Celebrities are just like us: especially since they live all over the world, and increasingly less in California. When it comes to Kate Middleton’s sister Pippa, and her husband James Matthews, apparently the couple’s move to the English countryside has started a quiet stir in the town of West Berkshire, where they have been living for the past two years. It’s beginning to look like what reportedly happened with Chris Hemsworth in Byron Bay.
Pippa Middleton Has Caused A Stir With Locals With Countryside Estate
Middleton and her husband, who got married back in 2017, have been settled in a 145-acre estate in West Berkshire for the past two years. However recently, per Daily Mail, their neighbors are unhappy with their decision to close off a lane around the countryside property with a fence and a “No Public Access” sign.
The outlet conducted a few interviews with surrounding residents, who had mixed feelings about the new development. One said they’d been walking the path for 50 years and thought they should “have a right to roam.” Another called it a “shame” due to it being a “lovely walk,” while another comment suggested it is “depriving the village of an amenity.”
Apparently, Pippa Middleton’s husband submitted a Highway Declaration Notice to West Berkshire Council earlier this year to mark the footpath as their private property. While the council will make a final decision on this next year, until then the Middleton family has been granted the right to restrict the area from the public.
Byron Bay Locals Apparently Weren’t Happy With Chris Hemsworth Either
The recent Middleton controversy reminds me of Chris Hemsworth’s move from Hollywood to Byron Bay, Australia after the actor apparently got “sick” of seeing his face everywhere. Hemsworth and his family went down under in 2015 after he became a huge star for being in some of the best Marvel movies.
Since then, he’s enjoyed his kids being surrounded by nature and away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood, and one of his own has even taken up surfing.
However, it’s not just Chris Hemsworth who is going to Byron Bay these days. An increasing amount of celebs have moved out there to find a home. Zac Efron did during the pandemic, and some productions even took place over there. However, with more names moving over there like Matt Damon and Natalie Portman, it apparently led to a rapid increase in real estate prices that drove some people out of the area.
Back in 2022, some locals spoke out about the trend leading the coastal paradise to become the priciest major market in Australia, per The Daily Telegraph.
As the world of celebrities widens from Los Angeles neighborhoods, it’s certainly worth following how it affects the locals.