Royal | News - Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
In a touching interview, James Middleton, the younger brother of Princess Kate, has opened up about how she helped him through his darkest moments. James, 38, spoke about the sibling bond he has with the Princess of Wales, and how it has remained unchanged since she joined the Royal Family.
James also explained that behind the royal image portrayed, the Princess of Wales is a sensitive, strong and emotionally intelligent woman. He told the Mirror: “I’m incredibly fortunate to have my two sisters [Kate and Pippa Middleton], not just as siblings, but as friends. They’ve seen me at my best and at my lowest, and they’ve always been there when I’ve needed them.
“Sibling love is something unique, you can’t choose your siblings, it can be complicated, it takes work, but when it’s strong, I believe it’s one of the most powerful bonds there is.”
The dad-of-one, whose book ‘Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life’ has just been published in the UK in paperback, also opened up about the time he came close to suicide.
James believes he was saved by his cocker spaniel Ella, saying: “She gave me a reason to get up, to go outside, to care.”
The younger brother of Kate, who married French financial analyst Alizee Thevenet in September 2021, decided to write his book after discovering that he and Alizee were expecting their first baby.
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.
The book depicts, “beyond the glamorous veneer of society engagements and entrepreneurial achievements lies a deeply personal account of James’s battle with depression.” Meet Ella was a Sunday Times bestseller in October 2024.
Princess Kate, along with their sister Pippa, 41, and mother Carole, 70, helped him make it through to the other side, when he was at his lowest, he has shared.
The family of five grew up in Berkshire, with the Princess of Wales later marrying Prince William in 2011 after they met at St Andrews University where they studied together.
James recently spoke about his sister’s shocking cancer diagnosis, saying it had been a “challenging time” for the entire family. He told The Times: “For her and her family, it was a challenging time, and I know for us and our bigger family it was a challenging time.”
In early September last year, the Princess of Wales revealed that she had completed chemotherapy and was “taking each day as it comes” in her recovery journey.