Second marriage for the former prime minister's son

By Sara Nathan


His path to happiness has hardly been smooth. But today, as James Major marries for the second time, he will, at least, have experience on his side.

The son of former prime minister Sir John Major will marry Kate Dorrell, the woman he fell for when she was the married deputy head at his little boy’s school.

The couple have remained out of the public eye since their relationship was revealed in September 2008.

In the meantime, they have become the proud parents of a baby son called Jude Matthew Major, who was born at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire on April 9 last year.

On the birth certificate, Mr Major, 37, a former nightclub promoter, is listed as a flooring contractor. Miss Dorrell, 34, is described as a headteacher.

The couple first met when discussing the educational needs of Mr Major’s son Harrison, from his previous marriage to model and gameshow hostess Emma Noble.

Miss Dorrell, who was then known by her married name of Kate Postlethwaite, was the deputy head of a primary school in Huntingdon. Now she is head of a different school.

She left her husband of one year, Russell Postlethwaite, to move in with Mr Major. At the time, Mr Postlethwaite accused Mr Major of stealing his wife. ‘Major knew Kate was married,’ he said.

Mr Major retorted: ‘What’s the big difference between stolen and seeing someone?’
The couple went on to settle in Huntingdon near his parents, Sir John and Dame Norma Major. His ex-wife Miss Noble, who has since found a new partner, and their son, now 11, also live nearby.

Mr Major’s marriage and divorce from Emma was played out in the pages of celebrity magazines and in the harsh glare of publicity.

It makes a stark contrast to the low-key arrangements for today’s ceremony, although one similarity is that both his new and former brides are blonde.

He met Miss Noble at a party at London’s Café Royal in February 1998. They became engaged three months later and were married in a lavish ceremony in May 1999 at the chapel of the Houses of Parliament.

Glamour: Mr Major's marriage to Miss Noble was publicised in the pages of Hello! magazine. His latest marriage is expected to be far more low key

The reception was held at The Dorchester in London and was covered extensively in a £400,000 deal with Hello! magazine. The details of the newlyweds’ ‘tropical honeymoon’ were also splashed all over the magazine.

Harrison, known as Harry, was born in July 2000 and later diagnosed with autism.


The marriage collapsed after Miss Noble was alleged to have cheated with actor
Graham McGrath, her co-star in former ITV soap Crossroads, a claim which she denied.

Mr McGrath remained with his wife Sarah, and Miss Noble and Mr Major were divorced in 2004, with Emma accusing her husband of ‘unreasonable behaviour’.

The relationship went further downhill in 2008 when Miss Noble accused Sir John and Dame Norma of rarely seeing their grandson, and even claimed they had failed to send him a card for his eighth birthday. The Majors denied they had in any way neglected their grandchild.

In December 2010, the Mail reported that Miss Noble had become engaged to diplomat’s son Conrad Baker. In April 2011, she gave birth to their son Roman.

However, their joy was dulled somewhat when it was revealed that Mr Baker, a decade younger than his fiancée, had also recently fathered a son with another woman.

But the couple are still believed to be together.

Yesterday Mr Major confirmed his marriage today, saying: ‘Yes, I don’t want to talk about it.’

And when asked to confirm the birth of his young son, he said: ‘Yes’, adding: ‘Thank you very much.

‘It is a private family matter and that is all there is to it.’


source:dailymail