'It was so difficult': Fergie reveals her hurt over Royal Wedding snub

By Daily Mail Reporter


Hurt: Sarah Ferguson told Oprah Winfrey she watched the Royal Wedding on television from Thailand


Sarah Ferguson has spoken for the first time about the House of Windor's decision to not invite her to last month's royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The Duchess of York, 51, instead went to Thailand where she watched the coverage on television.

She was disappointed she wasn't able to accompany her daughters, Princess Beatrice, 22, and Eugenie, 21, who attended the wedding with their father Prince Andrew.

'I was not invited,' Ferguson, 51, who was caught up in a scandal last year after she was taped offering access to Prince Andrew for $724,000, said on The Oprah Winfrey Show.


'I went through the phase of feeling so totally worthless and that [it] was quite right they didn't invite me. Why would they - why would they invite me?'

She continued: 'I felt that I ostracised myself by my behaviour, by the past, by living with all the regrets of my mistakes, that I sort of wore a hair shirt and beat myself up most of the day thinking and regretting why did I make such a mistake? Why have I made so many mistakes?'

'I chose to go and be in Thailand in a place called Camelia... the jungle embraced me,' she explained.

'So difficult': Fergie was disappointed she couldn't join her daughters Eugenie and Beatirce at the ceremony

The snub 'was so difficult,' the former royal said, 'because I wanted to be there with my girls... to be getting them dressed and to go as a family.'

She added: 'Also, it was so hard, because the last bride up that aisle was me.'

Ferguson revealed she was in contact with her former husband, whom she married at Westminster Abbey in 1986, throughout the day.

'When Andrew went with the girls, we were talking all morning and he was saying, "It's okay. Just remember we had such a good day. Our wedding was so perfect." Because we're such a unit together. He made me feel very part of the day on April the 29th.'

'I really love the feeling that sort of Diana and I both weren't there,' Ferguson, who has often spoken of her close bond with with the late princess, told Oprah.

'But I'm here to say how proud she would have been and Kate looked utterly
beautiful.'

'I think Diana would be so proud of her son. Both of them, you know? They did a great job.'

Ferguson is to have a show on Winfrey's new cable station, OWN.

Her interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show will air in the U.S. tomorrow.

Royal affair: Fergie said Diana would be 'so proud of her son'


source:dailymail

Prince William whisks Kate away on a £4,000-a-night tropical honeymoon 'in the Seychelles'

By REBECCA ENGLISH

And they're orf: Kate and William at Buckingham Palace before flying by helicopter for their 'mini-moon'


The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have left for a two-week honeymoon in a secret hideaway in the Indian Ocean.

The newlyweds will stay in an exclusive villa that costs £4,000-a-night and is said to be located on one of the most beautiful and romantic islands in the world.

The Duke and Duchess are believed to have flown out by private jet yesterday before being taken by helicopter from the mainland to the tropical retreat.



Back to work - but not for long. William was spotted returning to the Air and Sea Rescue headquarters at RAF Vally in Anglesey after the wedding


William's car was apparently seen leaving Anglesey, north Wales, yesterday accompanied by a police Range Rover piled high with luggage.

A spokesman for St James's Palace said he would not confirm their honeymoon destination, although according to reports, the couple may have headed for the Seychelles.

The spokesman added William has taken two weeks leave from operational duties.

'The couple have asked that their privacy be respected during their honeymoon.'


Stocking up: Kate was seen shopping for provisions at Waitrose shortly after the celebrations


If the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen the Seychelles for their honeymoon they could well be heading for an idyllic location they visited four years ago - the island of Desroches


A source said: ‘It’s one of the most incredible places you will ever visit and Kate will have the time of her life. It’s everything you could want from a honeymoon destination and more – beautiful beaches, tropical seas and complete privacy.

‘The Prince’s protection officers flew out to check it out and their villa has been booked and confirmed.


The couple were seen taking off from Buckingham Palace the day after their wedding


Like everyone else he works with, Prince William had to apply to take time off before the wedding


The island of Desroches is a paradise just four miles long, about 150 miles south west of the Seychelles' main island, Mahe


source: dailymail

The big day was a week ago, but for the brands Kate wore, celebrations are only just beginning

By LIZ JONES

Sell out: Demand has surged for bridal dresses like the Alexander McQueen gowns Kate wore


All eyes have swivelled to the new Duchess of Cambridge to take up the baton and help our fashion industry limp out of the recession.

Becoming the unofficial style ambassador is the best job Kate can be doing for our morale and the economy.

But every brand (and they were all British) involved in the wedding, in however small a way, has seen sales go through the roof.

By far the biggest surge in orders has come from the U.S. We can expect these to increase when Kate goes there on her first official tour in the summer.


In demand: The perfumee Kate wore was Illuminum's White Gardenia Petals


THE FRAGRANCE
On her wedding day, Kate wore White Gardenia Petals from Illuminum, created by British ‘nose’ Michael Boadi.

The clean, fresh scent has a note of coconut bursting into ylang ylang, lily of the valley and jasmine, with amber wood as the base note.

Demand is so high there is a waiting list of customers longing to smell like the royal bride.

White Gardenia Petals costs £70 and is available exclusively from roullierwhite.com

THE EARRINGS
While Kate’s tiara was made by Cartier and borrowed from the Queen, her stunning earrings were a gift from her parents.

The diamond-set oak leaves with a pear diamond drop and pave-set diamond acorn were inspired by the new Middleton coat of arms.


Unavailable: Robinson Pelham won't be making anymore earrings like the Duchess', despite requests


BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Having designed children’s wear for 30 years, Marlborough-based Nicki Macfarlane is renowned for her exquisite outfits for bridesmaids and pageboys. She made the four young bridesmaids’ dresses: ballerina length, box-pleated ivory silk satin gazar, layered over organza, wild silk and petticoats.

They were handmade in Wiltshire and Kent, given an English lace trim and embroidered with the child’s name.



Pretty: The young bridesmaids, pictured with Maid of Honour Pippa Middleton in an Alexander McQueen design, wore handmade dresses by Nicki Macfarlane while their shoes were by the Rainbow Club


BRIDESMAID SHOES
Rainbow Club, based in Exeter, has been designing, making and hand-dyeing wedding shoes since the mid-Eighties.

Kate’s bridesmaids wore classic Mary Janes in satin, embellished with a Swarovski crystal buckle. Sales manager Richard Coles says: ‘We’ve been run off our feet, with people calling from all over Europe and the U.S.’

Why did Kate choose this little firm of 30 employees?

‘For the quality. We guarantee we will dye a shoe to match the exact colour of the dress. The Royal Wedding shoes were a special shade of ivory.’

Children’s bridesmaid shoes start at £30, rainbowclub.co.uk


THE HATS

Vivien Sheriff is a milliner who has her atelier in a decidedly unglamorous farm building in Wiltshire.

She made the famous fascinator worn by Kate on her first royal engagement in February, and was commissioned by 53 guests to make bespoke pieces.

Every piece is handmade by a team of six. An elaborate headpiece can cost up to £1,000. Since the wedding, online sales have doubled.


Best foot forward: Kate stepped into married life wearing LKBennett wedges


'The Kate': The shoes have been re-issued in her name

COURT SHOE WEDGES

The day after the wedding, Kate teamed a wintry blue Zara dress with a cropped black blazer and LK Bennett Greta wedges, £150. This prompted the chain to reissue the style, renaming it the Kate. It will be available in June, but already has a waiting list.

The Kate effect has meant sales of all wedges have soared at Topshop, Hobbs and even Christian Louboutin.


source: dailymail

Revealed: How Prince William ensured he kept his cool on the big day... thanks to his tailor

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Specially made: Prince William's wedding outfit was customised from a heat-absorbent material to prevent him passing out in the Abbey


Prince's wedding outfit was made of special heat-absorbing material so he didn't faint at the Abbey


Prince William had his wedding uniform made of special heat-absorbing material, to prevent him passing out at Westminster Abbey.

And his brother Harry had a tiny Velcro compartment sewn into his wedding uniform to keep the ring safe.

Tailor Russell Kashket, who was responsible for making 2,000 royal wedding uniforms, has spoken for the first time since a confidentiality agreement lapsed after the nuptials.


Hands-on approach: The Prince worked closely with the tailors to get the look he wanted for the wedding


More than 350 members of the Kashket military tailoring staff in north London made the outfits, which also included the drum majors' gold state coats, Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment dress, and uniforms for all five Footguards regiments.

'It was difficult to make it all without anyone knowing what it was for,' Mr Kashket said. "We had to use a pseudonym.'

Prince William met with Mr Kashket several times to discuss the design. 'He was very concerned about the heat because he knew all the cameras and lights would make it very hot in the Abbey,' Mr Kashket said.

'We worked together to get the look he wanted while using material to absorb the heat and make sure he didn't pass out in front of two billion people across the world.'


Cunning: Prince Harry kept the ring in this secret compartment sewn into his wedding uniform


Marlon Kashket said: 'The prince has an excellent physique so he really did justice to our tailoring skill. We had a last-minute rush when the palace asked us if we could incorporate some device that would hold the ring.'

Ceremonial military garments such as these do not have pockets and there was concern that, if Prince Harry waved to the crowd on his way to the Abbey, then the ring might be lost.

'To solve the problem we decided to sew a tiny secret compartment into the scarlet cuff sealed with Velcro. This kept Catherine's ring safe.'



Smart: The wedding ring remained safe as Prince Harry - also in military uniform - walked Pippa Middleton up the aisle at Westminster Abbey


source: dailymail

On the scent of every detail... the Duchess of Cambridge wore on her wedding day

By JENNIFER MADISON

Flower power: According to fragrance bloggers, Catherine was wearing the White Gardenia Petals fragrance by Illuminum on her wedding day


When the new Duchess of Cambridge walked down the aisle on April 29, the best-kept secret in fashion was finally revealed.

But while the world cooed over her Alexander McQueen gown, the perfume industry's noses were buzzing about what scent Catherine chose for her big day.

According to fragrance bloggers, Prince William's bride was wearing White Gardenia Petals by Illuminum, a little-known British brand.


Delicate: The scent has notes of coconut, jasmine and amber wood


A description on the company website describes the £70 scent as 'fragrant as a vase of white flowers quivering in the breeze by an open window, this is a delicate and nuanced scent.'

It continues: 'The top note of coconut evokes a seaside location, while heart notes of muguet, ylang ylang and jasmine breeze bring a trio of white flowers into play.

'Amber wood underscores this capricious and light bouquet.'

They were a huge hit with Mr Boadi's former clients - Michelle Obama purchased three scents in 2009 - and the Illuminum brand followed shortly after.

The company is unsurprisingly thrilled by word that Catherine wore their product.

Illuminum spokesman Michael Donovan told BaseNotes.com: 'I am so proud!'


source: dailymail

Prince Harry's wedding day secret revealed: He had hidden pocket sewn into uniform to keep Kate's ring safe

By Rebecca English


Lord of the ring: Prince Harry walks sister of the bride and maid of honour Philippa Middleton down the aisle in Westminster Abbey


Prince Harry was so scared of dropping Kate Middleton’s wedding ring that he had a secret pocket built into his uniform to carry it, MailOnline can reveal.

While most best men carry the ring in their trouser or jacket pocket, Harry’s Blues and Royals military outfit was so tight fitting that the tailor, Kashket and Partners, was unable to incorporate one into the design.

So with the prince’s help, the firm came up with the idea of a special gold embroidered cuff which could be attached to Harry's jacket. Sewn inside was a secret compartment in which the precious Welsh gold ring could be kept safe.


The entire set up was so discreet that Harry was able to stand at the high altar at Westminster Abbey, in front of an estimated two billion television viewers, and pull the band out without anyone knowing.

Kashket began as hatters to the Russian royal court in the early 20th century. It specialises in parade and ceremonial uniforms and holds a royal warrant from the Queen.

Recently the company made a suit for Colin Firth in the film The King's Speech and made all of Jude Law’s outfits in the movie Alfie.

Cunning: Prince Harry's secret cuff pocket, made by Kashket and Partners


Harry’s cuff was made from a heavyweight Melton wool fabric embroidered with a two per cent pure gold wire.

A spokesman said: 'The team were asked to design a small pocket to keep Kate’s ring safe, particularly during the journey from Clarence House to Westminster Abbey, as Harry has no pocket in his military trousers.

Can you spot it? Prince Harry's secret pocket meant he could remain cool and calm about producing the ring in front of two billion TV viewers


'Harry, aware that he would be waving to the crowds, feared he may drop the ring and wanted a secret compartment.

'The brothers wanted the day to run smoothly and decided this would be the best option.

'We were happy to oblige.'

A royal source added: ‘Prince Harry was terrified that he would arrived at the Abbey and find out that he had dropped the ring on the way. His brother was always ribbing him about it.'

Kashket also made Prince William’s Irish Guards uniform for the big day as well as the page boy outfits.

Near the knuckle: The moment Prince William slid the ring onto Kate's finger, with a bit of wriggling


source:dailymail

Elton John wells up at the wedding 14 years after he sang for Diana at Westminster Abbey

By ANDREA MAGRATH


Emotional: Elton John appeared rather misty-eyed during the Royal Wedding today


In an emotional interview three years ago, he described singing at Princess Diana's funeral as a 'surreal' experience he hoped never to have to repeat.

So it is understandable that returning to Westminster Abbey today would be an emotional experience for Elton John.

After initially arriving at the event in high spirits, the singer appeared a little misty-eyed at one point in the ceremony.


Memories: The singer famously played at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales fourteen years earlier


Elton was pictured biting his lip and his eyes looked red-rimmed as he gazed at the proceedings.

Earlier the 64-year-old shared a laugh with partner David Furnish and fellow guests as they took their front-row aisle seats inside the Abbey.


'Surreal': In 2008 he gave an emotional interview discussing his performance of Candle In The Wind at Diana's funeral in 1997


He received a huge cheer as they arrived at the Abbey, and waved gaily at the crowd.

But Elton's mood turned sombre, perhaps as he reflected on his tribute to his late friend, the Princess Of Wales at her funeral on September 6, 1997.

Elton's re-worked rendition of his hit Candle In The Wind moved the millions of viewers to tears and is widely regarded as the best-selling single of all time.

In a TV documentary aired in 2008, the singer recalled: 'Me playing at the funeral was one of the most surreal things I have ever done.


Excited: Elton looked in high spirits as he and a distracted David Furnish (left) waited for the ceremony to begin


'What was going through my mind was, "Don't f*** this up. Don't sing a wrong note. Don't sing the wrong note. Be stoic.

"Don't break down and just do it to the best you can possibly do it without showing any emotion whatsoever."

'My heart was beating quite a lot, I have to say,' he told VH1 'RocDoc' Me, Myself and I.


Proud: Sir Elton beams with happiness as he watches Prince William and his new bride walk down the aisle to leave the Abbey


'This is an unreal experience and I hope I never have to do it again.'

Elton was less forthcoming when asked by BBC Radio 5 outside the Abbey how he enjoyed the wedding.

Speaking after the ceremony, his response was: 'It's not the Oscars.'


Arrival: He received a huge cheer from the crowds as he arrived at the Abbey


source: dailymail

Harry pays tribute to William 'the dude'...but ditches his comments about Kate's killer legs in speech that left her 'touched'

By Katie Nicholl, Mail On Sunday Royal Correspondent


Kate's second dress was a strapless white satin gazar evening dress with a circle skirt and diamante embroidered detail round the waist. William stuck to the safe bet of a dinner jacket and bow tie


-William and Kate leave Buckingham Palace by helicopter for honeymoon

-Couple spent first married night together at the Palace

-Prince Charles quipped about his son going bald during speeches

-Harry leaves party in minibus at 3am - while Chelsy Davy leaves in car with Beatrice and Eugenie

Prince Harry paid a moving tribute to his brother ‘The Dude’ and his new sister-in-law ‘The Duchess’ during a heartfelt speech at their evening wedding reception on Friday.

Harry also told the couple’s friends and family that he loved Kate ‘like a sister’ and how the story of the couple’s long romance ‘inspires’ him. According to several guests, Kate was ‘very emotional and touched’ by Harry’s tribute and even shed a tear during the evening’s festivities.

Harry delivered his best man’s speech, which he had been working on for the past fortnight, at 9.30pm after 300 of the couple’s close family and friends had enjoyed a three-course meal with vintage champagne.


He had asked his best friends Thomas Van Straubenzee and Guy Pelly to be a sounding board ahead of the speech and is understood to have dropped a reference to ‘Kate’s killer legs’ from the final edit.

‘Harry had some joke in about how he had immediately given Kate the thumbs up when William first brought her home because she had such a great pair of pins, but he didn’t want to embarrass her,’ said a friend.

According to sources inside the evening reception, Harry’s speech was ‘warm and affectionate’ and peppered with good humour and jokes.

One partygoer leaving Buckingham Palace event in the early hours of Saturday told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Harry said William was the perfect brother. It was exactly how you would expect a best man’s speech to be. He cracked loads of jokes about William.

He called him a “dude” several times. He kept coming back to it, saying “What a dude”.’

Harry described his brother’s relationship with Kate as ‘inspirational’ and to much applause added: ‘William didn’t have a romantic bone in his body before he met Kate, so I knew it was serious when William suddenly started cooing down the phone at Kate.’

Harry, famous for his impersonations, then did a high-pitched impression of Kate calling William ‘Billy’ and of his brother calling Kate ‘baby’, to much hilarity from the guests.


Charles's jokes at wedding breakfast
Earlier in the day it was the Prince of Wales who had been playing the joker, making a comment about his son’s thinning hair during the wedding breakfast at Buckingham Palace.

‘The thing about growing older is that your children get taller than you so they can see your bald spots. Now in my case, I can see his,’ Prince Charles remarked, to which William retorted: ‘You got there before Harry!’ to much laughter.

William delivered a brief speech at the wedding breakfast where he proudly introduced his wife as ‘Mrs Wales’ even though the couple will be formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

A heartfelt Prince William declared his new wife 'my rock' in the emotional speech, given to guests at the intimate reception.

In what was a tribute to the normality and security Kate provides him, William's words revealed just how indebted he is to Kate for her support.

‘It was received with cheers and shouts of hoorah,’ said one guest. ‘William and Catherine were amazingly relaxed, and although it was a formal affair, it felt very relaxed and intimate. Catherine was amazingly calm and said how thrilled she was with the day. She and William didn’t leave one another’s side. They said it was the happiest day of their lives.

‘William was very gracious and thanked absolutely everyone for making the day come together. He thanked everyone from the florist to the chef.’

Attentive: Prince William comments on the antics of bridesmaid Grace van Cutsem


How they watched themselves on TV

After the wedding breakfast the newlyweds returned to Clarence House in Prince Charles’s Aston Martin, which had been customised by the best man with balloons and a ‘JU5T WED’ number plate.

Harry returned shortly afterwards and he, Kate and William spent the afternoon relaxing and watching a replay of the wedding ceremony on television.

As they made their way to the reception with Charles and Camilla, William was heard talking about how his goddaughter bridesmaid Grace Van Cutsem, the three-year-old daughter of his friends Hugh and Rose Van Cutsem, had covered her ears with her hands because of the thunderous applause from the crowds at The Mall.

‘Did you see how terrified Grace looked?’ he remarked to his wife.

Party that rocked Buckingham Palace

As predicted, the evening celebrations continued into the early hours. The Queen and Prince Philip had left Buckingham Palace to William and Kate, and glitter balls had been hung in the throne room where a disco continued into the small hours.

Kate had changed out of her Alexander McQueen wedding dress and into a floor-length ivory satin gazar gown with a diamante-embroidered waistband and a cream-coloured angora bolero jacket, also designed by her wedding dress maker Sarah Burton. Her hairdresser James Pryce reprised her engagement day hairstyle for the evening event.

Kate left Clarence House to travel by car to Buckingham Palace with her husband, who was dressed in a dinner jacket and black tie. They were followed by Charles, also wearing a dinner suit, and Camilla, who wore a blue Anna Valentine dress.

4am girls: Her outfit looking a little worse for wear, Beatrice, left, leaves the unofficial afterparty at The Goring hotel having swapped her heels for trainers. Eugenie, meanwhile is still smiling despite the hour


Flamboyant: Princess Eugenie and Beatrice attended the wedding earlier in the day wearing outlandish outfits

As they filtered into the party guests were greeted by a military band in full uniform and serenaded with bagpipes. The atmosphere inside the Palace was described as ‘electric’ and ‘buzzing’ by a female band member who performed for the couple.

‘Kate looked beautiful. Absolutely serene. She had changed into a full-length white dress. It was stunning. I saw the couple together.

She and William both looked very, very happy and were smiling as people came over to them.’

At 8.30pm a three-course dinner was served by Swiss chef Anton Mossiman. He had brought 25 staff from his Knightsbridge restaurant into the Palace.

William, Kate and Pippa, Kate’s younger sister and Maid of Honour who has been instrumental in helping to plan the party, had visited Mosimann’s last month for a tasting and instructed the chef to create a ‘simple and unstuffy but sophisticated menu’.

Harry was seated next to his on-off girlfriend Chelsy Davy and gave his speech at 9.30pm after dinner was served.

‘Kate had been amazingly composed throughout the day, but she did look as though she had a tear in her eye when Harry gave his speech. She was very emotional,’ said a source.

The father of the bride delivered a speech that had the whole room roaring with laughter when he told the controversial story of William landing his Chinook in the back garden of the Middletons’ family home.

‘I knew things were getting serious when I found a helicopter in my garden. I thought, gosh, he must like my daughter,’ said Michael Middleton.

Speaking warmly of William, whom he called ‘one of the family’, Mr Middleton said: ‘I did wonder then how William was going to top this if they ever got engaged. I just thought, What will he do? You can’t get much better than that and we are certainly not used to Princes landing helicopters in the garden.'

Palace joker: Prince Harry takes his Master of Ceremonies duties carefully, clutching a microphone as he leaves Buckingham Palace in a coach on Friday night

Long day: Princesses Beatrice and Eugiene leave in a royal car with Chelsy Davy, centre

Princess Beatrice leaves the Palace in a purple and gold outfit after the evening celebration for 300 close friends and family

Morning after: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall is driven away from Clarence House this morning after last night's celebration at Buckingham Palace

All change: Pippa Middleton, right, and Carole Middleton, left, in fresh outfits for evening celebration

Just wed: Couple return to Buckingham Palace last night for the evening reception with 300 guests where Prince Harry delivered his best man speech

Celebrations: The indigo sky above Kate's hometown of Bucklebury is lit up with fireworks as villagers mark the occasion of the royal wedding with festivities

In the pink: A stunning scene over Bucklebury's local pub brings an end to a day of street parties and revelry

One last look: Unable to resist a backward glance, Kate leaves the balcony with her proud husband


Party-goers said that both William and Harry used the evening to pay moving tributes to their late mother, Princess Diana.

‘All the speeches mentioned Diana. Of course they did, she was their mother after all,’ said one.

After the speeches William and Kate took to the dance floor by themselves for the first dance, a rendition of Elton John’s Your Song sung by Ellie Goulding.

The 24-year-old singer – the only act to perform during the night – was chosen by the couple because she is their favourite artist.

‘It was an amazing honour to be asked by Kate and William to perform at their party. The atmosphere was incredible and it is a night I will never forget,’ she said yesterday.

The music continued until 2am. Among the songs played were You’re The One That I Want from the musical Grease. William had requested songs by rapper Tinie Tempah and the Body Rockers’ I Like The Way You Move.

Even the mother of the bride had a request and asked for the 1986 Jermaine Stewart song We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off to be played.

Two female party-goers said the dancing was ‘fun and outrageous’, adding: ‘There was a chicken dance with lots of arm flapping, which was particularly good fun. Everyone was on the dance floor. The guests were really up for partying.’

Even back-room staff weren’t exempt – Buckingham Palace catering staff said the Palace threw a party for workers with bottles of Jacobs Creek wine, Boddingtons beer, vodka and gin on the menu.

Just after midnight the first guests began to leave. Among them were Charles and Camilla, the official hosts of the event, who were whisked through the main Palace gates at 12.20am looking happy and relaxed despite the long day.

At 2.45am loud cheers could be heard from over the Palace walls as a fireworks display was let off in the back garden. Partygoers whooped and cheered as red and white rockets were fired in short bursts.

By 3am only a handful of hardened party-goers were left inside the Palace, including Harry, Chelsy and Pippa.


source: dailymail

Middletons go home ... £250,000 poorer: Family’s huge bill for hotel, banquets, outfits and jewellery

By ROBERT VERKAIK

All smiles: Pippa, in jeans showing off the figure that has won her fans on Facebook, leads her mother Carole, brother James and father Michael out of the Goring Hotel yesterday


After a long day and night of celebrating, the Middletons finally emerged from the five-star Goring Hotel yesterday... perhaps thinking: ‘And about time, too.’

As speculation intensifies over the family’s wealth, inquiries have revealed that the wedding has cost them at least £250,000.

The bill for the exclusive hire of the 71-room hotel near Buckingham Palace is estimated at £85,000 alone. The Royal Suite, where Kate spent her last nights as a single woman is so exclusive, it has not been officially priced.


Rear of the Year? It's already in the bag: Pippa says a final farewell before starting the journey home


But the 200-strong crowd that cheered the family outside the hotel did not detect any regrets as they headed for their chauffeur-driven car, waving and smiling.

Pippa, 27 – carrying a bag and wearing skin-tight white jeans that accentuated the derriere that has inspired many Facebook tribute sites – led out her parents Carole and Michael and younger brother James, 23.


Pricey night: The bill for the exclusive hire of the 71-room Goring Hotel is believed to cost £85,000


The family is also estimated to have paid £25,000 for two parties at the hotel. On Thursday, Kate treated 120 friends and family to a buffet. And after Friday’s ceremony, Carole and Michael hosted an extravagant wedding party for a wider circle. Beluga caviar on The Goring restaurant menu is £400 for 100g while a bottle of Dom Perignon can cost £1,530.

Even if some Middleton guests paid for their rooms and the family secured a discount they will still be facing a bill approaching £100,000.

Last night the hotel said the terms of the booking were private. Kate’s bridal gown, designed by Sarah Burton, is said to have cost up to £40,000. Carole’s outfit by Catherine Walker would have cost £10,000 and Pippa’s dress, also by Sarah Burton, about £20,000.

Kate’s earrings, from Robinson Pelham, are believed to have set her parents back £15,000. A pendant and earrings for Carole, earrings for Pippa and gold tie sticks for Michael and James cost about £30,000.

The bridal shoes, designed at Alexander McQueen, and bridal flowers would have cost at least £3,000. Morning suits for Michael and James, by Gieves & Hawkes, would have cost £10,000. The Middletons would have also paid for suits and dresses for the evening, costing up to £20,000.


My hat: Mr Middleton loses his topper as he exits the bride's Rolls-Royce



Proud moment: The father of the bride looks on as Prince William is joined by Kate at the altar

source: dailymail