Princess Kate's brother has revealed how his family reacted to his soon-to-be-published memoir and how he feels about having a future queen for a sister, in a new interview.
James Middleton is the second royal sibling in two years to publish a tell-all memoir about his life, following Prince Harry's Spare, which was released in 2023 and became the fastest selling non-fiction book of all time.
Kate's brother shot to international fame when he gave a bible verse reading at the 2011 royal wedding which, according to Westminster Abbey, is estimated to have been watched by over 1 billion people worldwide.
James is the younger of Kate's two siblings and, together with sister, Pippa Matthews, they spent the majority of their childhood in the county of Buckinghamshire, England, with parents, Michael and Carole.
When Kate began dating Prince William in the early 2000s and eventually married him, becoming in the process Britain's future queen, her family faced scrutiny from the press, paparazzi and public.
In his memoir, titled Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life, Middleton gives a raw and unfiltered account of his struggles with mental health including thoughts of suicide, leading to his diagnosis with clinical depression and attention deficit disorder.
There are lighthearted moments too. Middleton reveals his affection for the late Queen Elizabeth II, how Prince William adapted to life as a member of the Middleton family, and how his niece and nephew, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, reacted cheekily to meeting his now wife.
Speaking to People about how his family reacted to him telling his story in such a candid and public way, Middleton has said they are "proud" and that it brought them "together."
"The embrace of a hug from a family member means more than words. We're a close family, but it's brought us together. I know they're proud of me for telling my story," he said.
He also reflected on his relationship with Kate, who he revealed in his book attended a key therapy session with him and Pippa in which he revealed to them the extent of his mental health struggles back in 2018.
"My love and respect for my sister is huge," he said. "I support her and everything that she's doing. I recognize that there's interest in my life because of who she is, and it took time to adjust. But I'm proud of who I am. It just so happens that my sister is who she is."
As a family, the Middletons have rallied around Kate this year as she received a cancer diagnosis and course of treatment.
"There are huge numbers of people who go through [cancer]. It doesn't matter who you are, what your upbringing is. Life throws you obstacles," he said. "We are a close family. It is always important to have support around you and not do things alone. Sharing it does help bring people together."
Newsweek approached Kensington Palace via email for comment.
Middleton has attended a number of important public events in the years since his sister married into the royal family.
Most recently he attended the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023, and he was present with his family at Kate's Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey in December.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
"Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life" by James Middleton is published in the United States by Pegasus Books and released on September 26.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
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