James Middleton, the dog-breeding brother of the Princess of Wales, has opened up about life with a toddler and six dogs.
James, 37, who shares son Inigo with wife Alizée Thevenet, has spoken out about his busy life in the latest episode of Hello! magazine's The Daily Lowdown podcast, out now.
James and wife Alizée own six dogs including four cocker spaniels and two golden retrievers.
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He said his son Inigo, 18 months, “spent the first year of his life thinking he was a dog”.
“He'd crawl around on all fours, which was entertaining to watch,” he told Hello! contributing editor Rosalind Powell.
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When Powell asked James if his son “barked” as a result of spending so much time with the family pets, James joked: “His first word was ‘Woof', ah no it wasn't!”
James said his son “absolutely loves the dogs” particularly Isla.
”He just goes in and puts his arm around her neck and just squeezes and gives her a big hug,” James said.
James said he is “delighted that the dogs have accepted him because we didn't push him into it too much” and went on to describe their hectic morning routine with a toddler and six pets.
“When we get up in the morning, trying to get him fed, trying to feed the six dogs and then off to the nursery is a challenge, but it's wonderful,” he said.
“I often joke with my wife, Alizée, saying, ‘What did we do before we had Inigo? Because what did we do with all that time we had?'” James added.
James said his son thoroughly enjoys farm life where they live in Berkshire with chickens and sheep and cows and plenty of tractors.
“He shouts at the chickens and goes, ‘Cuckoo!'” James said, adding that his son also “knows what noise a cow makes and a sheep makes”.
“He loves chatting to the animals and seeing the dogs running about,” he said. “He gets the giggles when the dogs start charging around the place.”
Inigo also “shouts ‘Tractor!' when he sees them pass by.
James explained that they ended up buying the farm after COVID, having lived with his parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, for a period of time when a previous attempt to purchase a home fell through.
Now he and sisters Pippa, and her husband James, and Catherine and the Wales family, as well as their parents, all live close to each other.
“Actually, all of us are within 30 minutes of each other. It's fantastic,” he said. “So Pippa and James are about 20 minutes away, and Catherine and William are around 30 minutes away.”
He described them as a “close family” and said they are “fortunate that we see lots of each other, and my parents play a good role in getting us together, in that respect”.
James joked that he had “three mothers” in Carol, Pippa and Catherine growing up as the only son.
“We have sibling relationships and friendships too,” he said, adding that he feels “very fortunate for that”.
He even provided his sisters with their family pets.
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James Middleton shares rare glimpse of son in post
James also runs a natural pet food company called James & Ella, named after his beloved late cocker spaniel which he wrote about in his memoir Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life, released in September 2024.
The couple recently shared photos of a family skiing holiday with Inigo and their beloved pets.
In the photos James, Alizée and Inigo are dressed in ski gear with their dogs seated in front of them, clearly enjoying the adventure.
James also spoke of the therapeutic benefits of owing dogs, having shared his own mental health battle extensively and the role the pets have played in his life.
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James recalled the first time he spoke about his mental health “at the time with Catherine and William had their Head's Together campaign,” he said.
“And there was actually an amazing amount of information that was helping me,” he said.
“And I felt, well, I could be in a position where I could help others.”
He began sharing his struggles in interviews as well as via social media, culminating his is memoir.
“I often say this, that dogs, we often think that we're saving dogs, but actually what you'll probably find is … they'll end up saving you,” he said.
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