Princess Kate’s younger sister, Pippa Middleton Matthews, lives a fairly normal life away from the royal spotlight with her husband, James Matthews, and their three children: Arthur, Grace, and Rose. After living in central London for over a decade, Pippa now lives on a vast estate near her parents and brother in Berkshire. Although she is usually living a quiet day-to-day life, it seems she still frequently travels between her country home and London for outings with her children.
According to Hello!, Pippa and her son, Arthur, seven, were spotted on a regular commuter train from London to Newbury, the train station closest to their home. The mother and son were described as very “normal” as they travelled together in standard class and snacked on sushi and doughnuts. The future queen’s sister and nephew “went totally under the radar in the train carriage,” with no fanfare.
"Pippa was just a very normal mum,” a source told Hello! “She was very attentive to her son, who was engrossed in his iPad.” As the train approached their destination, little Arthur Matthews refused to give up his iPad. According to the source, his mother was “firm” and “threatened to limit his future access” before he relented, a struggle to which many parents can relate.
On the hour-long train journey, many parents would hand their children a screen to entertain them, but Princess Kate may not agree. The Princess of Wales has become increasingly outspoken about the concerns of screen-time. In an essay titled The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World, Princess Kate warned parents of “the epidemic of disconnection” caused by digital devices.
“Our smartphones, tablets, and computers have become sources of constant distraction, fragmenting our focus and preventing us from giving others the undivided attention that relationships require,” the princess wrote. “We sit together in the same room while our minds are scattered,” she said, explaining that “we’re physically present but mentally absent, unable to fully engage with the people right in front of us.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales are a notoriously low-tech family, confirming that their children do not have phones and have strict screen-time limits on other outlets, like video games or television. Pippa Middleton may have similar screen limits at home, but simply wanted a peaceful train ride back to Bucklebury.
