Kate Middleton‘s younger brother James has revealed the future Queen is always on hand with parenting advice and words of encouragement as he opened up about his fatherhood journey.
James, 38, and his wife Alizée welcomed their firstborn, son Inigo, on September 21, 2023.
In a new interview with Hello!, James said he can always count on his sisters, the Princess of Wales and Pippa Matthews, 42, for guidance, adding: ‘They’re definitely at the end of the phone if we need a bit of advice.’
‘Also, it’s the confidence [they give me],’ James, who lives in Berkshire, continued.
‘You’re always on edge with being a parent, particularly this time of year with coughs and colds and sniffles going around the place.’
James, who is well known for breeding dogs, is an advisor for Dogs Trust and was lending his support to the charity’s festive rehoming campaign to give pets their ‘happy place’.
Elsewhere, he shared that Inigo, two, wears hand-me-down clothes from the Prince and Princess of Wales’s three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, adding there is an ‘abundance of paraphernalia’ for the toddler to choose from.
‘One of the wonderful things about being the youngest [sibling] and having children last is that there is an abundance of paraphernalia that comes in very handy,’ he said.
Kate Middleton’s younger brother James has revealed the future Queen is always on hand with parenting advice and words of encouragement as he opened up about his fatherhood journey
James said he can always count on his sisters, the Princess of Wales and Pippa Matthews, 42, (not pictured) for guidance
Pippa and her husband James Matthews also share three children, son Arthur Michael William, and daughters Grace Elizabeth Jane and Rose Louise Victoria.
James marked Inigo’s second birthday with a sweet social media tribute earlier this year.
The Instagram post included a photo of the fair-haired toddler with his arms wrapped tightly around the family’s golden retriever, Mabel, one of their six dogs.
‘Happy Birthday Inigo,’ he captioned the post. ‘We love you as much as you love Mabel….and that is a lot and Ella is saying hello today too.’
Ella was James’s eldest and beloved cocker spaniel, who passed away in January 2023.
She was the subject of his 2024 memoir ‘Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life’, in which the businessman and mental health advocate opened up about his battle with depression and the role the pooch played in his recovery.
Speaking about the close bond between Inigo and his six cousins, James explained: ‘We’re really fortunate to be a very close family, and so we get together as a family relatively regularly, and love that opportunity.
‘There’s seven grandchildren, and it’s wonderful them spending time together and making memories.’
James, 38, and his wife Alizée welcomed their firstborn, son Inigo, on September 21, 2023
Just how close the family are was shown in Kate’s moving cancer recovery video earlier this month, which showed an intimate portrayal of the royals like never before.
The princess confirmed she was in remission from an undisclosed form of cancer last September as she spoke of a ‘renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life’ after completing chemotherapy in the clip.
Footage showed Kate’s parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, playing cards with Kate, William, and their three children, George, Charlotte and Louis at their Norfolk Home, Anmer Hall.
The game was sweetly competitive as everyone raced to be the first to put their cards in the middle of the table.
Both Kate and William are famously close to the rest of the Middleton family, so the appearance of the Middletons in Kate’s most intimate video to date came as little surprise.
James was quick to remark on the footage, writing in the comment section of the Prince and Princess of Wales’ Instagram post: ‘I couldn’t be more proud’, alongside a red heart emoji.
Family ties are also reflected in their shared love of animals. Several of Ella’s puppies have become part of the wider Middleton and Wales households, with regular reunions when the families meet.
Earlier this year, James shared how the princess has helped him through his own mental health battles.
He told The Mirror: ‘I’m incredibly fortunate to have my two sisters, not just as siblings, but as friends.
James, who is well known for breeding dogs, is an advisor for Dogs Trust and was lending his support to the charity’s festive rehoming campaign
‘They’ve seen me at my best and at my lowest, and they’ve always been there when I’ve needed them.
James, whose memoir Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life was published last year, revealed how he came close to suicide, standing on the ledge of his parents’ Chelsea house, ready to jump.
His childhood dog, cocker spaniel Ella, was looking up at him from below as if imploring him to come down, which he thankfully did.
James detailed how he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder and clinical depression in 2017, having struggled in school and university all his life owing to his dyslexia.
He began a course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and even found a consultant psychiatrist who was open to allowing his dog Ella to sit in on their sessions.
James also explained that behind the royal image she must maintain, the Princess of Wales is a sensitive, strong and emotionally intelligent woman.
The entrepreneur, who runs dog food business James & Ella, explained how her cancer diagnosis taught him to offer unconditional support wherever possible.
‘Being there for someone is such an important part, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be on your terms, and it shouldn’t be on your terms,’ he said.
‘It should be on their terms; unconditional: “I’m not doing it for something in return. I’m doing it because I love you”,’ he continued.
The full interview is in the latest issue of HELLO!, now on stands.
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