Pippa Middleton & James Matthews bought a huge estate in Berkshire

In late 2020, Pippa Middleton and her terribly moderately wealthy husband James Matthews reportedly purchased Bucklebury Farm Park for around £1.5 million. The farm/park was already in operation as a safari and petting zoo, and Pippa and TMW James thought it might be a nice investment property, something to operate as a little side-business. As far as I can see, TMW James and Pippa really did buy the park, although we haven’t heard much about it in more than a year. Now this: Pippa and TMW James have apparently bought a second estate/property in Berkshire. This one sounds like an actual country ESTATE. Per Eden Confidential:

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are not the only ones moving to the Royal County of Berkshire. I can disclose that Catherine’s sister, Pippa, has spent around £15million on one of the most beautiful stately homes in the county with her investment banker husband, James Matthews. And they will need the extra space, as I’m told she’s heavily pregnant with their third child.

‘Pippa and her family are thrilled,’ a friend confirms. ‘It’s a very exciting time in their lives. They are looking forward to living closer to her parents.’

Their new home is about a 20-minute drive from Michael and Carole Middleton’s home in Bucklebury. Pippa’s brother, James, bought a farmhouse in the county for £1.45million with his French wife, Alizee, last year. Meanwhile, Prince William and Catherine, who have three children, are understood to be considering a number of properties on the Queen’s Windsor estate. Their children will all start at the same private school in the county in September.

The Georgian mansion that Pippa, 38, and her Eton-educated husband, 46, have bought was the subject of a painstaking multi-million-pound restoration by its previous owner. It was not known that it was on the market and the sale is said to have been carried out privately. It has around 30 rooms, plus plenty of outdoor space for children to play with their royal cousins in around 150 acres of grounds that lead down to a river.

Pippa, who once wrote a book filled with tips on entertaining, will be able to grow produce in the huge walled garden and greenhouses.

‘It’s a far more impressive property than any of those on the Windsor estate, apart from the castle,’ a local tells me.

This week, a removals lorry was seen parked outside the couple’s home in Chelsea, West London, which Matthews, a former professional racing driver, bought for £17million in 2015. It’s not clear if they are keeping their home in the capital.

[From The Daily Mail]

Huh, I would think that they would keep their place in London? James and Pippa have a huge mansion in the city and they seem to have a surprising amount of privacy there, except Pippa does get pap’d sometimes when she’s taking her kids to the park. Not all the time, but every few months, she’ll get pap’d. It does seem like TMW James and Pippa are genuinely more lowkey now, so it’s more than possible that this is exactly what it appears to be: a wealthy couple buying a grand country estate in which to raise their growing brood, with plenty of space for the kids to run around. Now, all that being said, Pippa keeps hilariously one-upping her sister. Kate is moving into a “little” four-bedroom house in Windsor because the Queen wouldn’t give her one of the fancier homes. And now Pippa’s husband buys a grand 30-room estate? Pippa is a credible Early Years expert and Kate is just doing vague Early Years busywork! Pippa’s husband adores her, and Kate’s husband… um, seems to barely tolerate her.

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86 Responses to “Pippa Middleton & James Matthews bought a huge estate in Berkshire”

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  1. equality says:

    So the new house is grander than anything at Windsor except the Castle? Does that mean more whining in the media about how W&K need to move into Windsor Castle? How about a bathroom count on all these residences, including the castle? No article is complete without that.

    • hermionebananahammock says:

      I honestly think that Windsor Castle is the plan once the Queen passes and they’re making the move now to get the kids settled in school before they get any older (since QEII could live for another 5+ years).

      • Lionel says:

        Would Windsor Castle really be her choice though? I know it’s grand and it’s a castle, but it’s hard to imagine that the residential quarters are anything but a drafty, mildewy mess with rickety plumbing and weird noises. Hard to put a bougey kitchen in a structure like that.

      • equality says:

        Windsor is supposed to be the largest of the castles and it has more bathrooms than H&M and more bedrooms than Pippa’s house. I could see W&K thinking that is what they deserve. Maybe not “bougey” but it must have the equivalent of a commercial kitchen to host banquets.

  2. Monette says:

    I have only one question:
    HOW MANY BATHROOMS????

  3. Blujfly says:

    And there is is, the quid pro quo for announcing the masters’ last week. The Mail had this information, would have published it anyway, and Pippa’a PR agreed to not but up a fight if the university/masters got revealed.

  4. Becks1 says:

    ohhhhhh Kate is not going to like this quote 🤣🤣

    ‘It’s a far more impressive property than any of those on the Windsor estate, apart from the castle,’

    (also interesting that here Eden isn’t saying they’re moving to Adelaide, its back to “they’re considering several properties” or whatever. I had thought Adelaide Cottage was pretty much confirmed for them?)

    As for Pippa – live your best life Pips. Maybe if they’re getting this huge estate in the country, they are planning on making that their primary residence and are going to downsize in London, since the family will spend most of its time in Berkshire.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      I’m still assuming Adelaide Cottage is the one because of the “Wills and Kate wanted a modest home that they didn’t have to renovate and burden taxpayers with! They won’t even have live-in staff as there’s no space for staff (which is a lie)!” party line across all the media’s stories.

    • TheOriginalMia says:

      Kate really isn’t going to like any of this Pippa news. Masters and a bigger house than Adelaide Cottage. But Kate is the FFQC! I think it’s hilarious.

    • Nic919 says:

      Eden is being sketchy here with not confirming Adelaide Cottage and the line about Pippa’s new estate being nicer. Maybe placating Pippa’s ego makes her a potential source for any news about the separation status.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        Great point @ Nic919!!

        Wouldn’t be surprised if we here some news later this summer perhaps?

    • BothSidesNow says:

      @ Becks1, I am certain that dogs surrounding CopyKeen have been suffering from the excruciating screaming that is coming from whichever property Kates lazy ass is seated at yesterday and today and probably for weeks to come.

      This will NOT sit well with Kate! We will see blows come about towards Pippa and she deserves none of it!! Though ii imagine CarolE is thrilled beyond words. Yet Pippas husband is smart enough NOT to give CarolE any money though……

    • Lux says:

      I think it’s super funny that brother James and Alizee’s £1.4 mil farmhouse gets an honorable mention too. Like Pippa’s place is literally over 10x more expensive. This has to be a Carole plant; pitting her children together to make them hustle harder (keep in mind, it’s “hustle,” not “work.” None of them are going to do that).

  5. HeatherC says:

    I hope Pippa is intentionally throwing shade at her sister because this is delicious.

    She not only is an actual credible expert on early years along with actually completing an actual degree on the subject but apparently according to sources her new property is ‘a far more impressive property than any of those on the Windsor estate, apart from the castle.’

    • Smart&Messy says:

      Hahaha, the shade about Kate’s modest separation home is so obvious. I’m so intrigued by it now. What does Carole think about this? Is she on board with this? If Pippa is moving close to Middleton Manor, they must be close with her Mum, right?
      Is Kate going to push back?

  6. girl_ninja says:

    I wonder if the sisters are still close. They seemed to be back in the day and up until Pippa’s wedding. I hadn’t paid attention to them much since then KKKate should have found herself a terribly moderately wealthy husband that wasn’t a petulant prince to marry. Maybe she wouldn’t be so unhappy. Also, when you stalk your husband and wear him down until he decides on you, there may be problems later in your relationship. Pippa nor Duchess Meghan have that problem tho, so…

    • Seaflower says:

      I’ve wondered if now Pippa is married she is happier in her own skin and doesn’t need to play second fiddle to K or follow Mummy’s direction. James Mid and his French wife seem to be the ones at Carole’s side more often than not.

      • SarahCS says:

        Honestly it IS Jane Austen. They are under their mothers thumb until they get married then they get to create their own household.

      • VoominVava says:

        They get to create their own household, but it better be no more than a 20 minute drive to Mummy’s house. LOL

    • Angelica Schuyler says:

      It definitely seems that Pippa got the better deal. She and her husband can spend as they choose without being accountable to anyone….(like another happy couple we know and love).

    • Shawna says:

      I’m really late in the game here, but this comment made me wonder … if Kate always wanted Harry to be the third wheel (wanting the public to think Harry was pining for her), maybe she also wanted Pippa to be her hanger-on, her Lady in Waiting. Once Pippa was married, she was of no use to Kate. Maybe in her eyes, both Harry and Pippa needed to stay single forever to be ornaments around her….

  7. Woke says:

    This family is so attention seeking and cringe. They don’t do anything particularly bad but their push in the media is so weird to me.

  8. Sofia says:

    ‘It’s a far more impressive property than any of those on the Windsor estate, apart from the castle,’ a local tells me.

    That’s not a flattering quote towards the Cambridges (and it can be seen as shade towards the Cambridges even if the local didn’t think of the Cambridges when saying it since there’s rumors of them moving to the Windsor Estate for the last year or so) so I am surprised Eden kept it in.

    Anyways, maybe they’re fine with letting the city life go full time. Besides Berkshire isn’t terribly far from London so they can always pop into Chelsea whenever they want.

  9. Feeshalori says:

    These younger siblings are continually one upping the elder ones and l just love it.

  10. Bene says:

    Pippa has the best situation out of the whole Middleton bunch. She’s gets to be part of a minor aristocratic family with money. She also gets to do what she wants with out much scrutiny. I’m not even sure her husband adores her but he definitely understands the benefit of having her as a wife. Thus treating her with the respect she deserves.
    That’s something William will never give Kate- respect. Sucks for her but I’m glad Harry and especially Meghan are away from those vipers. The Sussex gave those two idiots something to bond over and a common unified goal.

    • Moi says:

      James family is not aristocratic at all.

      • CourtneyB says:

        His dad has the courtesy title of Laird of Glen Affric after buying that property in 2008. James will inherit it. Gotta start somewhere.

      • BeanieBean says:

        Not inherited, no, but his dad did buy a title that came with a castle. I guess for real aristos (i.e., the inherited kind) that doesn’t count, but I’m sure it counts for the Meddling Middletons.

  11. Fiona says:

    They were moving lots of furniture out according to a gossip site. I couldn’t tell in the pictures. They may sell or have sold the London house. I would have loved to have kept both. No mention of Adelaide Cottage recently. I’m not calling Pippa an expert in the early years yet. I don’t know how much real world engagement with her kids exist. Hopefully she’s a hands-on mom just with lots of help.

    • BeanieBean says:

      That London house looked pretty nice. I know I’d want to keep my hands on it if it were mine. (Hey I can dream!).

  12. Amy Bee says:

    How is it ok for Pippa and her moderately rich husband to buy a £15 million 30 room mansion but not ok for Harry and Meghan to buy theirs? Where’s the outrage from Richard Eden?

    • Lemons says:

      Pippa was never royalty and never beholden to the Crown so any comparisons made would be in bad faith (not like that ever stopped them!)

    • sunny says:

      I know you are being rhetorical here but the press thinks it owns Harry for a variety of reasons. It is disturbing as hell which is why it is nice he moved so far away.

  13. Julia K says:

    The Daily Nail is intentionally starting a sister feud. Click bait. Show me a picture of this new grander than grand mansion and I might believe it.

    • Well Wisher says:

      The Fail gives Kate lots of possible royal competitors, there is exposure in the BTM of the heirs of Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark’s.
      Now the sister who seems to be living her best life.
      Maybe just a friendly nudge…

  14. Amy T says:

    I wonder if CarolE is angling to shame her royal son-in-law into a proper home for his wife and children.

    • Cee says:

      That’s the problem of marrying someone who dones’t legally own his own clothes. There’s nothing to gain from a divorce.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      @ Amy T, that’s certainly the speed as well as the manipulation motives that stroke CarolE into action.

    • Jumpingthesnark says:

      AmyT I think you are onto something. But I don’t think Bill gives a sh!t any more what Carole thinks

  15. Pix says:

    If Kate is as competitive as they say, she must be seething with envy.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      Yup. Even though Adelaide Cottage is an exquisite property for the rest of us, by Kate’s standards it’s a major downgrade from the grandness of Anmer Hall and Apt. 1A. She and Will definitely wanted something bigger by the way they kept pushing for Royal Lodge, then Fort Belvedere, then Frogmore House (*not* Cottage) through ‘speculation’ in the media for the past year. They even pushed for space at Windsor Castle before the final announcement on Adelaide Cottage. To see her sister getting a supposedly ‘nicer’ property (one that she will actually own too) might be a bitter moment for her.

      • Becks1 says:

        It makes me think that everything we were hearing in the press was true – that the Cambs really were pushing for Royal Lodge etc, that they think should just be able to move into Windsor if they can’t have Fort Belvedere or wherever, and that as a result Kate is TICKED she is being relegated to Adelaide Cottage. I think Pippa knows that and is laughing about it and so she made sure to get in this dig at Kate. There’s probably only so many times she can hear about her sister the Duchess before she has to remind Kate that her husband loves her and they can buy whatever house they want.

        OMG. Wait. Remember how the original story last year was they were househunting? Wonder if they were looking at this place that Pippa bought?

    • Giddy says:

      I imagine it’s true that Kate is seething with envy. She’ll probably start showing up to lunch at Mummy’s wearing tiaras or some such thing. Just think how much worse that jealousy will be if Will manages to dump her and the children and set up his own home. Meanwhile Pippa is loving life!

      • CourtneyB says:

        Nah Kate doesn’t have any tiaras. She has to get the queen to lend them and then return them. Pippa’s husband would probably buy her her own. Lol

  16. Scorpion says:

    The amount of column inches wasted on this pan faced attention seeker 😂😂😂

    I hope she writes a book on how to move from a London Town home to a country house next, I could do with a laugh.

    It’s funny how they call Meghan an attention seeker though 🙃

  17. Noki says:

    It seems all the Middleton siblings will be pretty close with Ma Mids and Papa right? Which makes me believe that is why the move was agreed. Kate can be close to her fam in return to not kick up a fuss about Wills double life.

  18. Fiona says:

    Sorry, but I’m nosy I want to see pictures of the house. I wonder if Kate’s jealous.

    • bettyrose says:

      I desperately want to see the house and estate! But I watch House Hunters religiously and live for this stuff.

    • Becks1 says:

      I want to see it too! I also want to see pictures of Bea’s new house in the Cotswolds lol.

  19. Moderatelywealthy says:

    “It’s a far more impressive property than any of those on the Windsor estate, apart from the castle,’ a local tells me.”

    Lol, Kkkate must be LIVID!

    Pippa has some boss moves, I must say- she is probably know mummy´s favorite.

  20. Lorelei says:

    The worst comparison, imo, is how proud and happy James always looks to have Pippa by his side. You can tell just from pictures that he absolutely adores her, and is thrilled to be with her. But what really jumps out at me is how *proudly* he looks at her, compared to the obvious disdain that William constantly shows for Kate, and has for years.

    There is just such a huge, glaring difference, and while I’m happy for Pippa, I can’t imagine how much worse it makes Kate feel— considering she also sees this stark contrast with Harry and Meghan.

    If I were Kate, this would make me so much sadder than the fact that Pippa has a bigger house. It’s just such blatant photographic proof of how their husbands regard them; the difference could not be more obvious. And clearly William is out of fcks and doesn’t even care enough to pretend anymore.

    • TQ says:

      Yep @Lorelei, James definitely seems super proud, adoring & chuffed to be with Pippa. I actually saw them on London to Chicago flight a few years back when she was pregnant with their first kid and he was the same in person — very protective, adoring, gazing, etc.

    • Lemons says:

      For all of Pippa’s faults and missteps in the media, she has the qualities to be a great homemaker, entertainer, and, quite simply, friend. She seems to be much warmer than Kate and always wants to do something. James probably feels that he has a partner in life and love rather than a co-worker that keeps falling short (I assume both Kate and William feel this way in their marriage).

      If a separation is under way, Pippa and James are placing their family at the center and will be showing the Middleton parents and children what wealth not paid for by the taxpayer is. I wonder if the Cambridge children even need H&M in order to feel like being outside or on the peripheries of royalty is better than being trapped by it. Pippa is also showing them that there is another way.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      @ Lorelei, yes, you have brought down the proverbial hammer of the truth. All in all, Kate is the one here that has been outplayed by her and her mothers antics. Bullyiam could care less about Kate even when she is standing right next to him. Bullyiam is tired of the dog and pony show and he is ready to move on. Had Kate had a backbone and stood up to her mother she wouldn’t be so miserable, yet she was a participant in all of her antics.

      CopyKeen knew she could out last every other woman but she was kidding herself if she thought Bullyiam would be loyal or love her during their marriage.

      • Julie says:

        The problem was never the other women. The problem was always the connection between William and Kate. You can’t win a person or win their love. Being in love with someone and doing everything for them still won’t make them automatically fall in love with you and stay that way.

        Kate can’t compete with everyone else to impress and persuade and nurture William into being in love with her. I’m sure other women were willing to chase Charles but he wanted Camilla. The Duke of Windsor wanted Wallis. The Queen wanted Philip. Harry wants Meghan and at least there, Meghan also wants Harry.

      • equality says:

        PC actually had affairs with others besides Cam. She was just last woman standing like Kate. Phil didn’t want Liz exclusively. Wallis supposedly didn’t really want to marry the Duke.

  21. s808 says:

    Pippa really won out between the 3 of them. good for her.

    • SarahCS says:

      Much as we mocked PippaTips she has hustle. Plus she did charity bike rides and all sorts.

    • Anna says:

      I would say that the kid mama CarolE had least interest in and maybe left alone is doing the best in her life. Pippa won because mummy focused on Kate and we all see how it worked. I know Kate is and adult now but I feel she had no breathing room from mummy’s laser focus and hence stunted development.

  22. Pinkosaurus says:

    Hahaha comparing this to all of the housing on the Windsor complex is grade A trolling by the tabs 😂. I’m glad Pips seems to be doing so well for herself.

  23. Julie says:

    Pippa studies Early Childhood Development. Kate makes that part of her public image.

    Pippa moves 20 minutes from her parents. Kate pushes for her own Berkshire house and then settles for Windsor, 30 minutes from her parents.

    There is something wrong with Kate. She SWF’s all the women around her and tries to take the attention for herself. She has so much and none of it is enough to make her content. Who is she if she doesn’t copy people?

    • Moxylady says:

      OY. For some reason I assumed Pippas stuff came after Khates. But omg this makes so much more sense with what we know about her.

    • Bean says:

      Spot on – Pippa would have been in school for at least 2 years to get this degree.

    • Well Wisher says:

      One can continue to connect the dot with the Tatler cover of Kate. Simply recall her comments about Pipa.

      • Lorelei says:

        Speaking of the Tatler article, does anyone know where I could find the original one, before they were forced to edit out the parts Kate was angry about?

    • L84Tea says:

      WHOA…I did not realize that about the early childhood development. You know Kate and Pippa have probably been competing their whole lives–this makes so much sense!

  24. kelleybelle says:

    You mean James bought the house, right? Pippa has income? From her book?

    • BothSidesNow says:

      @ kelleybelle, of course James bought the house. Pippa, along with her parents, are cash poor. As well as Bullyiam too.

  25. Athena says:

    K can’t control her sister anymore, which she tried to do earlier on when she had W put a stop to Pippa’s attempt to earn a living. I doubt the sisters are close, even when they are together K is acting superior. She just can’t be a friend, be a sister, she can’t get out of the FFQ headspace, her own insecurities and possibly some imposter syndrome.

  26. Sarge says:

    I think Kate’s early years initiative might have been to do with finding out about Pippa maybe thinking or starting to complete her masters. If not Pippa sure knows how to upstage Kate with her intelligence

    Pippa must be ecstatic to show her Sister and in-laws her new pad

    @kaiser. Do we have more info on the ring Pippa is wearing on her right hand ?

  27. bettyrose says:

    Out of nowhere, I want to be Pippa Middleton when I grow up.

    • Bean says:

      She certainly seems to be happy and fulfilled.

    • CourtneyB says:

      Not a bad goal to have an advanced degree, three (soon) children (if one wants kids) and a devoted partner.

    • Lorelei says:

      Seriously, me too! 😂 Pippa’s got it made. (I could do without having CarolE for a mother, though)

  28. SarahFrancisco says:

    How did James Middleton manage to buy a $1.45 mil house?

    • Giddy says:

      Maybe his personalized marshmallow business was a huge success. Maybe not.

    • CourtneyB says:

      Alizee

    • Julia K says:

      Also was going to say, his wife. I doubt he has ever been financially independent. Help from his parents, a place to live and job from the Mathews in Scotland, being bailed out of bad business decisions by partners, the list goes on. Hope Alizee went into this knowing that her salary pays the bills.

  29. Malcolm Marcellus says:

    I clicked on this just to see if you used “terribly moderately wealthy”, and you did. It always cracks me up!

  30. Lily says:

    I think it is weird that all of the Middleton children are moving near their parents. There is family closeness and then there is eyebrow raising closeness.

    Remember this also is the family that vacations together.

    To add to the evidence, The Fail had a story about Carole and Kate copying each other’s clothing. Two out of the three top pictures were Carole and Kate wearing the exact same garments. A pink dress in one picture and an orange coat in the other one. The third picture had both women wearing very similar soft pink coat dresses with Peter Pan collars. Wearing mommy and me outfits only is cute when a daughter is a little girl and the event is an Easter Sunday church service or something. Kate and Carole are too old.

    Taken together, everything raises a red flag on the cozy, close Middletons (as the media recently enjoys portraying them).

    Any theories? Any speculation on what will happen to Kate when Carole dies? Carole is sixty-seven (Mike is seventy-five) and will not live forever.

  31. Lily says:

    As for George, making a child wear a suit, shirt buttoned all of the way up, with a tie tied tightly around his neck, no sunglasses, no hat, in the direct sun, should qualify as child abuse when the temperature is in the 90’s.

    William was not dressed that buttoned up. He looked more comfortably dressed for the heat than George and he had sunglasses. Poor kid. George had to feel like he was roasting.