He began the year by writing in this newspaper in unsparing detail about his struggle with depression, a ‘cancer of the mind’ as he memorably described it, which stemmed in part from his profound dyslexia and attention deficit disorder.
But 2019 has proved to be something of an annus mirabilis for the Duchess of Cambridge’s brother, James Middleton.
Not only has the 32-year-old found love with French financier Alizee Thevenet, he is also, I can disclose, enjoying very welcome success with Boomf, the firm he established six years ago.
Not only has the 32-year-old found love with French financier Alizee Thevenet (together right), he is also, I can disclose, enjoying very welcome success with Boomf, the firm he established six years ago
After initially specialising in creating personalised marshmallows, the company has now diversified into other idiosyncratic novelties, including the Boomf Bomb, a photo card which explodes in a shower of confetti, and ‘balloon pets’ (pictured: Instagram photos printed on marshmallows)
Besides reporting its first profit — of £175,000 — and an increase in sales, up to £4.4 million from £2.8 million in the previous year, it has just moved into new offices equipped with 11,800 sq ft of warehouse.
‘It’s in the centre of Reading, next to the station,’ James tells me. ‘We needed more space and access to more public transport for the team. It’s been an exciting year.’
James met Alizee at the South Kensington Club in west London
Boomf’s old HQ was right next to those of Party Pieces, the home entertainment business which James’s mother, Carole, started in her kitchen 32 years ago. Both were set amid green fields just down the road from the family home in Bucklebury.
But Boomf has undoubtedly outgrown its rural idyll.
After initially specialising in creating personalised marshmallows, the company has now diversified into other idiosyncratic novelties, including the Boomf Bomb, a photo card which explodes in a shower of confetti, and ‘balloon pets’.
‘We are continuing to grow,’ says James.
‘I’m now working on a new company which will launch next year,’ he adds, explaining that the new project is particularly close to his heart, as it ‘includes my dogs’.
This seems fitting: James credits them with helping him to combat his depression.
And it is Ella, one of his cocker spaniels, to whom he owes his serendipitous introduction to Alizee.
She spotted his dog at the South Kensington Club, and became engaged to James just months later.
Martha Lane Fox has revealed that she would like to have been a Hollywood starlet.
The 46-year-old internet entrepreneur, who co-founded late travel deals website lastminute.com in 1998, says: ‘I’m a frustrated actress and would love to have had a successful Hollywood career like my heroine Hedy Lamarr.
Unfortunately, I’m not nearly as racy as Hedy and not a fraction as glamorous.’
Lamarr, who died in 2000 aged 85, was almost as famous for her colourful private life — she married six times — as for inventing 1940s technology that led to GPS, wi-fi and Bluetooth.
Sir Mick Jagger’s former lover, Brazilian TV host Luciana Gimenez, refuses to let being single spoil Christmas.
Luciana Gimenez, 50, has marked the festive season by slipping into a shiny gold leotard and red stockings for a picture, which she shared online
The 50-year-old mother of the Rolling Stone’s son Lucas, 20, has marked the festive season by slipping into a shiny gold leotard and red stockings for a picture, which she shared online.
Last year, she split from her husband, media executive Marcelo de Carvalho, with whom she has an eight-year-old son, Lorenzo.
‘I am alone and happy,’ she says. ‘Mick is a wonderful father, just like Marcelo. My children are lucky’.