Princess Kate's brother-in-law accused of 'putting public at risk' at £15m home

Princess Kate's brother-in-law accused of 'putting public at risk' at £15m homeJames Matthews, who is married to Pippa Middleton, has been accused of 'putting the public at risk' after he reportedly sealed off an entrance at his Berkshire estateCommentsNewsMatt Jackson Trendswatch Content Editor09:45, 07 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesJames Matthews has been slammed for a decision at his £15m home(Image: Getty)Princess Kate's brother-in-law James Matthews has been criticised for "putting the public at risk" with alterations at his £15m property. James, who wed Pippa Middleton in 2017, purchased the Barton Court Estate in Berkshire in 2022.‌The estate features a 32-room Georgian mansion alongside 145 acres of countryside situated on the banks of the River Kennet. However, locals have voiced their anger after the hedge fund manager allegedly blocked off an entrance onto Mill Lane.‌Residents say it offers a vital connection to a footpath linking the surrounding areas to the village of Kintbury and St Mary's Church. They now maintain they are compelled to use a narrow country lane as an alternative.‌They say the estate's former owner, Sir Terence Conran, never prevented walkers or shut the gates at the end of the lane. Within weeks of acquiring the estate, they say James fitted electric gates 70 metres from the eastern entrance to the lane, stopping walkers from reaching the footpath.They say warning notices were subsequently erected stating "No Trespassing" and "Private: No Public Access". The Times reports that in 2024, James submitted a highway declaration notice claiming that Mill Lane was not accessible to the public.View 3 ImagesJames bought the luxurious estate in 2022(Image: Getty)‌West Berkshire Council has apparently classified the lane as a public right of way following claims from local ramblers that it had been accessible for more than 20 years, a ruling currently under appeal with the Planning Ins...