Marie Claire Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Fashion Month
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career & Money
    • Health & Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food & Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex & Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes & Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes & Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • NYFW
    • Life In Plastic
    • Cari Champion
    • New Books
    • Postpartum Psychosis
    1. Celebrity

    Kate Middleton's Brother, James, Says He Received $1 Million Hollywood Deal After Reading at the Prince and Princess of Wales' Wedding

    “They even ventured that members of my wider family might like to take part.”

    Danielle Campoamor's avatar
    By Danielle Campoamor
    Published 23 September 2024 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Brother of the bride, James Middleton seen before making a reading during the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England. The
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Princess Kate's brother, James Middleton, says he received a substantial Hollywood offer after he read a passage from the Bible at the Prince and Princess of Wales' royal wedding.

    In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, Middleton—who is busy promoting his upcoming book Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life—revealed that shortly after his sister and brother-in-law's wedding, he was offered $1 million from an American production company.

    “They even ventured that members of my wider family might like to take part," he told the publication at the time, though clearly nothing came from the substantial offer (as of yet, anyway).

    Latest Videos FromMarie Claire
    Watch full video here:

    Middleton's new book discusses his mental health issues and struggles with suicidal ideation, and touches on the stress and anxiety he felt after Prince William and Princess Kate asked him to read a passage from the Bible during their nuptials.

    "The wedding was barely eight weeks away when Catherine and William, on the phone together and ­bubbling with excitement, asked me brightly if I might be up to doing a reading on their big day at Westminster Abbey," Middleton writes in an excerpt shared with and published by the Daily Mail.

    You may like
    • Princess Kate at the top of a mountain James Middleton Keeps His Promise to Princess Kate During Climbing Challenge
    • Pippa Middleton and Princess Kate attending a wedding in 2011 Why Princess Kate Is Skipping Pippa Middleton's Party
    • Pippa Middleton wearing a white dress and sunglasses at Wimbledon Pippa Middleton Could Be Offered One Future Role With Princess Kate

    Brother of the bride, James Middleton seen before making a reading during the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England.

    Brother of the bride, James Middleton seen before making a reading during the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    "A reading? I thought they were joking. My mind raced back to school and my stumbling, ­incoherent efforts to read in front of the class. What were they ­thinking? Being dyslexic, reading is my least favorite occupation," he continued. "‘Seriously?’ I asked. ‘Seriously,’ they chorused. Oh no! I thought."

    While apprehensive and still in disbelief, Middleton writes that he agreed to do the reading, hiding his true feelings from his sister and her soon-to-be husband.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    "‘No problem at all!’ I fibbed breezily. If that was what my sister and William wanted, then of course I’d do my best not to let them down," he explains. "Then they added: ‘This will be the only Bible reading in the service,’ and I didn’t know whether to be honored or appalled."

    In his recent interview with The Sunday Times, Middleton claimed that "really, the build-up to Catherine’s wedding was no different to Pippa’s or other friends’ weddings."

    But as the publication notes, the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton was far from ordinary—it involved "just the family, 1,900 guests, Her Majesty, an archbishop and a few world leaders."

    What to read next
    • James Middleton holding his dog Zulu James Middleton Shares a Rare Photo of Princess Kate's Late Dog, Lupo
    • Princess Diana sitting in a carriage with Prince Charles Diana Said Her Wedding to Charles Was One Family Member's "Proudest Day"
    • Princess Kate talking to Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton in front of two cars Prince William’s Former Private Secretary Shares Rare Insight Into Relationship with Princess Kate

    James Middleton

    James Middleton

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Middleton did admit that the media interest surrounding his family after his sister started dating the future King of England in 2004 was "shocking," but credits his now brother-in-law for trying to protect everyone involved.

    “William was a fantastic support for us as a family,” he explained. “He did everything he could to protect us from the intense interest, not just in Catherine, but also her immediate family. But at that time I was already in a vulnerable state of mind and it was an added pressure.”

    Despite the overwhelming pressure associated with conducting a reading during a royal wedding, Middleton said he knew that saying "yes" to his sister's request was important.

    “I’d never seen a royal wedding,” he told the publication. “There hadn’t been one in my lifetime. Not a big one anyway. I wasn’t aware of the scale or the global interest. I just felt privileged that my sister was asking me to do it, and it meant something to her. I wanted to make sure I did it.”

    Danielle Campoamor
    Danielle Campoamor
    Social Links Navigation
    Weekend Editor

    Danielle Campoamor is Marie Claire's weekend editor covering all things news, celebrity, politics, culture, live events, and more. In addition, she is an award-winning freelance writer and former NBC journalist with over a decade of digital media experience covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mortality, gun violence, climate change, politics, celebrity news, culture, online trends, wellness, gender-based violence and other feminist issues. You can find her work in The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, New York Magazine, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, TODAY, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, Prism, Newsweek, Slate, HuffPost and more. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their two feral sons. When she is not writing, editing or doom scrolling she enjoys reading, cooking, debating current events and politics, traveling to Seattle to see her dear friends and losing Pokémon battles against her ruthless offspring. You can find her on X, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and all the places.

    Read more
    Pippa Middleton and Princess Kate attending a wedding in 2011
    Royals Why Princess Kate Is Skipping Pippa Middleton's Party
    By Amy Mackelden
    Pippa Middleton wearing a white dress and sunglasses at Wimbledon
    Royals Pippa Middleton Could Be Offered One Future Role With Princess Kate
    By Kristin Contino
     
     
    James Middleton holding his dog Zulu
    Royals James Middleton Shares a Rare Photo of Princess Kate's Late Dog, Lupo
    By Kristin Contino
    Prince William wearing sunglasses  in the stands at Wimbledon
    Royals Prince William Could Follow in One European Queen's Title-Stripping Footsteps
    By Kristin Contino
     
     
    Latest in Celebrity
    Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attend the launch of The Queen's Baton Relay for the XXI Commonwealth Games at Buckingham Palace on March 13, 2017
    Royals Queen Elizabeth Greeted Prince Philip "Wearing a False Beard"
    Nicole Kidman arrives on Day Thirteen of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Friday, September 11, 2026 in Flushing, NY
    Celebrity Style Nicole Kidman Styles a French Girl Staple at the US Open
     
     
    Jennifer Lawrence in New York City wearing the aqua color trend, transitional fall loafers, and carrying a rare Hermes Kelly bag
    Celebrity Style Jennifer Lawrence Pairs Her Hermès Bag With the Aqua Trend
    Crown Princess Leonor of Spain arrives at Carlos III University on September 07, 2026 in Madrid, Spain.
    Royals One Princess Is "Setting the Blueprint" for Future Royals
     
     
    Latest in News
    Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attend the launch of The Queen's Baton Relay for the XXI Commonwealth Games at Buckingham Palace on March 13, 2017
    Royals Queen Elizabeth Greeted Prince Philip "Wearing a False Beard"
    Nicole Kidman arrives on Day Thirteen of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Friday, September 11, 2026 in Flushing, NY
    Celebrity Style Nicole Kidman Styles a French Girl Staple at the US Open
     
     
    Jennifer Lawrence in New York City wearing the aqua color trend, transitional fall loafers, and carrying a rare Hermes Kelly bag
    Celebrity Style Jennifer Lawrence Pairs Her Hermès Bag With the Aqua Trend
    Crown Princess Leonor of Spain arrives at Carlos III University on September 07, 2026 in Madrid, Spain.
    Royals One Princess Is "Setting the Blueprint" for Future Royals
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.