In 2017, Pippa Middleton (sister to Kate Middleton and sister-in-law to Prince William) made a romantic match of her own with hedge fund manager James Matthews. While the two haven't been in the news nearly as much as their royal in-laws, Pippa and James have carved out a small chunk of fame for themselves thanks to their sizable fortune and famous relatives. If you've been looking for the inside story about the second-most famous Middleton marriage, we've got all the details you could possibly want and then some. Here are the details about Pippa Middleton's marriage revealed.
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00:00From the outside, Pippa Middleton and James Matthews' marriage seems to be a happy one,
00:04but there's still a lot you may not know about the couple. So here's the truth
00:09about Pippa and James' marriage.
00:12Pippa and James clearly had a good thing going, because they were dating for less than a year
00:16when James got down on one knee. According to Vanity Fair, the two had briefly been involved
00:21back in 2012, but at the time, it didn't stick. Pippa was then with a long-term boyfriend,
00:26but that relationship fizzled, and she quickly reunited with James.
00:31Pippa and James' newfound fling went from casual to serious in what seemed like no time at all.
00:36She quickly moved in with him. He then popped the question, and after that,
00:40Pippa was spotted with a massive engagement ring on her finger.
00:44The couple said in a joint statement that they were, quote,
00:46delighted to announce that they became engaged, and that they planned to get married the following
00:52year. Friends also revealed that the engagement totally surprised Pippa. A source explained,
00:57Things got serious very quickly, but James just knew Pippa was the one,
01:01and vice versa. Their close friends aren't surprised by the news, just thrilled.
01:06It feels really special."
01:08It helps when you're in good standings with the in-laws, and according to Vanity Fair,
01:12Pippa's parents, Michael and Carol Middleton,
01:15were beyond happy about the news of their daughter's engagement.
01:18And how could they not be? James, by all accounts, is a nice, handsome, wealthy man.
01:23Carol and Michael told reporters that they were thrilled about the engagement,
01:27and their sentiments were shared by none other than Prince William and Kate Middleton themselves,
01:32who said that they were absolutely delighted for the couple.
01:35The Daily Mail also reported that, like William,
01:38James asked Michael for his permission to propose to Pippa before doing so.
01:42A friend told the publication,
01:43James is a traditionalist and very much wanted to do things properly.
01:47That meant getting the consent of his future father-in-law.
01:50Despite the engagement taking Pippa by surprise, rumors about a possible proposal began to
01:55circulate when the couple was pictured having dinner with Carol. Mama Middleton is reportedly
02:00a big fan of James, and it's hard to blame her. The man has a successful business,
02:05not to mention a private jet.
02:08Prince William gifted his bride with his mother's iconic sapphire ring,
02:12and it remains one of the most recognizable pieces of jewelry out there.
02:16And while Pippa's engagement ring from James might not boast the same recognition,
02:20it deserves to be highlighted for its beauty, elegance, and detailing.
02:24According to Town & Country, Pippa's engagement ring is an Art Deco style and features an
02:29asher-cut diamond in the center that's reportedly three carats. It's adorned
02:33with diamonds surrounding the large center stone. Art Deco rings with the asher cut are
02:39not nearly as popular as cushion or round-cut diamonds. The style was very popular in the
02:441920s, but its frequency went down from there. The Daily Mail reported that the ring is estimated
02:49to have cost James more than $270,000.
02:54"...she's got a 250,000 pound engagement ring, course I'm gutted."
02:58While spending that much money on an engagement ring might not be the trend to catch on,
03:03it wouldn't be too surprising if the Art Deco ring made a comeback.
03:07James and Pippa's wedding ceremony was called the Society Wedding of the Year. The event was
03:12attended by family and friends and, of course, royalty. And it was as gorgeous as it was timeless.
03:18According to The Guardian, the wedding was not as grand as Prince William and Kate Middleton's,
03:22but it still boasted an insanely beautiful ceremony filled to the brim with flowers,
03:27A-list guests, and royal flair.
03:30The ceremony took place in the village of Englefield at the St. Mark's Church
03:34and lasted about 45 minutes. Nature seemed to be on the couple's side because it poured with
03:39rain minutes after the ceremony began and stopped just before the newly-wedded couple and guests
03:45emerged from the church. To top off a truly beautiful wedding, royal cuties Prince George
03:50and Princess Charlotte were among the pageboys and bridesmaids who took part in the ceremony,
03:55and they looked just as adorable in their Sunday best as you'd think.
03:59Prince Harry was also in attendance and was reportedly joined by Meghan Markle,
04:03who was his girlfriend at the time, at the reception. Talk about the social event of the ages.
04:09Pippa set the bar high for herself when it came to her wedding dress. According to Town & Country,
04:14she stunned in the white Alexander McQueen dress that she wore to her sister's wedding,
04:18so the world was watching to see what she would wear on her own big day.
04:22As People mag reported, the dress Pippa wore to Kate's wedding was form-fitted
04:26and was made of an ivory satin material. It also had a sweeping neckline and was
04:32detailed with buttons down the back. For her own wedding, Pippa went traditional
04:36and stunned in a custom Giles Deacon gown. The dress consisted of gorgeous cream-colored lace,
04:43much like her sister's lace-detailed wedding gown, and featured a high neckline and cap sleeves.
04:48The figure-hugging bodice was balanced with the A-line design of the skirt,
04:53which trailed behind the bride as she walked. Pippa topped her gorgeous wedding day look off
04:58with a Stephen Jones veil, a tiara, and a pair of ivory satin shoes, according to The Guardian.
05:04Talk about a stunning bride.
05:07While some people opt for a beach honeymoon full of relaxation and champagne drinking,
05:12Pippa and James went all out on their honeymoon adventure. As People magazine reported,
05:16their post-wedding celebration started with a couple of days spent in French Polynesia,
05:21and then they made their way all the way down under to Sydney, Australia. There,
05:25the couple were spotted getting on and off seaplanes, jet-setting off to secluded lunch
05:30spots, and taking water taxis to get to and from their destinations. To top off what seemed like
05:36a very action-packed vacation, Pippa and James were spotted scaling the Sydney Harbor Bridge
05:41in what can only be described as a thrill-seeking experience.
05:46After that, James and Pippa continued to travel within the country, and spent three days at a
05:50wild bush resort. From there, they traveled to Perth. Talk about a wild ride, it sounds like
05:56they needed another honeymoon after their honeymoon just to actually relax.
06:02In royal social circles, drama is as plentiful as the hors d'oeuvres. Before Prince Harry and
06:07Meghan Markle stepped back from the royal family and moved to the United States,
06:11they ran in the same social circle as Pippa and James. Of course, the in-law connection helped,
06:16but the couples were spotted together a number of times, including a Christmas carol service in
06:212018. According to People magazine, the service was the first event that James and Pippa attended
06:27after the birth of their first child, and Harry and Markle were seen at the very same outing.
06:32In an even more high-profile outing, Pippa was spotted with her sister Kate and Meghan
06:37at the Wimbledon Women's Singles Final in 2019. According to Hello! magazine,
06:42the threesome watched as their good friend Serena Williams battled out a tough match,
06:47and their emotions were on full display. Meghan sat next to Kate despite their presumed
06:52prolonged tension, but all certainly seemed well at the tennis court.
06:57Pippa and James welcomed their first baby, Arthur Michael William Matthews, on October 15,
07:022018. As noted by People mag, the baby was born in a private wing at St. Mary's Hospital in London,
07:09the same place that his royal cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis
07:14were born.
07:14I hate princesses.
07:16Pippa doesn't miss a beat.
07:19The timing of the birth was actually among a whole lot of baby news for the royals.
07:23It had just been announced at the time that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were expecting,
07:28and little Prince Louis was only a few months old. On top of that, the couple seemingly used
07:33their baby's name to pay tribute to their families, both on James' and Pippa's sides.
07:38Michael is not only Pippa's father's name, but was also the name of James' brother,
07:43who tragically passed away in 1999.
07:46The day after baby Matthews was born, Prince William and Kate Middleton released a statement,
07:50saying that they were thrilled for the couple and their new addition. And talk about cutting it
07:55close — just three days before giving birth, Pippa was among the 800 guests that attended
08:01Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's wedding. Arthur Michael William Matthews got a younger
08:07sibling in 2021. Back in December 2020, Pippa and James revealed that they were expecting their
08:13second child. According to Page Six, a source close to the couple said that Pippa was overjoyed
08:18to be welcoming another baby, especially after a very difficult 2020. The insider shared,
08:24"[Pippa and James are thrilled. It's fantastic news amid a difficult year.
08:28The entire family is delighted."
08:30In March 2021, Pippa gave birth to daughter Grace Elizabeth Jane. A source told People magazine,
08:36"[She's perfect. Everyone is overjoyed at such a happy arrival."
08:40The new Matthews baby is, of course, the cousin of Prince George, Princess Charlotte,
08:45and Prince Louis. Additionally, unlike the kids' cousins, Archie and Lilibet,
08:50who live with their parents Harry and Meghan in California, Pippa and James are looking to
08:54move closer to their family. The couple has lived in London for some time, but were rumored to be
08:59in the midst of purchasing Bucklebury Farm Park, a 72-acre country estate in Berkshire that's very
09:05close to the Middleton family home in late 2020. With two babies in two years,
09:10it's no surprise that the pair would want a little bit of help.
09:14Kate Middleton has had three children, and has continued to look effortlessly glam while being
09:20a mom on the go. It doesn't come as a surprise, then, that Pippa and James turned to the royal
09:25for advice on parenting. According to Us Weekly, Pippa asked Kate almost every first-time mom
09:30question under the sun, and a close friend told the publication that Kate had an answer for just
09:34about everything. The source revealed,
09:37"[Kate has so much knowledge to share. She's a walking baby encyclopedia at this point."
09:42While pregnant, Pippa reportedly made a habit of practicing her swaddling skills on baby Prince
09:47Louis, who was born in April 2018. She probably drew on this knowledge again after she gave birth
09:53to her daughter Grace in March 2021. Pippa also wrote in a 2019 article for her fitness column
09:59that the couple's local baby gym was a lifesaver, and that their little man was already gaining
10:04movement confidence, according to People Mag. If one thing is for sure,
10:08both Pippa and James' kids will follow in their parents' active lifestyles.
10:13The Matthews family was profoundly impacted by tragedy back in 1999. According to People Mag,
10:19James' brother Michael Matthews passed away at the young age of 22 while making his way down
10:25Mount Everest. He'd just become the youngest citizen of Great Britain to ever summit the
10:30mountain, and while he was a very experienced climber, he lost contact with his climbing team
10:36and lost his life in extreme weather near the mountain's peak.
10:40Since his passing, the Matthews family established the Michael Matthews Foundation,
10:44which holds events and races to raise money for its causes, including access to education. Pippa
10:49has been greatly supportive of the foundation, and even participated in one of its charity races
10:55in 2016, climbing the Matterhorn Mountain. Pippa revealed,
11:00Although I have raised money in the past for the Michael Matthews Foundation,
11:03it has now become even more important to me and my family. Although neither I
11:08nor my brother ever met Michael, we both share his spirit and passion for the mountains. We
11:14made this climb knowing he would have been there nudging us on, and we are honored to
11:18be supporting his memory.