• Middleton's Party Pieces website features royal-themed first birthday sets
  • Also selling new range of baby shower celebration accessories
  • Family have previously been accused of 'cashing-in' on events

By James Rush

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They have previously faced accusations of 'cashing in' on some of the nation's biggest events in the last couple of years and they have done it again in the light of their daughter's royal pregnancy.

It was only a matter of time really before the Middletons produced baby merchandise with a royal twist, following the news of the pregnancy of their daughter the Duchess of Cambridge.

The Middletons have created a new line of first birthday party celebrations with a 'Little Prince' or 'Princess' on their Party Pieces website.

The Middleton family: Mother Carole, right, with children Pippa and James, and husband Michael

The Middleton family: Mother Carole, right, with children Pippa and James, and husband Michael

New range: The royal-themed first birthday party celebration sets available on the Party Pieces website

New Little Prince: Just one of the items available in the new range first birthday party sets for boys

New Little Prince: Just one of the items available in the new range first birthday party sets for boys

And William and Kate may even be tempted to take advantage of the special offer on some of the new line of goods for people organising baby showers.

The Middletons got into a spot of hot water earlier on this year, when they were accused of trying to cash in on the royal wedding, breaching strict advertising laws surrounding the Olympics and even taking on 007 with their 'secret agent' range.

But the family have now taken on the royal theme with their baby range, with the Little Prince and Princess Castle-themed parties.

Miniature castles, 'A New Little Prince' plates and a range of party accessories such as cups, cutlery and serving bowls are all featured in the two new ranges for first birthday parties.

Meanwhile, Kate and Wills may have their eye on the new Tiny Feet Baby Shower gift set for 23.52 or the Rock-A-Bye Baby Shower set.

In October the website for the Party Pieces company, set up by the Duchess of Cambridge's mother Carole Middleton in 1987, featured an advert dedicated to the James Bond Skyfall film, which appeared to raise eyebrows with the Broccoli family who produce the films and own all product, image and merchandising rights.

Parents-to-be: Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge and Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, are expecting their first child

Parents-to-be: Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge and Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, are expecting their first child

The offending banner disappeared hours after the Mail contacted Party Pieces and Eon Productions, the Broccoli's UK-based firm. But it is not clear whether the removal of the advert was the result of any threatened legal action from the Bond producers, as Party Pieces did not respond to a request for comment.

It was not the first time that the Duchess of Cambridge's family has run into trouble over marketing issues.

Earlier this year they were asked to amend their website after falling foul of strict advertising laws covering the London Olympics with a range of Games-themed goods. They were also accused by Britain's Got Talent of illegally carrying its logo on their website and criticised for cashing in on the royal wedding with a range of themed items including corgi cake toppers and British trivia scratch cards.

Although the business's accounts are not publicly available, the firm is clearly a money-spinner for the Middletons, who recently bought a 4.7million country home and have put their three children through private school.

 

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

So the Middletons are the only ones cashing in on the new baby ... really?

Fine line between making a buck and annoying the Queen. Dont get me wrong, i LOVE her.

Tacky... Tacky... Tacky... Tacky... The sooner we are shot of the medieval, anachronistic gravy train called royalty the better...

It doesn't advertise Kate or the royal baby, so how exactly are they cashing in?!

It's their business to produce items like this. Shocking that they should actually sell party items which are topical and I'm sure will prove popular. I'm quite sure the other party companies will do the same. Last time I checked it's called business and it will increase revenue. What is so wrong with that? I used party pieces before Kate and William got engaged etc. it's a good company to use. Nothing wrong with a business trying to make money!

Why wouldn't they cash in?!! That's the nature of their business for goodness sake. And a great business it is too, I've used them loads of times.

Ugh - how tacky!

I think they should be told to sell on and back out of this business Conflict of interest. They are blatently cashing in

So what? Lots of stationery and party companies have similar stuff. It's all the range in America too. It's nothing to do with Kate's pregnancy. Just leave them be to run their own business their way.

Oh please, my late father always called me princess. At one stage, as a little girl I seriously thought it was my real name. This article is silly. Many parents refer to their child as a prince or princess.

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