Does the Queen Disapprove of the Middleton Family's Merchandising?

Middleton-made joke souvenirs are no laughing matter to the royal family

By Ted Casablanca, Aly Weisman, Mike Parker Apr 12, 2011 11:45 AMTags
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Someone should probably tell the Middletons that when marrying into the royal family, you maybe shouldn't be selling unauthorized wedding souvenirs.

The Middleton's website, Party Pieces, is currently selling scratch cards featuring crowns, the queen and corgis, as well as other royal wedding paraphernalia.

And her royal highness is not amused.

"Some of the things Kate's parents are peddling are cringe-inducingly tacky," a royals source reveals to us. "Her majesty will, of course, not be commenting publicly on this matter, although I would think it might be safe for one to assume that she is less than impressed by anyone using family status as a means to accrue profits."

And her majesty is one royal we would not want to mess with!

"It is highly improbable that, had she been asked, the queen would have given her tacit approval to some of the commercial ventures some future family members have become engaged in," says a senior royal household source.

The £3.99 pack of scratch cards the Middleton's website is currently selling are designed as a trivia game for adults who want to test their knowledge of British history, celebrities and the royal family.

What's next, a lock of Kate's baby hair?

"The queen privately believes it is unseemly and demeaning to the crown for family members to in any way endorse commercial products for anything other than charitable purposes," says the source, adding that "Sarah, Duchess of York, waited until after her divorce until engaging in product advertising and promotion."

Note to the Middletons: Shut it down before you get shut down.

WATCH: Royal couple's last pre-wedding appearance