The Duchess of Cambridge's younger sister, Pippa Middleton, lives just on the periphery of royalty. (Even her nuptials to James Matthews last year caused a royal wedding-worthy media swarm.) But could she make her regal status official with an official title? Here, royal expert and Royal Musings founder Marlene Koenig helps us break it down.
The rumor: Middleton could become a 'Lady' due to her father-in-law’s land acquisition.
Since even before her wedding to Matthews last year, it’s been reported that Pippa could inherit the title of Lady Glen Affric because her father-in-law David Matthews had purchased the 10,000-acre Glen Affric estate in the Scottish Highlands in 2008, presumably making him the Laird of Glen Affric.
Since lairdships are technically inherited in Scotland, it was believed that after David's death, his eldest son, James Matthews, would become a Laird of of Glen Affric, thus making Pippa his 'Lady.'
But 'laird' is more of description of land ownership than a royal title in Scotland.
The Court of the Lord Lyon, the official heraldry office in Scotland, states:
The term ‘laird’ has generally been applied to the owner of an estate, sometimes by the owner himself or, more commonly, by those living and working on the estate. It is a description rather than a title, and is not appropriate for the owner of a normal residential property, far less the owner of a small souvenir plot of land. It goes without saying that the term ‘laird’ is not synonymous with that of ‘lord’ or ‘lady’.
Ownership of a souvenir plot of land is not sufficient to bring a person otherwise ineligible within the jurisdiction of the Lord Lyon for the purpose of seeking a Grant of Arms.
'The lairdship of Glen Afric is a Scottish feudal barony, not a peerage,' Koenig tells BAZAAR.com. The Peerage of the United Kingdom includes the titles Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron, which are all inherited or bestowed by a monarch. However, the laird title isn't given by the sovereign.
So Pippa won't have a royal title, and neither will her husband.
Even if James inherited the lairdship from his father, Middleton would still likely not be titled as a Lady. The wife of a laird used to be called Lady up until the 18th century, but the practice has disappeared and now spouses take on their husband's full names, Koenig previously told The Duchess Diary in 2016. Now they're usually referred to as Mrs. or Madam, the Irish style.
Thus, 'Pippa is Mrs. James Matthews,' Koenig assures. Their children's titles will be Master or Miss [name] Matthews. 'No titles whatsoever,' she adds.
The Matthewses (who are English, not Scottish) also don't play a real role in the Glen Affric, according to Koenig. James' father, a millionaire hotel owner, renovated the estate to include a posh lodge and cabins, which visitors can rent for a luxe highland getaway.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now.
