Pippa Middleton showcased her love of sport on Sunday as she took part in the Kintbury 5, a five-mile charity run organised by Kintbury St Mary's Primary School. The Princess of Wales' sister joined local runners for the annual event, which raises funds for the school to help provide vital resources that support children's learning and development.
Event Details
Described on the official website as a 'fun and friendly run', the multi-terrain race took place along quiet roads and tracks around Inkpen and Kintbury, near Hungerford. The West Berkshire village is close to where Pippa, her husband James Matthews, and their three children live at Barton Court, a 32-room Georgian mansion around an hour west of London and just 20 minutes from Bucklebury, where her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, reside.
Right-of-Way Dispute
However, the couple have recently become embroiled in a dispute with local residents over access to a path that runs through their 145-acre estate. When they purchased the Georgian manor in 2022, they inherited land including Mill Lane, also known as Donkey Lane. Pippa and James have strongly rejected claims that previous owners allowed public access, arguing that the route - which leads to the driveway of their Grade I-listed property - has always been private.
After moving in, security measures were introduced, including gates, keypad entry and signs reading 'Private: No Public Access' and 'No Trespassing' at both ends of the path. Lady Victoria Conran, who lived on the Barton Court estate from 1992 until she sold it to the couple, gave evidence at the inquiry in support of Pippa and James. She told the hearing she only ever recalled private signage and did not remember the public having unfettered right of way through the land.
It was reported that locals have claimed Pippa is exercising the royal status of her sister - Catherine, Princess of Wales - to suggest she and her husband deserve special treatment, owing to their need for privacy and security. Thirty-five residents, backed by The Ramblers' Association, appealed to West Berkshire Council to have the lane declared a public right of way, but the couple have pushed back strongly.
Residents argue the lane has been used openly as a walking route for decades and say its closure forces pedestrians onto the narrow and potentially hazardous Station Road, which has no pavement and several blind bends. In mid-May, a six-day Government planning inquiry was held at Kintbury's Coronation Hall to determine whether the path should be officially added to the Definitive Map of public rights of way. The planning inspector has said the couple's privacy and security concerns fall outside the legal scope of the inquiry, meaning the decision will instead rest on historical evidence of public use. A final ruling is expected in the coming weeks.
Pippa's Athletic Background
Showcasing her long-standing passion for sport and fitness, Pippa is known for taking on demanding endurance challenges, including the Race Across America cycling event, a cross-continental swimming race in Istanbul, a 47-mile swim-run in Sweden, and the Great Wall Marathon. In June 2014, she completed the Race Across America (RAAM), a 3,000-mile cycling event spanning 12 US states from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast. The following month, she took part in the Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race in Istanbul, Turkey, finishing the 6.5km (approximately 4-mile) open-water event - which crosses the Bosphorus Strait from Asia to Europe - in 1 hour and 5 minutes. In September 2015, Pippa completed the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship in Sweden, a 47-mile (75km) race across 26 islands in the Stockholm archipelago, comprising 6 miles of open-water swimming and 41 miles of trail running. In May 2016, she also finished the Great Wall Marathon in China, a challenging 26.2-mile course featuring thousands of steep steps and extreme heat, in a time of 4 hours and 51 minutes, placing 13th among female competitors.
