Pippa Middleton Once Revealed A Long-Kept Secret That Kate Wanted Under Wraps
Pippa Middleton is less than two years younger than her sister Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Kate and Pippa share a tight connection. "We have a very normal, sisterly relationship," Pippa informed "Today" in 2014. "We support each other and get each other's opinions and things." During that same interview, Pippa revealed that while Kate was taking on a career as a working royal, she had aspirations to be an author.
In 2012, Pippa published her first book: "Celebrate: A Year of British Festivities for Families and Friends." The 400-page tome was chock full of party ideas and recipes. Surprisingly, one of those recipes was a beloved family secret that Kate reportedly did not want disclosed to the public: their grandmother's chutney. According to Pippa's book, the recipe includes dried grapes, ground ginger, and marrows (basically late-harvested zucchinis). Chutney has a lot in common with jam, although it differs in a few key areas. While both have fruit and sugar, chutney includes dried fruit and features the acidic bite of vinegar.
However, four years later, it was Kate who put this legendary family recipe in the spotlight. In 2016 the princess' comments in a documentary let royal fans know it was a gift worthy of a queen. After that, there was demand for Kate to make the chutney available to the public. Hilariously, while Kate stayed mum, it appears that many people were unaware that Pippa had provided directions to so they could make it themselves.
Kate's chutney is surprisingly delicious
Catherine, Princess of Wales' preparation of her grandma's chutney has made numerous headlines since she told the story of gifting it to Queen Elizabeth II. It was 2011, Kate's first Christmas after her royal wedding to William, Prince of Wales, and she wanted to make a good impression on her new grandmother-in-law. "I thought back to what would I give my own grandparents. And I thought, 'I'll make her something.' Which could have gone horribly wrong," Kate explained in the documentary "Our Queen at Ninety" (via People). To Kate's delight, her chutney was prominently featured on the dining table -– a clear signal Elizabeth appreciated it.
In 2020, journalist Dorothy Reddin cooked a batch of Kate's legendary chutney, using the recipe Pippa Middleton included in "Celebrate." As the ingredients cooked for a couple of hours, Reddin discovered a surprising contrast between the cooking process and the finished product. "I had to open all the windows in my flat due to the pungent smell," she wrote in Express. In particular, Reddin found the vinegar odor overwhelming while she was cooking. "However, when I tried the chutney, I was very pleasantly surprised," she acknowledged, describing the flavor as "tangy and sweet."
While Kate may have been dismayed that Pippa divulged their family recipe, "Celebrate" sales were so low that not a lot of people gleaned the secret from its pages. In addition, the book received some snarky reviews which may have discouraged potential buyers.
Pippa bounced back with her second book
Although "Celebrate" wasn't the stunning debut Pippa Middleton was envisioning, her second book, "Heartfelt," published in 2016, had a more positive reception. For starters, "Heartfelt" was a charitable endeavor, with all its proceeds supporting the British Heart Foundation. Pippa serves as a celebrity ambassador for the organization, and she's also logged some serious miles riding her bike on their behalf.
In contrast, Pippa had received a £400,000 advance ahead of the publication of "Celebrate" –- a large sum that some people found unjustified after perusing the finished book. Despite revealing Catherine, Princess of Wales' secret chutney, Pippa showed deference to Kate by staying out of the spotlight after "Celebrate" was published. However, Pippa's caution meant she missed out on opportunities to promote her book and help increase its sales.
"Heartfelt" garnered multiple compliments from a Food Network writer who tried seven different recipes from the book. While Pippa admitted she hadn't tested out each recipe (some were celebrity contributions), she did ask Kate and her other family members to taste-test and offer input on what should be included. No family recipes, confidential or otherwise, were in "Heartfelt." In addition, Pippa acknowledged that she had previously struggled with fame and learned from her missteps with "Celebrate." "I believed in it and I can't blame anyone else, but maybe it might have been better if I had waited a bit longer before doing it," she explained to the Daily Mail in 2016.