With royal watchers swooning over Princess Catherine, it’s no surprise her sister Pippa Middleton captivated the globe. Yet, the only one she has eyes for is her husband, James Matthews.
Most people can remember the day Pippa walked behind her sister on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. An estimated 162 million people tuned in to watch the wedding of Catherine Middleton and Prince William.
Whether people watched the ceremony live or saw the photos that followed, most people can recall the claims that Pippa was trying to up-stage Catherine with a white figure-hugging dress.
Rather than find insult, Pippa met the claims with humour – stealing hearts yet again. “As I have found out, recognition has its upside, its downside and — you may say — its backside,” she wrote in a column for The Spectator.
It did, however, take a bit longer to steal James’ heart.
James and Pippa met in 2007 during a visit to St. Barts, an island in the Caribbean. Rumours of their romance spread in 2012 after they were spotted on a dinner date in London. However, such rumours quickly died when Pippa walked hand-in-hand with stockbroker, Nico Jackson, in the beginning of 2013.
But just like any other great romances, Pippa and James found their way back to one another. Admittedly, the timing was probably perfect considering their eight-year age gap – Pippa was only 23 years old in 2007 while James was 31.
After a few outings in America and another St. Barts vacation in 2015, fans safely presumed their relationship had gone from platonic to romantic. It became official in July 2016 when Pippa and James announced their engagement.
“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are absolutely delighted with the news,” a rep for Kensington Palace told People, referring to Prince William and Princess Catherine’s previous titles. They make a wonderful couple and we wish them every happiness together.”
James reportedly dropped to one knee while visiting northwest England’s Lake District, presenting a 3-carat Asscher-cut diamond ring. The engagement ring is believed to be worth £200,000, roughly $388,000 AUD.
Jump forward to May 20, 2017, with Pippa walking down the aisle in a custom gown by Giles Deacon at St Mark’s Church in Englefield, England.
While she may be related to a royal, Pippa’s wedding was a private ceremony. Watching in the pews were Prince William, Prince Harry, Princess Charlotte and of course, her sister.
The lovebirds welcomed their first child together in October 2018, a baby boy called Arthur Michael William. After a few more wedding anniversaries, their family grew. In March 2021, they welcomed a baby girl, Grace Elizabeth Jane and another daughter in June 2022, named Rose.
Also in 2022, the family relocated to a 32-room mansion reportedly worth $23 million AUD, in Berkshire, UK, spanning 150 acres.
