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James William Middleton (born 15 April 1987) is an English businessman. Bakeries run by his Cake Kit Company make themed cakes and cake-making kits for birthdays and other occasions. He is the brother of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and read the lesson at her wedding to Prince William.

Early life and education

James was born in 1987, the youngest child and only son of Michael Middleton (b. 23 June 1949) who was then a British Airways flight dispatcher, and Carole Goldsmith (b. 31 January 1955), who was a former flight attendant. His father's family came from Leeds, in Yorkshire, and one of his great-grandmothers, called Olivia Lupton, belonged to a business family active in Leeds for generations. Carole Middleton's mother's family were labourers and miners from County Durham. His elder sisters are Catherine Elizabeth (born 1982) and Phillipa Charlotte (born 1983).

Prior to James' birth, his parents were based in Amman, Jordan, working for British Airways from May 1984, to September 1986, where eldest sister Catherine went to an English language nursery school, before the family returned to their home in Bucklebury, Berkshire. Inspired by the birth of her son James in 1987, Carole set up 'Party Pieces', a company which began by making party bags and which now sells party supplies and decorations by mail order. By 1995 the firm, run by both parents, was so successful that it moved into a range of farm buildings at Ashampstead Common, and since then the Middletons are reported to have become millionaires.

James was educated at St Andrew's School, Pangbourne, followed by Marlborough College. He started a degree in English at Edinburgh University in 2006 but left after one year to start his business.

Business

Middleton's cake-making business was inspired by reading that a mother’s baking is a highly evocative childhood memory – he wanted to supply baking kits so home bakers would be able to get all the ingredients in one place for adventurous creations such as "football cakes". He started baking himself, using the family kitchen, then expanded into a freight container and his business now bakes in converted barns. Themed cakes are baked for companies such as Jigsaw, 3 and Ralph Lauren, and he was commissioned to create 21 cakes for Hello! magazine's 21st birthday. "The entrepreneur was said to have caused 'shudders' at Buckingham Palace" after taking part in the Hello photoshoot and making 21 different cakes for them. "Each was iced with one of the magazine's memorable front pages, several of them depicting members of the Royal family, including, Diana, Princess of Wales". Birthday cake baking kits are created for the domestic market with themes such as dinosaurs and football, which are then distributed through his parents' company, Party Pieces.

Middleton's Cake Kit Company business has been nominated for several awards and won Smarta 100 and Haines Watts Young Entrepreneur awards. In April 2011 he registered three more businesses: Nice Cakes, Nice Wine and Nice Group London and has indicated that he plans to further expand the Cake Kit Company.

The Daily Telegraph describes Middleton as a "young entrepreneur" who regularly puts in 14-hour days.

Royal wedding

Middleton read the lesson at the wedding of his sister Catherine to Prince William. This was the Romans chapter 12, verses 1–2 and 9–18. The reading was from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible rather than the traditional Authorized Version of King James.

Film

In William & Kate, a television movie released on 18 April 2011 about his sister's romance, the part of James Middleton was played by Calvin Goldspink.

References

1. ^ Joseph, Claudia (22 March 2009). "Revealed: Secrets of the Middletons' money". Daily Mail. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
2. Ancestry of Kate Middleton at wargs.com, accessed 4 January 2011
3. Claudia Joseph, The intriguing story of the woman who gave Kate her looks – and family wealth, in Daily Mail (21 November 2010) , accessed 4 January 2011
4. The Leeds connection in Yorkshire Evening Post
5. Christopher Wilson, Kate, the coal miner's girl in Daily Mail (22 December 2006) , accessed 4 January 2011
6. Rayner, Gordon (7 March 2011). "Kate Middleton family photos reveal her time in Jordan". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
7. "Profiles – Kate Middleton". Hello!. August 2001. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
8. About us at partypieces.co.uk, accessed 19 February 2011
9. Generation why-should-I? on The Scotsman (11 June 2008) , accessed 4 January 2011.
10. ^ Levy, Geoffrey and Kay, Richard (1 September 2009). "How many MORE skeletons in Kate Middleton's closet?". The Daily Mail. Retrieved 3 May 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
11. ^ Zoe Brennan (27 Apr 2011), "The very ambitious Mr Middleton", Daily Telegraph
12. "5 Things You Didn't Know About James Middleton". US Weekly. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
13. ^ Eden, Richard (24 April 2011). "Kate Middleton's brother wants a bigger slice of the cake". Telegraph. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
14. Jessica Fellowes (1 October 2008), "The 'posh-preneurs' who mean business", Daily Telegraph {{citation}}: |chapter= ignored (help)
15. Bingham, John (2011-05-01). "Royal wedding: back to reality for the Middleton family". telegraph.co.uk. London: Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 2011-05-08. young entrepreneur who regularly works 14hour days
16. Tim Ross (29 Apr 2011), "How Kate Middleton's brother risks upsetting the Prince of Wales", Daily Telegraph
17. William and Kate at imdb.com, accessed 19 February 2011

External links

• James Middleton’s Childhood Party Memories

Template:Persondata

• 1987 births
• English businesspeople
• Bakers
• Living people
• Old Marlburians
• Old St Andrews
• People from Bucklebury
• Alumni of the University of Edinburgh