Who are the Matthews family? What you need to know about Pippa Middleton’s new in-laws

ONE brother tragically disappeared, never to be seen again. The other is a reality star who boasts of orgies and steroids. Meet Pippa’s new in-laws.

Pippa Middleton and James Matthews are set to get married on Sautuday. Picture: Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage.

THE gardens are manicured, the biceps are pumped. As the UK prepares for the most hotly anticipated wedding since Will and Kate’s, speculation about the dress and details has gone into overdrive.

We already know that Pippa Middleton and James Matthews’ nuptials will include Prince George as a pageboy and Princess Charlotte as a mini-flower girl.

It will take place at a historic village church in Englefield, Berkshire with a ceremony costing a whopping $463,500. The star-studded guest list includes the likes of Meghan Markle, TV star Donna Air, tennis ace Roger Federer and explorer Ben Fogle.

But what of the actual family Pippa is marrying into? Here’s what you need to know about the world’s (second) most famous set of in-laws.

Pippa Middleton has been hitting the gum ahead of her big day. Picture: Photo by Ricky Vigil M/GC Images.

‘THE BAND’

Pippa’s hubby-to-be James, 41, is the oldest of three boys born to Jane and Dave Matthews, nicknamed The Band, by his kids after the Dave Matthews Band.

Dave is a former racing driver who was forced to shelve his career after an accident damaged his eye. Following the accident, he moved into selling luxury cars and property development. He had also been married before, divorcing his first wife, fellow racing driver Anita Taylor, with whom he has a daughter.

His second wife, Jane (James’s mum), was raised in Zimbabwe and reportedly worked at Christian Dior before Dave tracked her down and vowed to marry her, The Times reports. She was famously voted “carnival queen” and paraded through the streets at her university in South Africa.

The pair now own the luxury Caribbean resort Eden Rock in St Barths. It’s located on a private island with dramatic cliffs and turquoise waters that have made it a haunt for the privacy-seeking rich and famous to holiday on with guests including Beyonce and Leonardo DiCaprio.

The couple met at James’s parents resort in the Caribbean when the Middleton’s went there on a family holiday. Picture: Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage.

Eden Rock has been a hotspot for celebrity holidays including Beyonce and Jay Z who have stayed there.

The children have inherited an outdoorsy streak with a passion for skiing, tennis and ultra marathons.

James initially followed his father’s footsteps into race car driving but changed his mind and now runs a hedge-fund based in London with multi-million pound properties to his name.

His brother, Michael, tragically went missing in 1999 after becoming the youngest Brit to reach the summit of Mount Everest. He vanished on the descent and has not been seen since. The family started the Michael Matthews Foundation in his honour which builds schools in different places around the world.

Michael Matthews.

Youngest brother Spencer, 27, is 14 years James’s junior, and has cultivated a “posh Lothario” image from reality shows including Made in Chelsea and an autobiography published at age 24 in which he claimed to have had six-person orgies and slept with 1000 women — which he later retracted.

He’s dating model Vogue Williams, who will reportedly not be at the wedding, and has previously admitted to using steroids and being jealous of his brother’s “good taste” in women, which included some “absolutely incredible girlfriends.”

Pippa is likely to opt for something svelte with sleeves, expert say, but Kate won’t be returning the favour as bridesmaid. Picture: pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images.

THE DRESS

Other details of the big day including what the bride and bridesmaids will wear have been kept under wraps, despite garment bags seen being delivered to Pippa’s address. Speculation is that she will wear something svelte with long sleeves to show off her “amazing figure”.

Details are being tightly controlled by Jo Milloy, the PR guru who also manages the reputation of the Beckhams.

As for any lessons from her royal sister, the one thing Pippa has learned is not to be upstaged. According to Royal author Judy Wade, the future Queen will not be walking down the aisle as a bridesmaid.

“Kate would upstage her sister. It’s a tricky situation for Pippa,” she said.

“She would want her sister by her side, as who else would she trust to make things go well?”

“But if your sister is a future Queen, she is going to upstage the bride and draw attention. Kate would want to be in the background as much as possible.”

Originally published as Who are the Matthews family? What you need to know about Pippa Middleton’s new in-laws