How the viscount’s brother led Pippa into a TV ambush
But it’s not all bad news — Time magazine has just named her as one of the top 100 most influential people in the world
PIPPA Middleton faced further embarrassment last night as film footage of her at a debauched Paris party was broadcast on primetime French TV. The Duchess of Cambridge’s younger sister, dressed in a pink and gold corseted dress, looks flirtatious but distinctly awkward as she is paraded in front of the cameras by the brother of her host.
After trying to discreetly remonstrate with Vicomte Marcy de Soultrait by saying she will pose for photos but not do TV interviews – all of which is toe-curlingly caught on camera – she is forced to speak to an interviewer from news chat show Le Petit Journal to plug the programme in schoolgirl French.
Although Pippa seems in high spirits and is shown later on the dancefloor, it is obvious she feels obliged to say a few words for fear of offending her publicity hungry hosts, who run a clothing range.
Clearly with an eye to the cameras, Marcy adds fuel to the fire by joking that Pippa is his new ‘petite amie’ or girlfriend. Pippa laughs uproariously at this but is, by now, clearly being polite while doing everything she can to get away from the film crew.
The footage once again calls into question the wisdom of Prince William’s sister-in-law in attending the ostentatious 18th century-themed party which featured costumed dwarves, burlesque dancers and guests in bondage and S&M gear.
Not only does Pippa have close links to the Royal Family but yesterday she was, remarkably, named by the
Dwarves, chastity belts and why Pippa’s missing the one man who could rein her in
From yesterday’s Mail
respected U.S. magazine Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world following her rise to fame after last year’s royal wedding.
Hours after the party on Friday night, Pippa, 28, found herself at the centre of controversy when the driver of a car in which she was a passenger brandished a gun at photographers.
The incident created headlines around the world and has been brought to the attention of French police.
Yesterday the culprit was named as Romain Rabillard, 36, a lawyer who has worked as a senior adviser to one of the world’s leading arms manufacturers, Heckler and Koch, known for its range of semi-automatic pistols.
Mr Rabillard is understood to have recently advised the firm on a multimillion-pound refinancing deal.
Members of the de Soultrait family have claimed the weapon in question was a toy, and police have indicated they are scaling down their investigation.
But the lawyer technically faces up to seven years in jail if prosecutors can prove that the gun is real. It is still an offence punishable by two years in prison if they conclude it is a fake.
After details of his identity broke yesterday, Mr Rabillard – in whose black Audi convertible Pippa was being driven when the gun was pulled from a glove box – vanished from his £2,000-amonth rented Paris penthouse.
He has also told staff at his offices, the Paris branch of U.S. firm Shearman and Sterling, that he is taking two weeks off work. Mr Rabillard is said to be part of a fast-living set of Parisians who have grown close to Pippa in recent years.
His close friend Vicomte Arthur de Soultrait, the millionaire fashion entrepreneur whose 30th birthday party Pippa was attending, yesterday issued a statement in which he apologised for any embarrassment caused by the gun drama.
But the aristocrat – who was pictured at his party in a dog collar and chain – said the incident had been caused by the attentions of the paparazzi.
He also denied claims made by his brother Marcy that Pippa had dismissed it as merely a bit of ‘fun’.
He said: ‘The car was being driven by a friend of mine, whom Pippa had only met a few hours before. As a joke, my friend brandished a toy pistol in their [the paparazzi] direction.
‘[Pippa] had no idea that he was going to do that and told him to stop immediately. She did not find it funny.
‘I regret enormously that this incident happened, and especially that Pippa has been subject to the subsequent attention through no fault of her own. I have apologised to her for this.’
At the party Pippa was seen passionately kissing Antoine de Tavernost, playboy son of a powerful French TV mogul. However, friends of de Tavernost said he was trying to distance himself from the whole affair.
Time magazine said Pippa’s inclusion on its ‘most influential’ list was decided on before the controversy over her Paris trip. She is a joint entry on the annual 100-strong list with her sister Kate, who also made the list last year with Prince William.
The magazine says: ‘The Middletons have become avatars of aspiration. Other women aim to dress like them, to emulate their easy athleticism and their more problematic slenderness.’
It claimed the sisters’ ‘remarkable rise’ could only be understood in the context of British snobbery towards the ‘upwardly mobile’.
But while the duchess had overcome such antagonism and ‘scaled the palace walls’, her sister ‘now globally recognised, especially from behind, has found herself under yet greater pressure’.
Other British names on the list include the singer Adele, but there is no room for David Cameron.