No, Pippa Middleton doesn’t have a title — but who needs one when your lifestyle is more luxe than that of your royal relations? Middleton and her husband, James Matthews, lead a lavish life, to say the least, with a number of uber-expensive belongings to their names.
We’ll start with the first home the couple lived in together. Some may remember that at the time Middleton and Matthews got engaged, they were living together in the home he’d bought years prior. Don’t get it twisted, though: this wasn’t your typical young lovers’ love nest. With six bedrooms, five stories, and a number of impressive extras (we’re talking a movie theater, in-house gym, and an elevator to shuttle between all the amenities), the pad was a palatial one. Middleton and her fiance were also said to have private his-and-hers dressing rooms, installed specially by Matthews. In light of that, we’re not exactly surprised that the couple later did some additional renovations once Middleton and Matthews welcomed their first child — though we’ll concede that adding on a nursery isn’t quite as out-there as all the other bells and whistles.
Unfortunately, even with all the home’s features, Middleton and Matthews didn’t stay there all that long. The couple sold the property in 2022 for a whopping £22.5 million, or around $28 million. However, let’s just say they were on to (even) bigger things.
Pippa and James own a palatial estate
For many people, Pippa Middleton and James Matthews’ London home sounds like the dream. Like we said, though, when they left the townhouse, they went onwards and upwards. In 2022, they moved into a sprawling 150-acre country estate. Yup, that’s 50 more acres than Winnie the Pooh had — and, as pointed out by Express, it was also significantly larger than Pippa’s sister’s home in Windsor. Like, multiple times larger. Not too shabby!
Unfortunately for Middleton and Matthews, not everyone was thrilled to hear that they’d taken ownership. Quite the contrary, Middleton was harshly labeled a spoiled princess by locals when she and her husband decided to keep their property more private than the previous owner had. Whining — ahem, speaking — to the Daily Mail, one neighbor shared that they were annoyed that they were no longer allowed easy access to the paths around the property. “I like to walk, and I don’t see why I can’t walk there. I have been walking along there for 50 years. When Sir Terence had it, he had no objections. I think we should have a right to roam,” they told the outlet. Quite.
It is worth mentioning that even though Matthews and Middleton opted to close off their property to the public, they also acquired another property nearby, and that one did allow a degree of wandering. Well, with a fee, anyway.
James and Pippa own a country venue near their home
When Pippa Middleton and James Matthews moved to West Berkshire, they certainly did so in style, and their personal estate wasn’t their only purchase. They also bought Bucklebury Farm, which they’ve turned into a country venue that includes indoor and outdoor play areas for kids, deer safaris, yoga, seasonal entertainment, glamping tents for overnight stays, and a lodge for private events. In other words, it’s the ideal space for Middleton to build her brand doing the things she loves most. Certainly, speaking to The News International, one real estate agent mused that there was a ton of earning potential in the property. “It could be a very lucrative business endeavor,” the agent said. Add that to the many ways Middleton and her husband make all their money!
Unfortunately, a number of people were still not thrilled with Middleton and Matthews’ ownership of the farm. As outlined by Daily Mail, one concern raised was that the couple had erected a seating area without getting it signed off by local authorities beforehand. Other complaints revolved around pathways potentially causing issues between pedestrians and car users.
Even with the complaints, though, Middleton and Matthews were ultimately awarded permission to continue work on the farm a year later, and the business has continued to operate. No word on just how much money they’ve made. However, given Middleton’s background in events and Matthews’ longtime prowess in the finance world, we rate they know what they’re doing.
Their Berkshire home has seriously impressive facilities
Back to Pippa Middleton and James Matthews’ West Berkshire home, it bears mentioning that their second digs as a couple have many of the amenities their London house did — albeit on an even more impressive scale. Remember the gym in the London pad? Well, in December 2022, the couple applied for permission to add on a massive swimming pool, along with a tennis court and changing rooms.
As with Bucklebury Farm, Middleton and Matthews faced some resistance from local authorities. For one, as noted by Daily Mail, the local conservation officer and archaeologist both expressed concerns over the renovation potentially damaging historic features on the property. Even so, the couple was eventually given the go-ahead in late 2023, with the caveat that they’d have to resubmit a plan for lighting.
At the time of this writing, it’s not clear if the renovations have been completed. However, there’s no question that it’ll be a pricy undertaking. After all, Daily Mail revealed that the proposed pool would be the same size as one in a leisure center, at a whopping 82-by-19 feet. As for the tennis court, those are notoriously expensive to install, as well, with some estimates coming in at around £100,000 (or approximately $125,000). One thing’s for sure: this couple doesn’t scrimp when it comes to home improvements.
James Matthews has a plane to call his own
Shifting gears to other forms of property owned by the couple, some may remember that back in 2016, James Matthews made headlines for setting off for a vacay with his then-girlfriend Pippa Middleton on his very own plane. According to Scottish Daily Mail, the particular aircraft was valued at a cool £3 million (or $3.75 million). Speaking to People of his swanky mode of transportation, one source close to Matthews quipped, “He’s got his own small aircraft, the lucky guy.” We’d say so.
Other than the time Pippa and Matthews were pictured boarding the latter’s own jet, the couple has also been spotted boarding a number of other private planes. In fact, they were pictured using private planes throughout their honeymoon and were also seen flying home from St Barts alongside Pippa’s brother, James Middleton, and his now-wife, Alizee Thevenet, back in 2020. However, it doesn’t seem as though those were owned by him, personally.
Somehow, we doubt we’ll be seeing Pippa’s older sibling board a private plane for a Middleton family getaway any time soon. After all, Prince Harry’s choice to use private planes raised serious eyebrows — and Prince William and Kate Middleton were later spotted catching a flight on a budget airline. Hey, we guess that just means (even) more room for the Matthews family!
Pippa’s engagement jewelry caused quite a stir
Sticking with expensive items Pippa Middleton and James Matthews own that have ruffled feathers, it does bear mentioning that around the time that the future queen consort’s little sister announced her engagement, she debuted not just one, but two impressive pieces of jewelry. For starters, there was the ring. Said to be worth an eyewatering £250,000 (around $313,000), the piece understandably got a ton of attention. But, while much was made of the art deco design and the rarity of the Asscher-cut diamond used, some also criticized it as an over-the-top and distasteful attempt at competing with the now-Princess of Wales. While we can certainly see how critics may see it that way, given just how lavish the couple’s spending seems to be in other areas (let’s recap: planes and estates and private gyms, oh my), it’s also more than possible that they were just keeping things consistent.
Like we said, though, the ring was just part of the jewelry Middleton received when she said yes to her billionaire now-husband. As was reported by Daily Mail, she also debuted a Cartier Ballon Bleu watch at the time — one which happened to cost nearly £10,000 more than the Cartier Ballon Bleu watch her sister already had.
Pippa might not have a future on the throne, but it’s safe to say she lives like a queen all the same.
