Pippa Middleton's £15 million home features an array of luxurious features, but it is the swimming pool that she will be most grateful for as the UK braves heatwave conditions this week.
The Princess of Wales' younger sister, 42, shares a 32-room Georgian mansion with her hedge fund manager husband, James Matthews, and their three children, Arthur, seven, Grace, five, and Rose, three.
© Getty ImagesPippa's heatwave-ready pool
After purchasing the property in 2022, the couple installed an outdoor swimming pool measuring 82 feet by 19 feet.
At the time of purchase, it was reported that Pippa and James ripped out a large walled garden to install the pool, which would be more than twice the size of a typical private pool and the same size as those at her two local leisure centres in Berkshire.
The lawn neighbouring the pool was also said to be dug up and replaced with a tennis court, making their garden the ultimate haven on a sunny day.
Controversy at home
The heatwave comes amid a trying time for Pippa and James in regard to their home. The Matthewses are involved in ongoing hearings to determine whether they will be able to keep a gate installed by the hedge fund manager at their home, to "improve security" given their "public profile."
According to the Telegraph, James has been met with backlash from residents who claim the driveway has, for decades, been a vital link between two other footpaths to allow pedestrians to avoid walking on dangerous roads.
© Getty ImagesBut according to James, who is Made In Chelsea alum Spencer Matthews' older brother, this wasn't clear when he purchased the property four years ago. The heir to the Glen Affric estate told the inquiry in a written statement released on Friday: "Prior to moving in, I had visited the house only a few times.
"I did not see any members of the public using the drive on those visits. There was nothing in the conveyancing process which alerted me to any public use of the drive."
Why are Pippa and James keen to keep their gate?
Pippa's husband added that when the gate was installed across the driveway, he wasn't contacted by the parish council to raise an issue and added that the desire to maintain the gate was related to enhancing the security surrounding his property.
© GettyHe said: "There are implications for my family, due to their high public profile, which means there is a need for a higher level of security than would otherwise be the case if the circumstances were different. Therefore, to improve security for my family, before we moved in, I arranged for an electric security gate to be erected on the drive."
