Pippa Middleton and James Matthews knew each other for ten years before tying the knot. They dated others before realizing their feelings for each other.
Among the Middleton siblings, Kate, 38, isn't the only one who is beloved by the people. Her 37-year-old sister Pippa is also a fan favorite and she's got some wonderful news to share. She is going to be a mommy again soon! "Pippa and James are thrilled, it’s fantastic news amid a difficult year. The entire family is delighted," a source told Page Six.
This means that Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have a new cousin coming. Pippa's first child, Arthur Michael William Matthews, was born in October 2018. She is married to James Matthews, 45, who is a hedge fund manager. The couple knew each other for many years but married only in 2017. Why did it take them so long to figure out their feelings for each other?
The couple first met in 2007 on the Caribbean island of St. Barts. Pippa and James became friendly after being introduced at the luxury Eden Rock hotel, owned by James's parents David and Jane, as per Good Housekeeping. According to Daily Mail, they stayed in touch for years afterward, and it became a favorite vacation destination for her as well.
Five years later, after she broke up with English cricket player Alex Loudon, she was seen on a date with James, reported Good Housekeeping. They met a few more times while she was promoting her party-planning book Celebrate. Her parents own a company that sells party supplies. Both Pippa and Kate have worked for it.
In 2012, Pippa's friends told Daily Mail that her bond with the hedge fund manager was going from "strength to strength." One source said that she was charmed by James. "Pippa is quite taken with James. She wants to take things slowly at first but she is ready for a full-time man in her life again," they added.
However, they didn't make their relationship official, and early the following year, she sparked rumors of a romance with a stockbroker, Nico Jackson. Hello! reported that her family liked Nico and the then-couple even stepped out in public together. In June 2013, she was seen with him at Wimbledon. People started speculating that they would get engaged within a year.
The couple was together for almost two years before splitting up in October 2015. Unfortunately, they had been in a long-distance relationship, with him in Geneva and Pippa living in London's Chelsea. James didn't want to lose the opportunity of wooing Pippa and later in October, she was seen leaving his home. "James has always been on the scene," a source tells E! News. "He is super charismatic and charming, good looking and always held a torch for Pippa. They have always had insane chemistry, but Pippa was always in a relationship."
This time, they stayed together and dated each other. They were first seen together on New Year at St. Barts, as per Good Housekeeping. In March, he supported her while she competed in the Birkebeiner Ski Race for charity in Rena, Norway. They were also seen together in Verbier, Switzerland later that month. They seemed to be enjoying each others' company, and that is true even now.
The couple announced their engagement in July 2016 and got married in 2017. James allegedly proposed on July 17, 2016, by getting down on one knee when they were visiting the Lake District, a national park in northwest England. He gave her an art deco-style Asscher cut diamond ring with a central stone. Older sister Kate and Prince William said they "are absolutely delighted with the news," and her parents Michael and Carole were also delighted. "They make a wonderful couple and we wish them every happiness together," they said in a statement.
They got married in May 2017 and welcomed their first child in 2018. Their love story shows that finding true love is a lot about the right timing. Had they both not been single at the same time and attracted to each other, they could have simply gone on being friends.
References:
https://pagesix.com/2020/12/14/pippa-middleton-pregnant-with-second-child/?
https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2013090714396/pippa-middleton-boyfriend-nico-jackson/