Kate Vs Pippa Middleton: How Do The Sisters' Lives Compare?

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Kate and Pippa Middleton are two of the most famous women in Britain. That's what happens when your older sister marries the future king of England. While Pippa didn't manage to bag Prince Harry and follow in Catherine's footsteps, she didn't fare too badly either. In fact, she's about as well off these days as the Princess of Wales, despite not being married to actual royalty. Princess Catherine, Pippa, and their younger brother, James Middleton, had a happy childhood. The beloved royal confirmed as much during a 2020 appearance on the "Happy Mum, Happy Baby" podcast, noting, "It was great fun and I'm very lucky I come from a very strong family. My parents were hugely dedicated to us. I really appreciate now as a parent how much they sacrificed for us." 

Catherine and Pippa attended the same school — Marlborough College, where they both excelled in sports — but their paths diverged when they went to university. Although they both headed up north, the future princess attended the University of St Andrews and Pippa opted for the University of Edinburgh. The sisters subsequently continued their climb up the ladder in Britain's most elite social circles. Catherine was already dating William, but they were both rumored to be ruthless in their pursuit of landing the most top-tier men, to the extent that the press referred to them as the "Wisteria Sisters." 

Pippa was reportedly better at socializing than Catherine, with a source dishing to The Scotsman in 2008 that she was actually envious of her younger sister. "I sensed that she feared being eclipsed by her, because Pippa has more natural effervescence, is socially much more at ease and was always popular with everyone," they imparted. The two women have since led very similar lives, albeit with a few key differences. 

Over the years, it has become apparent that Kate and Pippa Middleton have very similar styles — and, clearly, they share a similar taste in men too. Princess Catherine bagged a prince while she was studying at the University of St. Andrews, while her younger sister married a rich hedge fund manager. Some say the two ending up with wealthy, well-established men is no accident. Rumors have persisted that their mom, Carole Middleton, orchestrated Kate Middleton's relationship with the future king. She was initially set to attend the University of Edinburgh like Pippa, but then switched to St. Andrews after the palace announced it was William's university of choice. Suspicious? 

Of course, there's no proof that Carole pulled any elaborate strings. Either way, Catherine married William, and she's set to become the queen of England one day. If Carole did orchestrate it, she was very successful indeed. Pippa, meanwhile, landed an eligible bachelor of her own. She married James Matthews in 2017 in a wedding that threatened to outshine her sister's and, again, rumors were rife that Carole was the mastermind behind the union. Perhaps she should consider a career in matchmaking?  

Thanks to marrying William, Catherine is not only the future queen, but she's also incredibly rich. The Prince of Wales officially became a billionaire in 2026, with his net worth estimated to be around $1.6 billion. Pippa and her husband were notably richer than even the late Queen Elizabeth II, with Matthews' net worth totaling around $2 billion back in 2021. Her Majesty was worth a meager $480 million in comparison.

Pippa Middleton might not be royalty, but she really lives like it. Princess Catherine, of course, gets to call a palace her home (sort of). She and Prince William used to reside at Kensington Palace before relocating to the lavish, four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage. Pippa, meanwhile, used to own two similarly grand properties. But, while the Prince and Princess of Wales get to enjoy lavish homes, they don't actually own them. Kensington Palace, Adelaide Cottage, and their current home, Forest Lodge, all belong to the Crown Estate, which is managed by the monarch, but not owned by them. 

While Catherine and William resided at Adelaide Cottage, Pippa and James Matthews were living in an expansive 32-room mansion in Berkshire worth £15 million (around $20 million). What one does with so many rooms when you're a family of five is beyond us. But wait, there's more! Pippa and Matthews also owned Bucklebury Farm (worth $2.9 million), but sold it in 2026 after facing some financial problems. While Pippa was roaming about her massive house, Catherine was living in the cozy four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage, but she and William made the move to Forest Lodge in November 2025. 

It was quite the upgrade; the property, estimated to be worth around $22 million, boasts eight bedrooms. She might not be the future queen, but Pippa Middleton definitely has a really lavish life that, at times, seems to outshine even her royal sister's.  

Pippa Middleton struggled with fame from Prince William and Kate Middleton's romance, but despite all the media attention, she's managed to create a much more private life than her older sister. Not being a senior member of the royal family has helped enormously in that regard. Before Pippa tied the knot with James Matthews, sources told People in 2016 that she looked forward to stepping away from the spotlight for good after her nuptials, clarifying that she and the hedge fund manager didn't want the attention. Another source added that the couple was focused on "having children and leading a quiet life."

They've definitely achieved that. Catherine and William, however, don't have that luxury. As the future king and queen, they must stay in the spotlight — the monarchy's survival depends on it. The Princess of Wales has had to deal with the paparazzi since her and William's university romance first became public, and the attention has been unceasing since. According to Russell Myers' tome, "William & Catherine," she called the prince "in floods of tears" on her birthday in 2007 after getting ambushed by paparazzi outside her house, reportedly telling him, "I can't do this anymore." 

This led to William issuing a statement calling on photographers to respect her privacy. Of course, Catherine still deals with an onslaught of press to this day. Who could possibly forget the media furor surrounding her extended public absence in early 2024, before she announced her cancer diagnosis? Or the media storm that erupted after the princess posted a photoshopped Mother's Day picture in March of that year? Catherine will never escape the spotlight, but Pippa, at least, has options.

Pippa and Kate Middleton are both mothers of three, and they are equally protective of their brood. Pippa, however, has had the privilege of keeping Arthur, Grace, and Rose shielded from prying eyes, whereas Princess Catherine is obligated to show hers off to eager royal fans and the press. Very little is known about Pippa Middleton's three kids; the public has never caught as much as a fleeting glimpse of them, and there are no photos for reference. She has, however, offered a rare detail about her son, Arthur. During a 2021 interview with Hoka One, Pippa revealed that she's involved him in her fitness goals. 

"Being active with my 2.5-year-old son in the park or playground, transporting him on the back of my bike and buggy running when he was a baby have been ways in which I have been able to include outdoor exercise whilst being a hands-on mummy," she shared, per Hello! magazine. Pippa added that Arthur is a fitness enthusiast in the making, proudly noting, "He loves nothing more than running wild in the woods, parks and fields with our two dogs, even if it's howling a gale and pouring with rain." On the other hand, the Princess of Wales' children have been in the public eye since they were very young. 

With Prince George set to become the future king, she really had no choice in the matter. Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have also made plenty of public appearances over the years, and while Catherine has made it clear that she always puts her kids first, she admitted on the "Happy Mum, Happy Baby," podcast that she often experiences mom guilt. "Anyone who doesn't as a mother is actually lying," Catherine surmised.

Senior working members of the royal family do not hold down ordinary jobs, nor are they allowed to pursue a career of their choice, which means that, unlike Pippa Middleton, her sister Kate Middleton doesn't get to decide what she'd like to do with her life. These days, Princess Catherine works with several charitable organizations to better the lives of others, whether through supporting organizations that do cancer research or those focused on helping people improve their mental health. But before she was a royal, Catherine held some ordinary jobs too. 

She famously worked as a deckhand to save up some cash before heading to the University of St. Andrews, according to Katie Nicholl's book, "Kate: The Future Queen." Later, while studying, she waited tables to earn extra money. After university, she worked at the fashion brand Jigsaw, before helping out at her parents' party supplies company, Party Pieces. In 2011, Catherine gave up her professional aspirations to become Prince William's wife, and she hasn't had a job of her own since. Pippa, however, has had the privilege of pursuing careers of her choice. 

She started making a name for herself as a writer while also working in event planning and PR. She even had her own column, "Sport and Social," in The Daily Telegraph. Pippa notably also wrote a sports column for Vanity Fair, which was discontinued in 2015, alongside releasing two books, but these days, she's not doing much paid work, instead focusing on charitable causes. There were whispers that Pippa planned to open a nursery school on her and her husband's property, Bucklebury Farm, but that project is dead, given that they sold it in 2026.