Pippa Middleton Scores $620K On Party Planning Book

Though she rose to fame by virtue of being the appealing younger sister of Kate Middleton, the most famous princess in the world, it turns out that Pippa Middleton, 28, has some hidden talents of her own, or at least that's what the extravagant price tag on her latest venture indicates.

The new royal's sister will be receiving an advance from Penguin's U.K. imprint, Michael Joseph, in the amount of $620K to write a party-planning book with the proposed title, How to Be the Perfect Party Hostess. "It is a massive amount of money, particularly in the current environment," a literary agent told the Telegraph, referring to the financial setbacks print publishers have suffered in a technological age.

The publisher is expecting the upcoming book to serve as the new "bible for hostesses the world over," reports the New York Daily News. Middleton does have some background in this area. Her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, own the party supplies company, Party Pieces, which puts out an online newsletter to which Middleton contributes. She has also worked to the London party-planning company, Table Talk.

The book will draw from these skills. "It will be about entertaining and how to throw the perfect party. It's not just about being the perfect hostess — it will also include recipes and information about how to host different types of events," a source told the Daily Mail. "Pippa has been sketching out the chapters and has decided to start each one with an amusing anecdote."

Though Middleton is ready to bask in the spotlight herself — for reasons other than her on-again, off-again relationship with former cricketer Alex Loudon (currently in the "off" stage) — she does not want to overshadow her in-laws. She insisted that the release date of her book, which is sure to be highly anticipated, come after Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee plans next summer. The publisher is shooting for a Christmas 2012 release date.