James Middleton‘s new memoir, Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life, contains a plethora of revelations about the royal family, including his observations about Princess Kate Middleton‘s relationship with Prince William.
As well as discussing his role in the Prince and Princess of Wales’ 2011 wedding, James reflected on his sister’s demeanor after she announced her engagement to Prince William.
“Our family knew a day or so before it is officially announced in November 2010,” James wrote of Princess Kate’s engagement in an excerpt from Meet Ella published by the Daily Mail. “Catherine, Pippa and I go out for a walk with Ella and Tilly to our local pub in a village close to Bucklebury. We sit in a corner, chattering quietly.”
“Pippa and I want to be visibly excited, but we have to tamp down our emotions so no one suspects a thing,” he explained. “We make a quiet acknowledgement that we’ll always be there for each other, look out for one another, support each other. No matter how crazy things get.”
The happy news caused James to consider the ways in which the Prince of Wales has impacted Kate and the rest of the Middleton family.
“William has been in our lives for so long and we’ve grown very fond of him,” he wrote. “He feels like our older brother and he and Catherine are so clearly a good fit, just right for each other.”
Kate and William’s engagement also spurred James to reflect on his own love life.
“As we digest[ed] the news, I [knew]I [hadn’t]yet experienced the love they feel for each other myself,” he wrote. “But I’m hoping one day I will.”
James married Alizee Thevenet in September 2021 and the pair welcomed their first child together in October 2023.
Following his sister’s official engagement announcement, James realized how happy he was for the couple.
“I thought how lucky William was to be marrying my capable, down-to-earth big sister, and I felt absolutely reassured that they were in love,” he wrote in Meet Ella.
“It was beautiful to see how he brought out her confidence,” he continued. “She’d blossomed. I knew he’d look after her, and he does to this day.”
In the new book, James also discussed an awkward meeting he had with Queen Elizabeth, during which he addressed her by the wrong royal title. The monarch was reportedly unfazed by the error and simply offered Kate’s brother some food.
Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life is set to be released on Thursday, September 26.
