JAMES Middleton has opened up about seeing Prince William like an “older brother” after years of him dating his sister Kate.
However, the 27-year-old shared that although the Prince of Wales gets stuck into Middleton family life – there is one aspect that leaves him “flinching.”
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In an extract from his upcoming book, Meet Ella, which is to be published on September 26, James revealed how his dog Ella gave Prince William the chance to escape family games.
He wrote: “I know, too, that Ella gave him a good excuse to escape the fiercely competitive nature of the Middleton family, which emerged every time we played our favourite fast-paced card game, Racing Demon.
“William would flinch at our ruthless determination to win at all costs. He’d be delighted to be the first out, and when no longer compelled to take part, he’d slink off to cuddle Ella.
“Better still, he’d absent himself from the game entirely. ‘James, does Ella need a walk?’ he’d ask before we’d even started dealing the cards.”
James admitted his sisters Kate and Pippa would exchange a “knowing glance” when William made his excuses.
He claimed – in an extract on the Mail – Prince William was happy to be a “loser at cards”, despite the “competitive rigour of his military training.”
Royal biographer Claudia Joseph said that Prince William and James – who is married to French finance worker Alizée Thevenet and dad to son Inigo – particularly bonded over their love of dogs.
She said: “As a child William had a black labrador called Widgeon and when he died, there was a hole in William’s heart.
“That hole was fixed when Ella had a puppy Lupo, who became an important member of the Cambridge family.”
William feels like an ‘older brother’
James also opened up about the moment he knew Prince William was right for his sister Kate – ahead of their royal wedding in 2011.
He wrote: “William has been in our lives for so long and we’ve grown very fond of him. He feels like our older brother and he and Catherine are so clearly a good fit, just right for each other.
“As we digest the news, I know I haven’t yet experienced the love they feel for each other myself. But I’m hoping one day I will.”
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Who is James Middleton and what does he do for a living?
JAMES Middleton has lived a life in the spotlight thanks to his sister Kate being married to Prince William.
But despite his royal connections, he has forged an incredible career by himself.
Businessman James is the proud owner of novelty marshmallow company Boomf.
He also runs the Cake Kit Company, which delivers bespoke sweet treats and baking kits for special occasions.
Impressively, his award-winning business has created cakes for fashion giants Jigsaw and Ralph Lauren.
In addition to this, he also runs Ella & Co, which provides “nutritionally-rich, ethical, and delicious freeze-dried raw dog food” available in the UK is our first, small step towards a happy dog revolution.”
Jame married French financial analyst Alizée Thevenet on September 11, 2021, and their son Inigo arrived in 2023.
Claudia told Fabulous: “James obviously adores his brother-in-law.
“In his autobiography, he describes him as the ‘older brother’ he never had and says he was ‘reassured that they were in love’.”
Brother-in-law bond
The royal expert shared how the close bond between Prince William and his businessman brother-in-law James is particularly poignant given how tense things currently are with Prince Harry.
She added: “I imagine that William finds it a huge solace that he is so close to the Middleton family as his relationship with his own brother Harry has become so fractured.
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I know, too, that Ella gave him [Prince William] a good excuse to escape the fiercely competitive nature of the Middleton family, which emerged every time we played our favourite fast-paced card game, Racing Demon
James Middleton
“From the moment that he began dating Kate at St Andrews University, he fell in love with her close family, something he tragically lost with the divorce of his own parents and the death of his mother.
“He has even jokingly called Michael Middleton ‘Dad’ and definitely enjoys their close relationship.”
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Inside Kate Middleton’s £4.2millon Bucklebury family home – owned by Carole and Michael Middleton
IT may not be a royal palace, but Kate Middleton’s parents’ £4.2million home is also very impressive.
Carole and Michael Middleton bought the grand Bucklebury Manor in 2012 and it has a number of impressive features.
The grade-II listed Georgian property boasts seven bedrooms, five reception rooms – including a drawing room and library – and 18 acres of land complete with a tennis court and outdoor swimming pool.
Traditional log fireplaces, a kitchen with a large wooden dining table, and a conservatory with enormous floor-to-ceiling windows have previously been shown in rare pictures shared from inside the house.
With such a beautiful home, it would understandably be hard to pick a favourite feature, but Carole revealed that their kitchen is a focal feature.
In an interview with Good Housekeeping, Kate’s mum said: “It’s a kitchen/dining/sitting room and it’s the heart of the house. I love a kitchen supper.
“Where I have a small number of guests. I’ll cook something delicious and make it look lovely, then we’ll finish with a kitchen disco.”
