Pippa Middleton became known around the globe when her older sister, Kate Middleton, married
a prince.
But don't worry about Pippa being caught in her sister's shadow, because she married her
very own Prince Charming, billionaire James Matthews, and together, they are anything
but ordinary.
According to the Daily Mail, James Matthews knew that Pippa Middleton was the one from
the moment he laid eyes on her.
They reportedly met in 2007 on St. Barths in the Caribbean, and friends said it was
love at first sight for James.
However, James is eight years older than Pippa and, back then, the age gap was more apparent,
as she was in her early twenties while he was in his thirties.
Plus, she had a boyfriend at the time.
They stayed in touch but dated other people until 2012, when they both found themselves
single.
But after dating for a few short months, Pippa and James broke up, and Kate's sister moved
on.
But apparently she and James were meant to be because, in late 2015, the two each ended
their respective relationships and got back together.
A friend reportedly told the Daily Mail,
"The truth was, the only girl he really wanted was Pippa.
He always carried a torch for her."
Less than a year after they reunited, James proposed with a diamond ring reportedly worth
over $300,000, and they tied the knot at her parents' estate in May 2017.
"She's got a £250,000 engagement ring.
Of course I'm gutted."
According to The Telegraph, Pippa's mother, Carole Middleton, reportedly told a friend
years before the engagement that she hoped her daughter would marry James Matthews.
A source said,
"This is something she has hoped for for quite some time.
She appears to be something of a mastermind in making this happen."
James reportedly had a private meeting with Carole before asking for her daughter's hand.
The Telegraph reported that Carole was thrilled about the proposal.
It would also appear that Pippa's mom influenced where the wedding took place.
While some had speculated that the pair would wed at James' family estate in Scotland, they
instead got married on the Middleton family estate in England.
According to a 2017 poll, the average cost of a wedding in England was $36,803.
James Matthews and Pippa Middleton really took their nuptials to the next level by spending
an estimated $1 million.
According to E! News, the couple and their 350 guests celebrated with $92,000 worth of
champagne and wine, $20,000 of flowers, and $26,000 in the form of vintage cars and a
fleet of Range Rovers to transport the wedding party and their friends.
Meanwhile, Pippa's hair cost almost $1,000, and her couture Giles Deacon lace wedding
gown was estimated to carry a massive $52,000 price tag.
According to the Daily Mail, Pippa and James also flew in a glass palace from Belgium,
which was rebuilt on the Middleton estate and set them back a whopping $130,000.
But according to E! News, the building wasn't as dreamy as it sounds, as guests reportedly
had to use portable bathrooms that were housed in a tent next to the glass building.
Not many people can say that the future King of England was a guest at their wedding, but
Pippa Middleton had both Prince William and Prince George at hers.
Pippa's nephew Prince George, who is third in line to the throne, and his sister, Princess
Charlotte, were both members of her wedding party.
However, both children were photographed being scolded by their mother for bad behavior after
the ceremony, after apparently stepping on the bride's dress, and George apparently burst
into tears.
Pippa Middleton's sister, Kate, became a duchess when she married Prince William, but she's
not the only one in the family with a fancy title.
According to House Beautiful, James Matthews' billionaire father, David Matthews, holds
the Scottish title of Laird of Glen Affric, and James will inherit the title one day.
Pippa will then become Lady of Glen Affric.
"I hate princesses."
"Pippa doesn't miss a beat."
"I don't know about that one."
While Kate's husband, Prince William, gained his title from being descended from a long
line of kings and queens, the Matthews family bought and paid for their titles when David
purchased the 10,000 acre Glen Affric Estate in 2008.
Even before they were officially a couple, Pippa Middleton and James Matthews competed
in sporting events together.
Along with Pippa's brother, James Middleton, they participated in a number of extreme activities
to raise funds for the Michael Matthews Foundation, which was established in honor of the memory
of James' younger brother, Michael, who sadly died in 1999 at the age of 22 while hiking
Mount Everest.
In 2014, Pippa and James took part in the Race Across America event.
And in September 2015, shortly before they got together, the pair competed in the Otillo
47-mile swim-run race in Sweden.
According to People, Pippa said of the grueling event,
"It was one of the hardest things I've done!...The toughest part was the long swim with the cold
water and big waves...But the scenery was beautiful and I love the team part of it."
"It feels pretty special."
Unlike her sister, who made the conscious decision to marry into the most famous family
in all of Britain, Pippa Middleton and James Matthews never made the choice to be in the
public eye.
In fact, Pippa struggled with her newfound fame when her sister was thrust into the spotlight.
In her 2012 book Celebrate: A Year of Festivities for Families and Friends, Kate's sibling admitted,
"It's a bit startling to achieve global recognition (if that's the right word) before the age
of 30, on account of your sister, your brother-in-law and your bottom."
Pippa was, of course, referencing the fact that photos of her wearing a bridesmaid dress
at her sister's wedding went viral, and caused quite a sensation.
However, Pippa apparently doesn't want the same level of attention that her royal sister
has.
Of the couple's plans for the future, People reported,
"[Pippa and James] have a 'deep desire' to disappear from the spotlight in the longer
term...Another source says they are looking forward to settling down and 'having children
and leading a quiet life.'"
It's probably no coincidence that we haven't seen the couple all that much since their
son, Arthur, was born in October 2018.
But Pippa did reveal in her column for Waitrose Weekend magazine that she'd been taking her
son for gentle skull massages and explained,
"It’s a popular alternative therapy for newborns, particularly those who have had
a traumatic birth, are unsettled, or have trouble sleeping."
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