26 March 2024 , 14:42
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So much has changed for Princess Kate since she met and married her husband Prince William. But the one constant for the royal has been her incredibly close bond with her tight-knit family.
Kate and her younger sister Pippa are especially devoted to each other. And with the royal now undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer, there's no doubt that her sibling will be on hand to support her every step of the way. We take a look at Kate and Pippa's sweet relationship…
Born just 21 months apart, Kate and Pippa, along with their younger brother James, grew up together in Bucklebury, Berkshire, with both sisters attending top boarding school, Marlborough College.
After graduating from university and prior to her marriage to William, Kate actually lived with Pippa in a £1.88million apartment in Chelsea, close to King's Road, and the pair were often spotted on nights out together at popular London hotspots, including Mahiki and Boujis.
In a previous interview with NBC, Pippa opened up about her relationship with her big sister, saying: "I mean, obviously she has pressures that she's taken on and things. But we spend a lot of time together. We still do a lot together as a family. We have a very normal, sisterly relationship. We're very close. And, you know, we support each other and get each other's opinions and things."
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Given their bond, it came as no surprise that Kate turned to her sister when it came to her wedding, with Pippa famously acting as the Princess's Maid of Honour. Some six years later, and Kate was able to return the favour, supporting Pippa as she tied the knot with James Matthews. Fast-forward to the present day, and both sisters are now very proud mums to three children - another special bond they share.
The Middletons are incredibly protective of Kate - and she clearly values time as a normal family. With that in mind, Pippa and her sister do not appear together much in public; the last time was when Kate held her Christmas Carol concert in December. But given their close proximity, it is thought they frequently meet up with their young families, particularly in the school holidays.
Royal expert Jennie Bond previously spoke to OK! about Kate and Pippa, and reflected on their relationship behind closed doors. "They talk about everything and I very much doubt that Catherine expects her sister to stand on ceremony when they are together," Jennie said. "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."
As well as the Princess possibly wanting to not "stand on ceremony" behind closed doors, Jennie suggested that there's another reason Kate and Pippa's relationship has remained so "balanced" - and it's down to some similarities in their lifestyles and living arrangements.
"The fact that [Pippa] has married an extremely wealthy man, James Matthews, means that the relationship between the two sisters has remained quite a balanced one. Pippa and James have a riverside mansion in Berkshire, less than an hour's drive from Windsor (where Catherine lives) and half an hour from their parents," she explained.
The royal expert also expressed admiration for how Pippa has "kept her feet on the ground" despite facing the "blaze of publicity" that put her in the public eye when she was her sister's bridesmaid. And she added that Pippa is "by all accounts, a delightful young woman".