Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)

Airs and graces at Pippa’s wedding

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FOR SOME celebratio­ns, fireworks are just not spectacula­r enough.

So Pippa Middleton, sisterin-law to the heir to the British throne, Prince William, is staging her own air show to mark her wedding today.

She and her family thought fireworks “rather passé”, according to sources.

Instead Pippa and her fiance, multimilli­onaire hedge fund boss James Matthews, have booked a display of vintage aircraft, with a flypast by a wartime Spitfire as the centrepiec­e.

It is believed Pippa’s air show may also include a Hurricane.

The display will add to the grandeur of the event, which has seen a £100 000 (R1.7 million), 45m-long glass conservato­ry-style marquee put up in the garden of the Middletons’ home.

The family has also ordered £6 000’s worth of top-of-therange portable toilets for the 350 guests at the lavish reception after the wedding ceremony at St Mark’s Church in Englefield.

According to Paul Campbell, project manager at the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, which has 14 original wartime Spitfires, flypasts at weddings are becoming increasing­ly popular.

A single aircraft costs up to £2 500 plus VAT to hire.

Campbell said: “The Spitfire is a very special aircraft and brides will often surprise their husband with a flypast on the day.”

It is believed the unnamed company putting on today’s display has issued a Notam (Notice to Airmen) through local aviation authoritie­s.

This alerts commercial and private aircraft pilots of potential hazards in the skies over Bucklebury. It is not believed anyone has applied for a full no- fly zone, as Kensington Palace did when William and Kate came to stay at the house after Prince George was born. – Daily Mail

 ??  ?? A Spitfire will be one of the more stand-out guests at Pipa Middleton’s wedding.
A Spitfire will be one of the more stand-out guests at Pipa Middleton’s wedding.
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