ComScore

Why Is Kate Middleton’s Mom Advertising Cakes that Say ‘Happy Birthday, Archie’?

kate middleton carole middleton
Karwai Tang/Getty Images

Kate Middleton's mom, Carole Middleton, seems to have taken a liking to her daughter's nephew. Her family business, Party Pieces, a party supply company in the U.K., was founded in 1987 (the same year as the birth of Kate's hunky younger brother, James Middleton). 

But one eagle-eyed royal fan pointed out that Party Pieces sells personalized cakes, and a bunch of the website listings feature cakes that read, "Happy Birthday, Archie!" Coincidence? We think not.

The Duchess of Cambridge's nephew, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was born to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on May 6. Perhaps Carole Middleton wanted to honor her grand-nephew-in-law (is that even a thing??) in some way.

A few of the other listings say, "Happy Birthday, George!" (as in Prince George, Carole's grandson) and "Happy Birthday, James!" (as in Kate's brother James). So the name Archie would only be fitting in such a royal-sounding crowd, no? What's even more interesting, though, is that the girls' cakes have names like Rosie, Elsie and Jennifer. No Charlotte, Kate or Pippa? What's the deal, Carole?

The very on-brand George cake is even jungle-themed. Considering Prince William once revealed that Prince George's favorite movie is Disney's The Lion King, it seems only appropriate that his cake features the king of the jungle.

One of the Archie-named cakes has two bears, a pine tree, some mountains and a Native-American style teepee drawn on the front in icing. So, is Grandma Carole telling us Archie is already super into the great outdoors? Or is it just a marketing ploy to sell more personalized cakes to royal aficionados?

Or are we reading the tea leaves—er, cake frosting—way too closely? (Maybe it's the sugar talking.)



RF1

Director, Branded Content + Cohost, Royally Obsessed Podcast

As Director of Branded Content at Gallery Media Group, Roberta helps oversee the ideation and execution of sponsored content and experiential campaigns across PureWow and ONE37pm...