Deborah James‘ mother Heather has shared her joy after her son Benjamin tied the knot with his partner of more than a decade Ashley Hall in Barbados on Thursday.
Heather James, 66, from Surrey, who is the mother of the former deputy head teacher turned cancer campaigner Deborah, who died at the age of 40 in June 2022 following a five-year battle with bowel cancer.
Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Heather said her late daughter would have ‘celebrated the joy’ of her brother’s nuptials.
The proud mother took to her Instagram account to share a selection of snaps from her son’s wedding in the Caribbean country.
The caption read: ‘What a wonderful time in Barbados celebrating Ben and Ashley’s wedding. It was so special to have the families there together with the closest and oldest friends of Ben and Ashley.
‘Although two very special people sadly are no longer with us we all celebrated the joy and pride that Sue (Ashley’s mum) and Deborah would have felt.
‘A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and the amazing hospitality that the people of Barbados showed us throughout the wedding celebrations.
‘The marriage service in the beautiful parish church of St. James was just perfect. What a way to start your married life together! So proud and filled with love for you both.’
One snap showed Heather in a blue floral gown standing on a beach as she beamed at the camera.
Meanwhile a slew of snaps showed the bride and groom dancing the night away at their wedding reception.
When sharing the joyful news of the engagement to her Instagram page in 2022, Deborah had revealed that even Prince William had asked Benjamin ‘why he hadn’t done it (proposed) yet.’
The royal had visited the mother-of-two and her family to award her with a damehood in May that year, after she raised millions for Cancer Research UK through her BowelBabe fund.
Last week, delighted bride Ashley took to her Instagram account to share a selection of group photographs of her ‘last night’ before the big day, while Heather shared a snap showing her ‘three granddaughters… getting excited for the big day.’
The youngsters were pictured alongside Ashley, who stunned in a gold halterneck dress. Another photo showed the beaming bride posing with her equally smiley mother-in-law.
Ashley looked effortlessly elegant in a floral blue and white maxi dress, while Heather put on a chic display in a matching ensemble.
Shared by London-based luxury fashion brand Ridley London on Instagram, the post also included a picturesque image of the groom and his fiancée standing by the sea, in front of a sunset.
‘The gorgeous @ashleyclairehall in our blue ikat anenome satin strappy Ophelia maxi, made especially for her for the night before her wedding in Barbados, wishing her and Ben all the happiness for their future & a very special wedding day today,’ the brand captioned the post.
Revealing the happy news of her brother’s engagement in 2022, Deborah wrote on Instagram: ‘Ashley Hall and Benjamin James have finally “put a ring on it”. I cried and cried…Even Prince William asked my brother why he hadn’t done it yet.’
Posting a gallery of snaps online, the mother-of-two wrote: ‘He finally put a ring on it! Congratulations to @benjaminrjames and @ashleyclairehall for finally getting engaged after 11 years!
‘If you ever followed my podcasts, brother banter features highly, and even Prince William joined in on the action recently!
‘The question to my brother has always been why haven’t you proposed! As a family everyone knew they both wanted to, it wasn’t like the it’s been off the cards it’s just always been apparently about “the right time”.’
She continued: ‘So they finally did it and then face timed me from Cornwall and then friends all afterwards – my mouth was still opened for the rest of the day!
‘I couldn’t be prouder to be able to finally say that @ashleyclairehall will be my sister in law – I adore her. And she makes @benjaminrjames happy which is all that matters and vice versa.’
Deborah added: ‘Of course I’m sad I won’t see the wedding but it gave me an excuse to throw my last impromptu party (and I even sat at the table for a bit of it!!).’
The family went on to celebrate with a stunning meal outside to mark the occasion, with Deborah writing: ‘With the help of my sister and niece – it was days of @cricut , kids baked a cake and exploded a mess, and I tracked down all the last minute silver fairy lights, I could find!
‘I love curating table scapes and parties and whilst that was the last one in me, Eloise has truly now outdone me so I feel chuffed I can pass on the party train trait! A memory made without us even trying to make it a memory! Win!
‘Luckily the rain just held off and my body kept awake for a few hours! Ashley welcome officially to a slightly mad family, but we couldn’t be happier you are here.’
Following the death of Deborah, Benjamin thanked his ‘big sis Debs’ for helping him ‘find a life that is worth enjoying’ in an emotional tribute to the cancer campaigner.
He posted the heartfelt words on Instagram before her funeral took place in July 2022 and said her legacy would ‘live on forever’.
He accompanied the touching words with a selection of images of the pair showing their close bond, including an image of them running the Race for Life, which raises funds for cancer research.
Benjamin wrote: ‘Big sis, Debs. Thank you for teaching me how to live life to the full since the day I was born – you made me find that life worth enjoying!
‘Saying bye is never going to be easy, but knowing you achieved more than any of us could ever dream of…and so, so much more…makes it that little bit more bearable.
‘Your legacy will go on forever and we’ll do our very best to make you proud. Take it easy up there. Here’s to you x.’
Dame Deborah, a podcast host and mother of two who became known as Bowelbabe – after her social media handle – died aged 40 on June 28, 2022 after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016.
After being diagnosed with cancer when she was 35 years old, she became a viral sensation through her social media content as she danced her way through chemotherapy and lived with ‘rebellious hope’.
