Pippa’s smooch with a Parisian playboy
PIPPA MIDDLETON was seen passionately kissing a notorious Paris playboy during her ‘wild weekend’ in the city, the Mail can reveal.
According to eye-witnesses, Prince William’s sister-in-law and Antoine de Tavernost sneaked off to a quiet corner at the debauched party thrown by French fashion entrepreneur, Vicomte Arthur de Soultrait.
Hours after the Friday night party, Pippa found herself at the centre of controversy after one of her companions brandished a gun at photographers.
But last night the Vicomte’s brother tried to play down the incident and said that Pippa was treating the entire incident ‘as a joke’.
Marcy de Soultrait insisted the gun in question was a child’s toy and that the royal in-law thought the entire incident was ‘a very funny game’. Speaking from the family chateau in Presles, just outside Paris, de Soultrait told the Mail last night: ‘Pippa is a very good friend of mine and this gun affair is very silly.
‘It was a children’s toy that the driver had in his car. Pippa thought it was funny. It is fine in France to do that and the police are not investigating. In France there is no problem, just in England. You English think there is a problem, which is crazy.
‘I have spoken with Pippa, she thinks this is all a joke and a funny game. We were just having a laugh. We are funny people, it’s what we do.
‘The paparazzo saw the toy and he knew it was a toy, he has said so. You English need to get over it. It was just a joke that has been blown out of all proportion.’
In fact, an ongoing police inquiry is causing acute embarrassment to the Royal Family — only last year, the Mail can reveal, the Vicomte was photographed with the Queen when his firm provided the clothing for the GCC Polo Cup held at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor.
The Duchess of Cambridge’s sister was invited to Paris by the Vicomte for his 30th birthday party at the Theatre St Germain, an upmarket restaurant and nightclub. As the champagne flowed, Pippa, 28, was seen in a corner in an intimate embrace with Antoine de Tavernost, whom, it is claimed, she’d just met.
The couple were later photographed walking hand-in-hand as they arrived at a post-party soiree at the nearby Le Schmuck restaurant, in which de Tavernost has a share.
A well-placed source, backed by another independent witness, told the Mail: ‘She was kissing Antoine de Tavernost. He is the son of the chairman of a big TV station. He is quite wealthy and lives in Paris. They seemed like girlfriend and boyfriend on Friday night, but Antoine will see it as a bit of fun, nothing more.
‘They met for the first time at the party. They were chatting and dancing. Then later they were seen kissing in the corner.
‘Apart from this, she was very well behaved. They left together, at about 2.30am, to go to a restaurant called Schmuck St Germain, where he is a partner.
‘Then they went to Regine, another nightclub. I don’t know if they went home together.’