As we learned several days ago, David Matthews was charged with rape of a minor and released on bail in France. David Matthews is the father of James Matthews – aka Terribly Moderately Wealthy James Matthews – which means that Pippa Middleton has been calling David Matthews her father-in-law for the better part of a year. I’m sure this would have been a scandalous, tabloidy true-crime story even without the connection to the Middletons – the Matthews family owns the Eden Rock hotel in St. Barts, so it already had “stories of the rich and shady” written all over it already. Apparently, a woman in her 30s came forward to French authorities last fall and filed a police report alleging that David Matthews raped her when she was just 15 years old. The French authorities investigated for several months, then closed in on Matthews last week. We’ll see if anything comes from it. In the meantime, a second woman has come forward:
Pippa Middleton’s father-in-law faces a fresh police quiz after a second woman came forward to accuse him of rape. The woman is understood to have claimed that David Matthews, 74, forced her to have sex with him in the 1980s. Detectives from South Yorkshire Police are investigating.
Multi-millionaire Mr Matthews was last week accused by French prosecutors over claims he raped a minor. The tycoon — dad to Pippa’s husband James, 42, and I’m A Celeb star Spencer, 29 — was accused of two offences between 1998 and 1999 by a woman now in her 30s. One is said to have happened on the Caribbean island of St Barts, where Mr Matthews owns the £5,000-a-night Eden Rock Hotel. The second allegedly took place in Paris.
The British woman is understood to have recently alleged that she was raped in the UK.
If we learned anything from the #MeToo Movement and Sex Predator-gate, it’s that there’s strength in numbers. People are eager to dismiss one woman’s account of harassment, abuse, assault or rape, but as soon as there’s another victim (or 10 more victims, or 100 more victims), suddenly sh-t gets real and dudes are like “wow, maybe I should believe women.”
The Daily Mail also has a story that serves as some sort of background on David Matthews and the playground of St. Barts. Go here to read. Meh.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid.
Not that her FIL’s criminal activity is Pippa’s fault in any way – but are we still pretending Kate Middleton was photographed in Waitorse at the weekend just by chance?
Classic attempt to draw attention away from this, non?
I 100% agree.
I would buy into that had she been with any of her children.
But there are photos around of Cambridge’s with kids suddenly, over Easter. Someone a private citizen just happened to catch them at exact time hmmmm …
How would blurry supermarket pics distract from two rape charges?? Did Carole arrange for Phillp to have hip surgery in order to draw attention away?
Because instead of the articles on the Cambridges being only about their reaction to Pippa’s FIL, there’s now other material like the Waitrose story and running errands while very pregnant and how difficult that can be and that leads to more stories about the pregnancy in general. Also possibly a story about being late to Easter services and annoying the Queen.
Bingo
These pics and stories dont appear out of no where. There is timing planned. Focused planned. People might forget theres relationships and favors kept and done in journalism/publications. It’s a real connection.
The conspiracies are silly imo but a more plausible explanation would be a deflection from Charles and Camilla’s disastrous Australia visit. All the headlines have been negative – a former PM claiming Charles favors Australia leaving the Commonwealth, protesters shouting go home, Charles’ irritation at the spoiled heir accusations during a radio interview and criticism of Camilla looking bored at the opening of the Commonwealth games.
Too many incidents aren’t coincidence.
Question is: why? It would seem as if somebody would put the Royals under pressure?
No-one in Australia cares about David Matthews – if they’ve ever even heard of him – because he is the father of James who married Pippa whose sister married William who is the son of Charles who is the son of Elizabeth. None of them matter to our lives here. We are too far away to care in distance, in divergent values, cultural makeup. The list goes on. There is no sense or point to non-merit based leadership.
Charles’s visit highlights the very real absurdity of a foreigner – his mama – being Head of State. It is an opportunity not to be lost to bring into public consciousness and discussion the move to a republic through the referendum apparatus. Yes, Camilla looked bored; she probably was. Yes, there is a growing insurgency from indigenous peoples about being all but killed off due to the effects of British colonial rule (in Tasmania there was documented genocide). Still, the coverage of C+C’s visit has been positive and interested people have turned out to see them. If any celebrity had turned out, the crowds would have been there too.
Apart from Keating’s alleged comments by Charles about Australia having its own HoS (not leaving the Commonwealth), Phillip also opined at the last referendum that he thought Australians mad for sticking to the status quo. He was right.
I’ve been following PRess Association photos and articles and tweets on the Prince Charles and Camilla trip and also from the Commonwealth Commison and it’s been extremely positive and photos lovely.
But anyway back to Matthews. I think there might be more to come.
Official sources with glowing praise? I’m shocked, I tell you. The Australia junket was far less than a success. Charles and Camilla need positive press more than the young royals do.
You cant be serious?! Kate grocery shopping is an distraction?
Maybe a rarity in seeing her lift a finger?
Wish they’d stop using language like “forced her to have sex.” That’s rape. The word rape makes it clear the act was 100% not consensual. The minute one is “having sex” it allows for a bit of human agency, as if the rapist forced initiation but then the victim stepped up.
Yes, absolutely. Call it what it was and stop trying to minimize it.
I agree. It was like when newscasters wouldn’t say 45 was a liar and a racist for the longest time and danced around the language.
Rape is a horrible violent crime. Forced to have sex makes it seem as if it is about sex and not violence.
One thing noted is the article implied the attacks continued, but they could only possibly legally charge him with two incidents with the first woman. He terrorized a child along with the rape.
That is awful. That poor woman.
I feel sorry for both of them spending these years living with this but finally get a chance to be heard.
Well said magnolia rose.
US press are historically mealy-mouthed. Blatant lies called ‘untruths’ was and is insulting to citizens.
“The very concept of objective truth is fading out of the world. Lies will pass into history.” George Orwell
Uh-oh!
Man, his genes are strong-his son looks exactly like him.
That’s pretty much all I got except to say, gross.
It isn’t about Pippa, but about this old monster’s victims. And there will be more.
Predators like him leave a trail of victims.
Yep, we knew the other shoe would drop. His sons must devastated.
On a snarky note, I guess Pippa will be politely declining the invitation to Harry and Meg’s wedding.
I was wondering about that. It think they will still go but stay away from the press. There is no way she’d not go.
I was hoping no invite for the Middletons, as a family, but that would be impossible I guess, since Pippa invited Harry to her wedding
The UK press usually loads papers w stories about them when they attend something Royal, but maybe with Obama and Trudeau there the press will have better people to cover.
Carole will be so miffed if she doesn’t get an invitation 😀
If it’s even true.
Sadly, I agree. With another victim coming forward, the authorities are likely to find out they are dealing with a serial rapist, and I think more will come out about what has gone on at that hotel in St. Bart’s.
Just to add, it is unbelievable how ignorant some of the Daily Fail commenters are, and they have no shame in criticizing the victims or calling them liars.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5578021/How-St-Barts-locals-island-Pippa-Middletons-father-law-accused-rape.html
Most will not know how low false accusation figures are…2-6% generally accepted by US/UK/EU studies. Therefore IMO David most probably is not a victim of a false accusation. But it is yet to get through the next 6 months of the French legal system for the First woman victim.
This is horrible.
This man is a monster.
Disgusting.
I feel for Pippa because when you get married, you are also married to your spouse’s family. While her FIL’s actions are in no way her fault or responsibility, she is in a very tough situation.
One of the best parts of my divorce was shedding my dysfunctional in-laws.
She is in a very tough position, especially when/if they have children. And while creepy David’s family may be solidly behind him, she may be harbouring doubts. This rape apparently took place in the eighties. Awful.
I feel so sorry for Pippa. I can’t imagine finding out your FIL is a predator. I wouldn’t feel safe around him, let alone let my children around him, ever.
I agree with this statement as well. Men like this usually have a type, especially physically. And I bet she is running through her mind all the ‘weird’ things he did that she just pushed aside as quirks. No one wants to assume the worst of their in-laws but this story is not over.
Also, we can assume the tension with her husband must be high. He cannot just cut off his father and pretend he did not know him.
If pippa wants to chuck her husband now is her chance. Blame the stress on the FIL stuff. I never really bought into the whole love match between pippa and he moderately wealthy meercat.
Now cast your minds back to the Natalee Holloway murder on the Dutch Antiles Caribbean island. Joran van der Sloot was the teenaged priviledged killer. His father Paul was the equivilent to the Judge/District Attorney on that island. He owned it. Corruption and covering up a murder was no problem for him. So it’s not hard to belive when people of St Barts say rich people like David Matthews own the island and have no rules. “Rules don’t apply to the elite”
Aurelia, I would be packing my bags if I were Pippa. It may sound cold, but it’s just not worth bringing children into a situation like that. She can’t expect James to turn his back on his father but she can get while the gettings good, this is only the beginning.
@Aurelia, the NH disappearance is a disturbing reminder of what $$$ and influence buys you in corrupt societies. That young man literally got away with murder, then went on to commit another one. One can only imagine the types of vices and crimes that may have gone on in St Bart’s if it’s own citizens describe it as lawless for the wealthy. This also reminds me that I need to see the movie, Chappaquiddick, another case of wealth influencing justice.
Actually, I feel sorry for her husband more than Pippa. If he is close with his dad and loves him, this would be devastating news to hear about your parent, that he abused a young teenager at the age of 15. I read on here it was a relative. I don’t now if that is just gossip or fact, but if true, it would cause even more turmoil for her husband emotionally if it was a relative of his he was also close to. Of course, who knows? Maybe he’s not close to his dad.
I agree. His children must be devastated. But imagine marrying into that family, knowing he is being accused of raping minors. It’s equally devastating.
But….you must have a look see about a blind item from a few weeks ago circulating around Twitter , on one of the sons of an hugely wealthy highly connected international family …said to be allegedly code name the Eden Roc’s and rumors are the ALLLEGED son in the blind item, may not be ALLEGEDLY the one people immediately would think….
I have a feeling the Eden Roc family has more scandalous skeletons coming!
I’ll feel bad for Pippa’s husband if and when he denounces his father. But for call we know be could be complicit or worse.
@ Mia
Could you try to find that twitter posting for us? Thank you 😉
@Mia
There is a lot of shade in that article. Implying it was better before they took charge of the hotel and people like them are ruining the island. Notice no one says they are lovely wonderful people I would never believe it. Just that they are surprised and heard nothing. Praising the previous owner. Implying they brought in an unsavory druggie element.
I feel sorriest for Pippa. The sons don’t have good reputations. I do wonder if more will be revealed.
Spencer the younger bro was a coke druggie and had to keep gpoing back to rehab. Uncle garry must be chuckling. To think the MIdds thought he wasn’t good enough to attend precious pippa’s wedding to this messy family.
Pippa looks her most Middleton-smug in those pictures from the DM article.
I figured there was more to the original story and this does not surprise me. This family clearly has many skeletons in the closet and I don’t think they’ve finished falling out of the cupboard yet. Spencer has had his own scandals, me thinks James is next to have his dirty laundry aired in public.
Yes, More to come, I think a gusher is coming.
Agreed.
Carole must be freaking out.
Carole and Pippa freaking out.
They are.
Perhaps they should have searched for better moral quality men while searching for eligible spouses for their daughters. Wealth and status aren’t as important.
They weren’t searching for men with integrity, just men with money they could spend and status they could leverage. Not worth feeling sorry for. Sorry not sorry.
Reputation is everything my husband says in his profession.
If you become known as shady or crime linked you are finished.
Also the professional body you must join in New Zealand must throw you out he has told me.
I really do not know if James or David Matthews will really suffer financially or socially. In their very rich world they may not, even if David is convicted .
I feel for Pippa. Raise your hand if you have a family member you would rather not! Of course not to this degree perhaps…
I don’t understand in any way how his behavior is the fault of his daughter in law or her sister. To pull them into this is juvenile.
Daily Mail uk has news on second victim.
In her sixties, family friend and happened in Shiefield, UK in the Eighties.
What next? Do the Media UK know more on David Matthews?
dont tell me this guy will end up like bill cosby level, or worse weinstiens . Watch all the victims line up.