- 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
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
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
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.
So the Middletons are the only ones cashing in on the new baby ... really?
- hazel , West Sussex, United Kingdom, 30/12/2012 14:41
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