James Matthews mum Jane outshines Carole Middleton as he and Pippa tie the knot
PIPPA and James may have been the centre of attention, but there was still plenty of spotlight left for their mums.
Glamorous Carole Middleton and Jane Matthews are both used to moving in moneyed circles but their backgrounds are rather different.
Here, Fabulous magazine fashion director TRACEY LEA SAYER profiles the two successful women and gives her verdict on their choice of outfits for the big day.
Carole Middleton
AS one royal commentator snobbishly pointed out, Kate and Pippa’s down-to-earth mum Carole came “from a mucky background”.
The daughter of a shop assistant and a lorry driver, Carole grew up in a council flat in Southall, West London.
She got her first wage working as a Saturday girl for a clothing store.
Carole cannot compete with Jane’s level of cash but she can say she did it off her own bat.
The Middletons’ Party Pieces mail order company sells party supplies and is worth a reputed £30million.
Not bad for a business Carole set up in her garden shed with redundancy money from British Airways after leaving her cabin crew job while pregnant with Kate.
Carole’s brother Gary Goldsmith is the black sheep in the family.
He was recorded in 2009 bragging about his links to William and Kate – and gave undercover reporters the number of a pimp who offered them £500-an-hour Brazilian prostitutes.
The wayward uncle was even filmed chopping up lines of cocaine by the reporters, much to the embarrassment of Buckingham Palace.
Fashion verdict
IT is a brave decision to wear such a high neck when you are big busted.
Carole should have opted for something more forgiving.
The most famous mother-of-the-bride in the country did not get it right this time. Her above-the-knee coatdress looked a little dated and her Catherine Walker & Co dress did her no favours, along with her oddly coloured tights and mid-heeled shoes.
Sun rating: Four out of ten
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Jane Matthews
JAMES’ mum Jane comes from a wealthy background.
She was born and brought up in a colonial family in Zimbabwe, settled in London, got a job as a receptionist at Christian Dior and studied at the super-hip Slade School of Fine Art.
Her husband David is the son of a Yorkshire coal miner and they first set up home in a Rotherham bungalow.
Jane swiftly traded up as David’s business career went into orbit.
A former car mechanic, he made millions from the used-motor trade before going into property development.
In 1995, they bought a wreck of a hotel on the Caribbean island of St Barts which is now their £3,000-a-night Eden Rock resort.
David owns a castle and 10,000-acre estate in the Scottish Highlands and the couple’s fortune is estimated at around £40million.
Jane’s wayward youngest son Spencer is the family’s black sheep.
In his lurid autobiography, the Made In Chelsea reality TV star revealed he had had sex with at least 1,000 women – and that was back in 2013.
Four years on, there will be many more notches on his bedpost.
Fashion verdict
JANE’S look is totally en pointe. She looks chic in this eau de nil number and is the only older guest who has embraced the newer midi-length.
Her hat is simple and neat and frames her face perfectly.
Also, check out her killer green patent heels and crocodile clutch, which finish off her look and make her one of the most stylish guests at the wedding.