Telegraph. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
- ^ Tim Ross (29 April 2011), "How Kate Middleton's brother risks upsetting the Prince of Wales", Daily Telegraph
- ^ Brunetti, Nic (12 January 2019). "James Middleton reveals his battle with the 'cancer' of depression". The Telegraph.
- ^ a b c Conway, Clauda. "The rise and rise of James Middleton". Tatler. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ a b Blair, Olivia. "James Middleton Opens Up About Sister Kate Accompanying Him To Therapy". Elle. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ O'Ceallaigh, J. (21 September 2018). "An old dog house and shooting with a Middleton". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- ^ Yasharoff, Hannah. "'The love of my life': Duchess Kate's brother, James Middleton, marries Alizee Thevenet". USA Today. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ Slater, Georgia. "James Middleton opens up about suffering from 'crippling' depression". USA Today. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ DeSantis, Marissa. "James Middleton says he 'owes life' to dog Ella who helped with his depression". Evening Standard. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ Napoli, Jessica. "Prince William and Kate Middleton announce family dog Lupo has died: 'We will miss him'". Fox News. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ a b Chung, Gabrielle. "James Middleton Opens Up About How His Dog Has Helped Him with Depression: 'I Owe Ella My Life'". People. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ Boucher, Phil. "James Middleton Reveals New Member of the Family on His 34th Birthday!". People. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ Wallace, Rachel. "Kate Middleton's Brother Opens Up About His Unexpected Hobby". Architectural Digest.
- ^ Coke, Hope. "Beekeeping is the new A-list trend to get on board with now, says James Middleton". Tatler. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ McBridge, Caitlin. "Kate Middleton's brother James 'splits with girlfriend of four years' Donna Air". The Independent. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "5 Things to Know About James Middleton's Fiancee Alizee Thevenet". Us Weekly. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Beard, Lanford. "James Middleton Is Married — and His Dog Photobombed the Newlyweds!". People. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
- ^ Cope, R. (20 September 2021). "Something borrowed: Alizee Thevenet wore mother-in-law Carole Middleton's wedding dress". Tatler. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ "The arms of Miss Catherine Middleton". College of Arms. 1 May 2011. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
External links[]
- 1987 births
- Living people
- British people of English descent
- Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
- British bakers
- English businesspeople
- People educated at Marlborough College
- People educated at St Andrew's School, Pangbourne
- People from Bucklebury
- People from Reading, Berkshire
- People with dyslexia