The Untold Truth Of Pippa Middleton's Husband James Matthews

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Although James Matthews had been a familiar face in high society circles for several years, it was only when he got engaged to Pippa Middleton in 2016, the sister of the future Queen of England, that the wider public started to pay attention. Even more so when the couple, who some consider to have a scandalous age gap, made it down the aisle a year later in a ceremony inevitably attended by several royals. And it turns out that his backstory is dramatic enough to fill at least one episode of "The Crown."

Yes, the forever sharp-suited Matthews may look like an average member of the British elite. But from stints in the world of semi-professional motor racing and siblings who have become fixtures on reality television to mountaineering tragedies and multiple endurance challenges, his life has been anything but ordinary. Here's a look at 14 things you might not know about Kate Middleton's brother-in-law.

Matthews could never be accused of marrying Pippa Middleton for money. As the son of a self-made millionaire, he was born with a much bigger silver spoon in his mouth than his wife, who, as the daughter of a flight attendant and a flight dispatcher, grew up in relatively more humble circumstances. Indeed, Matthews' father, David Matthews, may be the son of a coal miner. But thanks to a successful car dealership, he invested in a number of properties, which vastly increased his wealth. 

Alongside his second wife, artist Jane Spencer Parker, he bought the 18th-century Lincolnshire mansion Caunton Manor and later the Eden Rock Hotel, a luxurious establishment on the Caribbean island of St. Barts. The couple, also parents to Spencer, Michael, and Nina, boosted their portfolio in the late 2000s when they acquired Glen Afric, a Scottish estate and lodge. Its previous guests include Queen Mary and George V, and it was where none other than a young Winston Churchill practiced his driving skills.

Matthews had a royal connection long before he met the sister of the Princess of Wales. Yes, the hedge fund manager attended the same boarding school, Eton College, as a then-young Prince William. It's not known whether the pair ever rubbed shoulders at the prestigious establishment, whose list of famous graduates also includes actors Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston: Matthews is some years older than the future King. But we do know that, unlike William, who later attended the University of St. Andrews, he didn't pursue higher education. 

Indeed, Matthews decided to learn from the school of life, landing a job in the world of finance. And he soon worked his way up the career ladder to earn a fortune that would make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. Luckily, Prince William, along with his wife, gave their full seal of approval when news emerged that his fellow Eton alum would marry his sister-in-law. 

Matthews may be the most high-profile member of his family across the rest of the world. But in his British homeland, his younger brother is by far the bigger name. Indeed, think of any U.K. reality TV show and there's a chance that Spencer Matthews has appeared on it.

The Eton graduate first caught attention in the early 2010s on "Made in Chelsea," a scripted piece of reality entertainment which followed the fortunes of several millennials in the titular swanky borough of London. It was here that Spencer forged a reputation as a ladies' man, particularly for admitting to bedding over 1,000 women. He was later cast on everything from "The Jump" and "The Bachelor" and briefly appeared on "I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here" before being thrown out due to rumors he was still abusing steroids.

In his memoir, Matthews revealed (via The Telegraph) that as a youngster, he'd been severely jealous of his oldest sibling's way with the ladies. "Although both my brothers had good taste in women, James was always the pickiest of the two. He had some absolutely incredible girlfriends."

At the turn of the century, Michael Matthews made history at just 22 when he became the youngest British climber to reach Mount Everest's summit. However, within a few hours, he disappeared and his body has never been discovered, a tragedy which changed Pippa Middleton's husband's life forever. The climber vanished in the "Death Zone," an area more than 26,000 feet above sea level, where oxygen is in such short supply that long-term survival becomes impossible. Nearly a quarter-century later, his reality-star brother decided to mount his own Everest challenge in a bid to find out exactly what happened.

During an interview on BBC One's "The One Show," (via Digital Spy) Matthews acknowledged the difficulty of his task: "It's not a mission undertaken by many. There have only been a few cases of successful body recoveries. Michael went missing, so by the time some people realized that he was missing, it was too late. Nobody survives the night, really." Unfortunately, as shown in the "Finding Michael," documentary, the Matthews family still doesn't know where their beloved's final resting place lies.

Matthews' turbulent family history took another twist in 2018 when his father was accused of raping a female minor. Police in France investigated the older Matthews for an alleged attack that had been reported the previous year but was said to have taken place in the late 1990s. According to The Telegraph, there was enough "serious or consistent evidence" to place David under judicial control. However, the luxury hotelier still had the freedom to leave the country. 

In a press statement, a family spokesman said, "David Matthews categorically denies the allegation and unequivocally contests the untrue and scandalous accusation." That same year, a second woman came forward to accuse the older Matthews of rape. The alleged incident was said to have occurred in the 1980s in the British city of Sheffield. However, officials failed to find enough evidence to take the case any further. "She is very upset," an insider told The Sun. "Police have been very supportive but have told her they can't prosecute him."

Growing up in a residence that had its very own go-kart track, Matthews inevitably became handy behind the wheel long before he was legally allowed to drive. And by his late teens, he'd parlayed his skills into a motor racing career, and very nearly became a full-time professional. Indeed, Matthews was once tipped to follow in the footsteps of fellow British Formula One drivers Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill. After all, as an 18-year-old, he won both the Eurocup Formula Renault and British Formula Renault Championship and eclipsed Frenchman Alain Prost's all-time record of 10 victories on the bounce.

So why did he never make it to the big time? Well, in an interview with the Daily Mail, John Booth, the founder of Matthews' team Manor Motorsport, said, "James was a fantastic driver and very, very talented. But he looked at the probability of making it as a Formula 1 driver, and took a pragmatic decision to go into the City."

Something of a multi-talent, Matthews somehow managed to combine his professional motor racing ambitions with a job in the financial sector. Despite deciding against heading to university, the former Eton student still managed to land a position with a major securities brokerage firm in 1995. He was employed at Spear, Leeds & Kellogg — which has since been acquired by Goldman Sachs — as a derivatives trader for several years before he jumped ship to Nordic Options, a major finance house. 

The former sportsman obviously made quite an impression on the company, rapidly ascending to the role of senior equity options trader. Of course, Matthews' climb up the financial ladder didn't end there. Still only in his mid-twenties, the future brother-in-law of the future Queen of England decided he'd had enough of working for "the man" and left Nordic Options to launch his own firm.

Matthews' confidence in his abilities sure paid off. Having founded his own capital management company, named in honor of his parents' luxury St. Barts hotel, Eden Rock, at the age of 24, he soon found himself overseeing investments worth more than $150 million. Within seven years of launching, this number had climbed to over a billion dollars!

In 2017, WealthQuotient co-founder David Friedman told E! News that the former racing driver was "a demi-billionaire or close to a billionaire on his own merits," making him at least twice as rich as Queen Elizabeth II! And this allowed Matthews to splash the cash on numerous properties, too.

At the turn of the century, he purchased a swanky Mayfair pad situated opposite the United States Embassy. He then bought a mansion in Notting Hill, which had previously been owned by some celebrities, from BBC Radio 4 personality Kirsty Young to Soho House founder Nick Jones. Then in 2014, Matthews forked out approximately $20 million for a semi-detached home in the exclusive London borough of Chelsea. He and his wife now reside there with their three children on a 72-acre Berkshire estate known as Buckleberry Manor. 

As the former Duchess of Cambridgeshire and future Queen of England, the Princess of Wales will always trump her British socialite sister when it comes to titles. However, thanks to the Matthews business empire, Middleton may still find herself with a fancy moniker at some point or another. Indeed, having purchased Glen Afric, a Scottish Highlands estate near Loch Ness which spans 10,000 acres, her father-in-law currently holds the courtesy title of the Laird of Glen Afric. 

When the older Matthews dies, this honor will be passed down to her husband. This means that Middleton can be referred to as Lady Glen Afric, too. The hedge fund manager has been its solitary managing director since 2007, and the historical site already has a special place in the family's heart. It was where her reality TV star brother-in-law wed model Vogue Williams in 2018.

Matthews might have first caught attention as a semi-professional racing driver. But it turns out that he's just as gifted when it comes to sports outside a motor vehicle. The hedge fund manager is something of an endurance obsessive, often putting his body through its paces in aid of the Michael Matthews Foundation, an initiative set up to honor his younger mountain climber sibling, who tragically lost his life.

In 2008, for example, he completed the 156-mile Saharan race known as the Marathon des Sables. In 2014, he joined his then-future wife, Middleton, and her younger brother in the Race Across America, a 3,000-mile cycling race. And a year later, the engaged couple took part in a Swedish challenge, which involved 50 miles of running and swimming, and a Norwegian 33-mile cross-country ski race dubbed the Birkebeiner.

Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2016, Middleton revealed that their gung-ho natures have undoubtedly helped them bond: "I think James and I have the same spirit. We are both competitive. We have had many adventures together. We have a lot in common and that helps. I don't think it would work with a couch potato. I think we do exhaust most people."

Matthews has his parents' luxury St. Barts hotel to thank for bringing Middleton into his life. It was at Eden Rock that he first met his future wife, who was vacationing there at the time. But although friends have claimed that he immediately knew she was 'the one,' he didn't act on it right away.

Indeed, Matthews was more concerned with his business pursuits than any romantic matters, having just broken up with his long-term girlfriend, reportedly his personal assistant. Middleton was also attached at the time, and eight years his junior, too. Over the next few years, the hedge fund manager went on various blind dates set up by his reality-TV-star brother. But an insider claims that he was always holding out hope for the future Queen of England's sister.

And his patience paid off, well, eventually. The couple first got together in 2012 but chose to remain friends. But several years and several other relationships later, Middleton and Matthews decided to take a second bite of the cherry, and the rest is high society history. 

It wasn't just patience that Matthews relied upon to help woo Middleton. According to the Daily Mail, the hedge fund manager was also hellbent on amassing the kind of multi-million-dollar fortune that would allow him to treat her like a princess. Matthews started splashing the cash before he and his future wife even got together, paying for Middleton and many members of her family to fly out to the Caribbean island of St Barts for an all-expense-paid stay at Eden Rock. 

Apparently, in an attempt to further impress, the ex-racing driver also bought a swish new home in Chelsea worth more than $20 million and built a collection of immaculately stored sports cars. But he didn't stop spending once they became an item, either. The diamond ring he proposed with in the Lake District was apparently worth approximately $300,000! Here's a further look at the most expensive things the couple owns. 

As Middleton told the Daily Mail in a rare interview, Matthews also had to pay another unforeseen price: his privacy. "I have quite a lot thrown at me, such as being followed by people hiding behind cars and jumping out with cameras. It can be unnerving. There's always something cropping up and that has to be managed on my own. It's been a real eye-opener for James. There have been quite a few hurdles to negotiate."

You might expect a man of Matthews' stature to be the perfect neighbor. But since moving into a West Berkshire mansion in 2022 with his wife (see the shadiest details about Middleton) and their three children, the hedge fund manager appears to have caused nothing but local trouble. Matthews first got his new community up in arms in 2024 when he closed off a country path on his 150-acre estate that the previous owner had allowed the general public to use. "These people seem to be overprotective of their property," one disgruntled nearby resident told the Mail on Sunday (via Marie Claire). "I don't think it is right. We are quiet villagers. We don't have vandalism around here. With all the notices stuck up, it feels like us and them."

Matthews' 50th birthday celebrations a year later didn't exactly help his cause, either. According to reports, the party, which had locals rolling their eyes, not only included the booming noise of a flying Spitfire but also incredibly loud music until the early hours of the morning. "It's common courtesy and respect," another unhappy neighbor told the Daily Mail. "There are a lot of very nice people who have a lot of money, but this is about entitlement."

Matthews' professional reputation took a bit of a hit in 2016 when it was revealed he'd invested roughly $50 million in a finance company that later became embroiled in a major fraud. The former racing driver had ploughed the 10-figure sum into Heather Capital via his Eden Rock Capital Management firm in 2006. But sensing that something was amiss, he attempted to withdraw every penny within a few months.

Matthews did get his money back in 2007 following a mediation in Geneva with representatives of the company owned by Greg King, a Scottish entrepreneur, which lasted two days. The then-future husband of Pippa Middleton had previously been convinced to invest thanks to his long-time connection with Santo Volpe, the firm's co-director, who used to work for Eden Rock. Three years after Matthews recouped his cash, Heather Capital became the subject of a criminal investigation following a collapse that saw its investors lose more than $300 million in total, a third of which was said to have been procured illegally.