James Middleton has praised his sister ‘blossoming’ as the Princess of Wales – but admits it might feel weird for him because he ‘knows all her quirks’.
Kate’s younger brother, 36, said he is ‘extremely proud’ of all the work he does as part of his royal duties.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain – joined by her dogs Mabel and Isla – the entrepreneur revealed how impressive her siblings are.
‘She’s my sister,’ he explained. ‘I’m always amazed at how much he does and it’s always at the forefront of my mind…
‘But actually, to be honest, she’s my sister so I know all her mists and everything.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain – joined by her dogs Mabel and Isla – the entrepreneur revealed how impressive her siblings are.
‘And to actually see him blossom into that role I think is really… I’m very proud of him.’
James – who has been open about his struggles with clinical depression – has also praised the work that younger royals – especially his sister and brother-in-law – have done in terms of mental health.
‘I think what’s great is that they’re in a position where they’re talking about their own mental health,’ she told Kate Garraway and Ben Shepherd.
‘And I think it’s something that, you know, broadly it’s a challenge and I remember early on my… saying words out loud that I was feeling depressed or I thought that my depression was impossible.
But actually some of the work they’ve been doing over time – it gave me the confidence to speak up.
‘We all suffer from mental health and I felt like being able to talk about it – I felt I had a responsibility to speak up. Because it was part of my journey to get to where I am now, where I’m in control of it.
‘It hasn’t gone, I don’t expect it to go – but I’m in control of it now.’
James first opened up about his clinical depression – which initially hit him at the end of 2016 – in an article he wrote for the Daily Mail.
Kate’s younger brother, 36, said he is ‘extremely proud’ of all the work he has undertaken in his royal duties. Kate pictured earlier this month
James – who has been open about his struggles with clinical depression – has also praised the work that younger royals – especially his sister and brother-in-law – have done in terms of mental health. Pictured left to right: James, Carol, King Charles, Prince William, Prince George, Kate and Princess Charlotte
‘I know I am very blessed and live a very privileged life. But it didn’t save me from depression,’ he wrote.
‘The situation is difficult to describe. It’s not just sadness. It is a disease, a cancer of the mind.
‘It is not a feeling, but the absence of feeling. You exist without purpose or direction. I couldn’t feel joy, excitement, or anticipation—only heart-wrenching anxiety drove me out of bed in the morning. I didn’t actually think about suicide – but I didn’t want to live in the state I was in.’
James said he ‘couldn’t communicate’ with his loved ones and their ‘concerned’ texts would come more frequently, but he wouldn’t answer them.
At his lowest, he refused to answer her door or phone calls. He listened to audiobooks with Stephen Fry’s narration of the Harry Potter series.
In 2017, he came close to closing down his company Boomf, as he ‘worked everyone’ due to his depression.
James says his sisters, Pippa and Kate, and their parents have been there for him through some tough times. Pictured at a special carol service in 2021
Later that year, James recognized that he needed help and called his doctor. Holding back a ‘waterfall of emotion’, James managed to tell her ‘I’m not okay. I need some help.’
He allowed his doctor to speak to his family who had been worried about him for months.
She took time off in January 2019 to learn about depression and go to therapy, while she and her family tried to navigate the complexities of the mental health condition.
James explained how his sisters, Pippa and Kate, and their parents were there for him through some difficult times and had the patience to help him even when they didn’t quite understand what he was going through.
He said: ‘I’m very lucky that they’re willing to get involved and understand that it’s a process, there’s no quick fix.
‘And understanding the way my mind works, which might be different from theirs or other people’s, is a really important part, because it’s been a process for me as much as it’s been a process for them, and I think as a family we’ve grown. from that.’
By speaking out, James said he felt as if a weight had been lifted and often spoke openly about his frustrations in the press and on social media.
James’ black spaniel, Ella, was an important part of her journey, as she accompanied her to all her therapy sessions. The pair volunteer at the Pets as Therapy charity, with Ella being a trained therapy dog.
James said Ella supported him ‘from my darkest days to my happiest’.
She currently has four cocker spaniels, Zulu, Inca, Luna and Nala, and a golden retriever named Mabel who had eight puppies last summer. Pictured: James and his dog Ella who died this year
But earlier this year, James had to say a difficult goodbye to Ella, as she died aged 15 after a short illness.
In an emotional Instagram post to her followers, she wrote: ‘It is with great sadness that I announce that my beloved Ella has passed away.
‘Ella has been by my side for 15 years, from my darkest days to my happiest. I’m going to miss him terribly.
‘Ella had a very short illness, she went home in my arms and is now buried in the garden next to Tilly. I took this photo just a few hours before his death
‘I’ve been holding it together to write this, and even though I knew this day was coming, it didn’t make it any easier.
‘Good night my dear Ella, Aliji and the dogs will take care of me.’
Therapy dog Ella did more than just help him through tough times—she even introduced him to his wife, Alizie.
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