When it comes to the Princess of Wales's close bond with her sister, Pippa, it's their humour over royal protocol, open chats and Pippa's marriage to 'wealthy' James Matthews that has kept things 'balanced' over the years, a royal expert says.
Flashback to April 2011 and Pippa Middleton was one of the most talked about people at Kate Middleton and Prince William's wedding, with the big day thrusting her into the royal spotlight as her sister married into The Firm.
Since then, life has changed immensely for the sisters, with Catherine now the Princess of Wales and both of the women having become mothers to three children of their own.
Despite over a decade of being at the centre of The Firm, the Princess of Wales still has an 'extremely close' bond with her sister, with a royal expert claiming that Pippa's marriage and laughter between the siblings have helped a balance remain in their dynamic.
Speaking to OK! last year, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond pointed out that it's likely Catherine and Pippa find humour in royal protocol when in private.
"They talk about everything and I very much doubt that Catherine expects her sister to stand on ceremony when they are together," Jennie explained, adding, "In public, of course, Pippa pays due respect to the future Queen, but I suspect they probably both find that sort of protocol quite funny."
And with the Prince and Princess of Wales now residing in Adelaide Cottage near Windsor to raise Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, the sisters are close by to each other, with Pippa and husband James Matthews bringing up their children, Arthur, Grace and Rose, in a spacious home in Berkshire.
"The fact that she has married an extremely wealthy man, James Matthews means that the relationship between the two sisters has remained quite a balanced one," Jennie continued.
"Pippa and James have a riverside mansion in Berkshire, less than an hour’s drive from Windsor and half an hour from [Carole and Michael Middleton] in Bucklebury."
Pippa and businessman and hedge fund manager James tied the knot in 2017 at St. Mark's Church in Englefield in Berkshire, after James reportedly popped the question during a trip to the Lake District in 2016.
The couple welcomed their first child, Arthur, in October 2018, before becoming parents for the second time to daughter Grace in 2021. The family of four became a family of five in 2022, when their second daughter, Rose, arrived.
-
Celebrities who built their looks around a simple, timeless white shirtA white shirt should be in every woman's wardrobe - and these celebrities prove all the ways to expertly style one
-
What the Royal Family might have done if they weren't royal - from Princess Anne's farm life to Kate Middleton's pre-marriage careersBeing royal can be a full time job - but what if it wasn't? What could the Royal Family have done?
-
Remember when Prince William and Kate Middleton broke royal protocol at Easter? Here's why it’s unlikely to happen againThe Royal Family might be taking a more modern approach these days, but there are some traditions and protocols that they still uphold.
-
Kate Middleton's go-to bag for special occasions is a wedding season essential you'll reach for time and time againThe Princess of Wales always reaches for the same elegant style of bag for formal events and it works beautifully for weddings.
-
Kate Middleton declares baker boy hats back for 2025 in new Love Actually-esque outfitThe Princess of Wales's signature style is all about timelessness but that doesn’t mean that she never gets on board with trends.
-
Prince George will start a new school this year and 'smart money' is on Kate and William choosing this one, says royal expertPrince George only has just over a year left at Lambrook School and Emily Andrews believes there's a top contender for his next one.
-
Queen Camilla takes note of Kate Middleton's love of polka dots with charming collared number in RomeIf we had to pick the Princess of Wales’s favourite print it would be polka dots and Queen Camilla just emulated her style in Rome.
-
James Middleton says he 'had three mothers growing up' as he opens up on close-knit family bondThe Princess of Wales’s brother had several 'mothering figures' during his childhood and was 'fortunate' to have this tightknit support system.
-
What earrings does Kate Middleton wear? The affordable brands she loves and where to buy her piecesThe Princess of Wales gravitates towards certain brands for her everyday earrings and many of them are still available right now.
-
Kate Middleton's Mother's Day post has poignant detail that's easy to miss as Princess steps away from traditionThe Princess of Wales shared a video for Mother's Day this year and it included a detail that reminded us of a pivotal moment for her
