Pippa Middleton was accompanied by her parents Michael and Carole as they visited the church where Pippa will say "I do" in ten days. The bride-to-be was spotted pulling up to the church in a Range Rover, looking casual in jeans, a jacket and snakeskin-printed shoes. As they walked around the church and inside, Pippa's father Michael was seen clutching what appeared to be an itinerary and a detailed seating plan.
The bride-to-be and her parents were no doubt making last-minute preparations at the church. Around 30 guests will apparently be seated in the vestry of the small Grade I-listed country church, and witness the ceremony via a screen, according to Mail Online, who published the photos. The report also went on to say that Michael, 67, helped arrange cars outside the church, using Pippa and Carole's Range Rovers to replicate what might happen on the day.
Pippa and her parents visited the church ten days before the wedding
The Middletons were believed to be joined by wedding planners Fait Accompli during the visit. Pippa has reportedly been using the Chelsea-based events company to plan her nuptials to James Matthews, which has been dubbed the "high-society wedding of the year".
The wedding will take place on Saturday 20 May. By law, Pippa and James' wedding is a public event. The Church of England ruling states that "a marriage is a public ceremony which at the least all parishioners (including those whose names are on the electoral roll) are entitled to attend".
The interior of St Mark's Church, where Pippa and James will marry
However, the document, entitled Celebrity Marriages in Anglican Cathedrals and Churches, does contain a certain loophole that would ensure that Pippa and James' wedding remains a private affair. The ruling notes that parishioners may be denied entry if "a genuine question of safety or security arises". This usually refers to health and safety measures, such as the church becoming overcrowded. However, given that Pippa's star-studded guest-list includes members of the royal family – her sister Kate, second-in-line to the throne Prince William, third-in-line and fourth-in-line Prince George and Princess Charlotte, and fifth-in-line Prince Harry – one would imagine that the royal family's presence is classified as a "genuine question of safety or security".