In 2011, the world was abuzz with the news of a royal wedding. The beloved Prince William was getting married and everyone was excited to see the woman who had stolen the royal’s heart. As we all fell deeper and deeper in love with the graceful and intelligent Kate Middleton, we watched her wedding and were greatly stunned by the beautiful maid of honor, Kate’s sister Pippa. With her fabulous sense of style and that wonderful dress that no one could stop talking about, the media turned to focus on this English rose. Since its been some time since 2011, let’s explore some of the things we learned about this elegant associate of the royal family.
1. Occupation
Pippa currently works part time for her parents’ company, Party Pieces, an online store selling party accessories for children. While the family did inherit a lot of money, they manage a rather profitable income from the business. There is talk that the company PXM Enterprises, of which Pippa is the director and sole shareholder, will be used to help bring Party Pieces overseas to the United States.
2. Education
Pippa holds a degree in English literature from University of Edinburgh. Other notable staff and alumni of the school include Charles Darwin, Alexander Graham Bell, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Robert Louis Stevenson to name a few. She also participated in the hockey and tennis teams while studying there.
3. Fashion
Pippa’s beautiful bridesmaid dress was a simple, yet gorgeous white concoction by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. It featured a deep cowl neck with a fabric of satin-based crepe. It was definitely a standout dress, but it had small detailing that was similar to that of the bride’s. This is similar to that of Princess Diana’s wedding, where all the bridesmaids and flower girls had similar dresses to that of the bride. The dress fit Pippa very well and she definitely made an impression with the fashion world. Pippa didn’t think much of it. She later said "I think the plan was not really for it to be a significant dress. Really just to sort of blend in with the train," Middleton said. "I suppose it's flattering, embarrassing, definitely. It wasn't planned." Well honey, you made it work.
4. Coat of Arms
She uses her familial coat of arms. When Kate married William, she was entitled to have a coat of arms. However, before this actually happened, her father petitioned for a coat of arms. The acorns symbolize the three children of the family, Kate, Pippa, and James. The acorn hails from the oak tree which is common symbol of England and especially prolific in West Berkshire, the area where the Middleton family has resided. The blue ribbon adorning the top indicates Pippa’s status as an unmarried woman. The gold chevron emphasizes her mother, Carole Middleton nee Goldsmith, who is described as being the center of the family.
5. Engagement
Do I hear wedding bells? It was recently announced to the world that Pippa Middleton is engaged to longtime boyfriend, James Matthews. James Matthews works as a hedge fund manager and runs Eden Rock Capital Management in London. He and Pippa started dating in 2012, broke things off, and then reunited last year. They have set the date for June 17, 2017. Congratulations Pippa and James!
Hope you enjoyed some information about Britain’s favorite bridesmaid!
