6 Things You Didn't Know About Kate and Pippa Middleton's Relationship
Kate Middleton wasn't the only Middleton in the public eye when she married Prince William in 2011 - the Duchess of Cambridge's sister, Pippa, then 27, made headlines for her figure-flattering bridesmaids dress. But when Pippa, now 33, marries hedge fund manager James Matthews on May 20, her sister likely won't be in the ceremony. No, it's not because the Duchess is harboring a grudge from her own wedding, it's just because of antiquated etiquette rules. But if it made you question the duo's sisterly relationship, here's what you should know.
1. No, Kate will not be a bridesmaid in Pippa's wedding.
It's not because of a snub, rather it's due to traditional British etiquette rules. According to The Daily Beast, "British tradition dictates that bridesmaids should always be unmarried and should be younger than the bride; indeed, many aristocratic British brides have children as their bridesmaids."
2. But they are still close.
Although Pippa doesn't talk about her sister much, she did open up to Matt Lauer in a 2014 interview on The Today Show. "We do we have a very normal, sisterly relationship," Pippa told the host. "We're very close. And, you know, we support each other and get each other's opinions and things."
3. Their tight-knit family keeps their sisterly bond strong.
"Obviously she has pressures that she's taken on and things," Pippa told Lauer in the same interview. "But we spend a lot of time together. We still do a lot together as a family. And I think that's really the heart for all of us is having a really close family that we can sort of be normal with each other, treat each other normally. And that's sort of kept us all, you know, affixed to the ground."
4. Kate and Pippa were roommates after college.
During Kate and William's brief split in 2007, she and Pippa partied together while living in Chelsea in London. According to a biography of Kate, "The two girls would have spray tans and blow-dries together, and decide which social events to attend. For some time, Kate had felt like she wanted to edge towards a more stable and mature lifestyle, favouring chilled nights at home and family events. However, she was still only twenty-five, and was now a single girl with the world at her feet – and a taxi waiting outside."
5. Pippa gave Kate dating advice.
According to one British tabloid - so, you know, take with however many grains of salt you wish - Pippa and Kate clashed a bit as teenagers because Pippa was outgoing and Kate was "more of a loner," said an "insider." "This led to a bit of friction between them and Pippa would sometimes take pleasure in winding her up. Things got better by the time Kate was 18 as she'd be invited to parties and Pippa would always want to tag along. As always, all the attention would go to Pippa and she'd compete with her sister over boys. In fact, Kate tended to get dating advice from her little sister."
6. They competed together growing up.
Both Middleton sisters played on the field hockey team at the boarding school they attended while teenagers, Marlborough College. Both are still super athletic - Pippa has biked across America, run marathons, and competed in ski races, while Kate swims, runs, and does yoga.
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