Pampered Pippa’s overthe-top honeymoon
It’s $20,000 a night!
After the year-long stress of planning her lavish wedding to James Matthews, newlywed Pippa Middleton can finally relax – and she’s doing it in style, honeymooning at one of the most luxurious tropical retreats in the world.
An exhausted-looking Pippa, 33, and her new husband were spotted at Los Angeles Airport just 24 hours after their celebrations wrapped, and sources have confirmed they are now resting up on the remote Polynesian island of Teti’aroa, 50km north of Tahiti. It was once the Tahitian royal family’s favourite retreat, later becoming the home of legendary actor Marlon Brando, who is said to have fallen in love with it while filming Mutiny on the
Bounty in 1962. Now, it’s home to the exclusive Brando Resort, which has been described as “fit for royalty”. Private
villas cost up to $20,000 a night and all have their own plunge pool, 24-hour dedicated staff and access to a Michelin-star restaurant.’
And Pippa and her billionaire husband, 41, are in good company! The resort has hosted stars including Beyoncé, Leonardo DiCaprio – and more recently former US president Barack Obama, who spent a week there earlier this year writing his memoir.
Says a friend, “Pippa was determined to get away from it all as soon as the wedding was over and she wanted nothing short of total luxury. The wedding was spectacular and perfect in every way, but the planning caused Pippa more stress than she ever could’ve imagined and she’s shattered. She and James just couldn’t wait to get there and relax finally.”
But it’s not the only honeymoon they’re planning. After a week of tropical luxury, they’re heading to
the Scottish Highlands, where James’ family owns a 4000-hectare estate near Loch Ness. The loved-up couple are desperate for as much “alone time” as possible before they head back to their usual lives in London.
A friend explains, “Pippa and James have loved all the excitement about getting married, but obviously it became a very intense few months and they both feel they’re ready to be totally alone together.”
What a show!
While photographs of the newlyweds and their bridal party – including Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte – have been seen around the world, details from inside the evening reception have been a closely-guarded secret. However, a florist shared photos on Instagram from the inside of the $200,000 glass marquee in the garden of Pippa and Kate’s family home in Bucklebury.
Around 350 guests partied amid a sea of pale pink roses and hydrangeas, with full-size cherry blossom trees dotted inside the venue.
Handwritten menus from the event – which is rumoured to have cost up to $2 million – have even appeared for sale on eBay, showing an extravagant banquet of a trout starter, followed by a main course of Herdwick lamb. Dessert was a Glen Affric cranachan cheesecake, accompanied by a Highland whiskey honey – a clear nod to James’ family ties to Scotland.
After dinner, James and Pippa reportedly enjoyed their first dance accompanied by a saxophonist and a DJ. They then danced the night away with their guests, who were also treated to a single malt whiskey bar, photo booths and a light projection show which saw footage of the bride and groom beamed onto the back of Bucklebury Manor.
“It was an absolutely unforgettable night,” a guest told
Woman’s
Day. “Every single detail was just exquisite.”