EXCLUSIVE: Kate Middleton's Sister Pippa at Center of 'Petty Property War' That Has Left Her Future Queen Sibling 'In Absolute Despair'
Pippa Middleton's drama is said to have her sister upset.
April 17 2026, Published 7:30 p.m. ET
Pippa Middleton has been drawn into a bitter property dispute in rural Berkshire, which sources tell RadarOnline.com has left her sister, Catherine, Princess of Wales, in "absolute despair" as tensions escalate between locals and the Middleton family's extended estate.
Pippa, 42, and her husband James Matthews, 50, are at the center of a growing row after access to Mill Lane on their Barton Court estate near Kintbury, south-east England, was restricted.
Pippa Middleton and James Matthews have sparked a bitter row after blocking a historic Berkshire footpath.
Matthews, a hedge fund manager, purchased the 32-room Georgian mansion set within 145 acres in 2022 for around $21million.
Shortly after, electric gates were installed, and signage was erected warning against trespassing, blocking a route villagers said has been used for generations to reach a public footpath and St Mary's Church, a 12th-century landmark.
The closure has forced walkers onto a narrow country road without pavements, raising safety concerns.
'This Situation Has Become Deeply Uncomfortable for Catherine'
The Princess of Wales is said to be in 'absolute despair' over the escalating community backlash.
Sources said the dispute has reverberated beyond the local community and into the royal family.
One insider told us: "This situation has become deeply uncomfortable for Catherine, who is very aware of the optics and the impact on the local community, and it has left her feeling genuinely distressed and in despair."
Another source added: "What might have seemed like a straightforward property decision has spiraled into something much more contentious, and Catherine is said to be frustrated that it has reached this point.
"She is just sick of the drama engulfing her family, what with King Charles' cancer battle, her own cancer recovery, Prince Harry's war with her husband Prince William, and Andrew Windsor's Jeffrey Epstein scandal."
Local Anger Grows Over Blocked Historic Path
The couple installed electric gates at their $21million estate, restricting access to a local landmark.
Local opposition to Pippa's property move has intensified as campaigners argue the blocked lane near her home has long been a vital and safe route for locals.
One resident said, "We have been given numerous first-hand accounts from neighbors who recall being able to use that route freely as far back as the 1960s, and there is a strong belief locally that this access stretches back much further, with people from surrounding villages relying on it for generations to reach Kintbury.
"It is not just a convenient path; it has long been considered a safe and reliable way of getting in and out of the village, so forcing walkers onto the main road now introduces a level of risk that simply was not there before."
Council Ruling Escalates Ongoing Dispute
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Late owner Terence Conran reportedly allowed open access to the route before his 2020 death.
West Berkshire council has since designated Mill Lane as a public right of way following an application by the Ramblers' Association, which argued it had been used freely for more than two decades.
The matter is now set to be reviewed at a Planning Inspectorate hearing next month.
Residents have also pointed to the approach of the estate's previous owner, the late designer Terence Conran, who died aged 88 in 2020 and is said to have allowed continued access to the route.
One local source said: "When the estate was under its previous owner, there was a feeling that things were more relaxed and accommodating – people and the land seemed to coexist without issue, and access was not treated as a point of conflict. Now, by contrast, it feels like a firm boundary has been imposed, and that shift in attitude has really unsettled many within the village who had grown used to a more open approach."
Parish council discussions have revealed mixed historical use of the lane, with some residents recalling longstanding access while others said signage had previously indicated it was private.
Despite this, the council has voted to support the designation of the route as a right of way, reflecting growing unease within the community.
Sources close to the situation said the dispute has become increasingly personal.
One insider said: "As the situation drags on, both sides seem to be digging in further rather than moving toward any kind of compromise. Positions are hardening, emotions are running higher, and what started as a local disagreement is increasingly playing out in a very public and charged way."
