NEED TO KNOW

  • Pippa Middleton and her husband are reportedly pursuing permission for a project that connects to a key sector of her sister Kate Middleton’s royal work
  • The couple got approval to establish the venture at Bucklebury Farm, their recreational estate
  • The Princess of Wales just released an innovative new series of videos from her Centre for Early Childhood

Pippa Middleton is reportedly embarking on an endeavor that her sister Kate Middleton will approve of, as she pursues permission to build a children’s nursery.

On July 31, the Daily Mail reported that Pippa, 41, and her husband, James Matthews, were given permission by their local council to establish a nursery at Bucklebury Farm. The couple purchased the 72-acre property in West Berkshire for just under $2 million in 2020 and operate it as a recreational estate. 

According to the report from royal editor Richard Eden’s column, the space will be for youngsters between the ages of nine months old and age 5, providing “strong social benefits” and meeting a local shortage of “early years places,” per the council.

Pippa Matthews and James Matthews attend The ‘Together At Christmas’ Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on December 8, 2023 in London, England.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty

Pippa and hedge fund manager James live nearby with their children, Arthur, 6, Grace, 4, and Rose, 3, and their reported vision for a nursery connects to one of Princess Kate’s philanthropic passions.

The Princess of Wales, 43, has made children’s issues a key focus of her royal work, honing that focus in recent years to early childhood development and the crucial role caretakers play in a child’s first few years of life. 

To raise awareness around this issue at the next level, Princess Kate launched the landmark “Shaping Us” campaign in January 2024 as an offshoot of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood that she established in June 2021.

On Aug. 6, it was revealed that Princess Kate had backed a series of animated videos released through the Centre for Early Childhood’s YouTube channel as an informative resource for professionals and volunteers who work with babies, children and families.

The update came with new footage of Kate touring behind the scenes of the production in June, where she met illustrators and early years practitioners who helped develop the series.

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Princess Kate and Pippa are known to be close, and Pippa has always supported the holiday concert her sister spearheaded.

Samir Hussein/WireImage

Pippa has attended Princess Kate’s Together at Christmas carol service, historically held in December at Westminster Abbey in London, every year since Kate established the event in 2021.

The Princess of Wales organized the inaugural concert as a way to thank those who went above and beyond for their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, in a tradition that has continued ever since to bring people together in the spirit of the holidays.

Kate and Pippa memorably stepped out together to attend the Wimbledon Championships in July 2024, having a girl’s day out with Princess Charlotte, 10, in one of Kate’s few outings while undergoing treatment for cancer last year.