Kate Middleton’s relationship with Prince William was life-changing not only for her, but also for her entire family.
In his new memoir, “Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life,” Kate’s brother, James Middleton, revealed how he and his other sister, Pippa Middleton, learned that their sibling was engaged to the royal prince in the fall of 2010.
James, 37, said the trio were at The Old Boot pub near their parents’ house in Bucklebury, England when Kate, 42, shared the big news.
“We sit in a corner, chattering quietly. Catherine whispers the news and says it will become public in the next day or so,” James wrote in his book, per Us Weekly.
“Pippa and I want to be visibly excited, but we have to tamp down our emotions so no one suspects a thing,” he added.
“We make a quiet acknowledgment that we’ll always be there for each other, look out for one another, support each other,” James further recalled. “No matter how crazy things get.”
After about eight years of dating, William proposed to Kate on October 20, 2010 in a cabin hut on the side of Mount Kenya in Africa. They waited until November 16 to publicly announce their engagement.
The couple tied the knot on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London.
James read a Bible verse during the ceremony, which later earned him a $1 million offer from an American production company, which he declined.
Speaking to Us Weekly, James praised his sister’s relationship with William and said they are “so clearly a good fit, just right for each other.”
“I wanted one day to experience what they were experiencing as a couple,” James said about the pair, who share three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.
James added about William, “Having been brought up…with strong, capable women surrounding me, I’ve enjoyed having this older brother-type figure to bounce questions [off of]. I’m just incredibly grateful that [Kate and William] have been supportive of me over these years as well.”
In his book, James opens up about his mental health struggles, including contemplating suicide in 2017.
It was his dog, a cocker spaniel named Ella, that helped pull him away from his darkest thoughts.
But James also credited Kate — who has done work around mental health as a senior royal — with helping him through his struggles.
“Catherine had been doing a lot of work with Heads Together, so there was actually more awareness of how to communicate,” said James.
He added that Kate and Pippa, 41, “were fantastic in supporting my parents through that as well.”
James similarly praised his two sisters and their mom, Carole Middleton, in his memoir while looking back on his childhood.
“Growing up surrounded by three strong, capable women felt like having three mothers, and I would rely on Catherine and Pippa for advice,” he wrote.
James added, “They never dismissed me as their little squirt of a brother who wasn’t worthy of their attention. On the contrary, they let me join in their games and included me in their friendships — they still do to this day.”
