James Middleton reveals family therapy sessions were ‘easier’ for Kate and Pippa as Carole and Michael grappled with challenge of ‘where they had gone wrong’

James Middleton has revealed family therapy sessions were ‘easier’ for his sisters Kate and Pippa as his parents grappled with the challenge of ‘where they had gone wrong’.

The Princess of Wales’ brother, 37, has opened up about his mental health challenges in his new book Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life.

The father-of-one, who lives in Berkshire, details almost taking a fatal leap off the roof of his London home in 2017 – but was distressed by the thought of what would happen to his beloved spaniel if he died.

At the end of the year, James returned to therapy and gave his GP permission to talk to his ‘desperately worried’ parents Michael and Carole and his sisters about his struggles. 

Speaking to Hello! magazine, James detailed how his supportive family agreed to go to family therapy – which he says was like ‘having a translator’.

Reflecting on their first sessions, he said: ‘It was easier for my sisters, because initially my parents saw it as a challenge for them – where had they gone wrong?’

As a result, James says it was ‘so important’ to have an impartial third party to tell Carole and Michael that his mental health struggles weren’t something they had ‘done’ to him.

What’s more, James raved about how his older sisters supported him during this time.

He continued: ‘Once I started to understand a bit myself, and then for my sisters to understand it, who could then also speak to my parents.

‘Now, it’s something that can be discussed at the dinner table. It’s helped us as a family – not just me individually, but as a unit – to be more open.’

Since joining the Royal Family in 2011, the Princess of Wales has made mental health one of the main focuses of her work – and launched the Heads Together initiative with Prince William and Prince Harry in 2016.

The Princess officially launched the Centre for Early Childhood, which has a focus on mental health, in 2021 – but has been researching the subject for the past 10 years and has vowed to highlight importance of the issues for the rest of her working life. 

Elsewhere in the book, James detailed how Michael branded his £32,000-a-year education a ‘waste of money’ after he had to retake his chemistry A-Level four times.

Pictured: The Princess of Wales with younger sister Pippa in May 2007. James Middleton says his older sisters found family therapy ‘easier’ than his parents

Pictured: Michael and Carole Middleton in July 2013. According to James, his parents found family therapy a ‘challenge’

James was a boarder at Marlborough College in Wiltshire – where his older sisters Catherine and Pippa excelled in their studies. 

In an interview with The Times, James explained how his mother Carole always encouraged him to invite school friends to their home in Bucklebury on weekends – but he was more concerned with being reunited with the family dog Tilly.

James – who has been diagnosed with dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder as an adult – recalled: ‘I was an outcast.. alienated from my classmates. But dogs never judged me.’ 

When he was 18 years old, James had to take a gap year to retake his Chemistry A-Level four times – which he says was a ‘humiliating record’ for Marlborough College.

At this point, James recalls how his father Michael told him that his private education had been a ‘waste of money’. However, James insisted: ‘Mum and Dad just wanted the best for me’.

The three Middleton children’s education was reportedly funded by a £1.3m trust fund set up by the Princess of Wales great-grandmother Olive following the death of her three brothers. 

After his final resit, James got into Edinburgh University and picked geography, criminology and environmental studies modules – but failed his first-year exams.  

As a teenager, James had been desperate to have a dog of his own and jumped at the opportunity to adopt a black cocker spaniel puppy – who he named Ella – during his time at Edinburgh.

Having dropped out of university, James was told he would receive no more financial support from his parents but could move in with his sisters at the family’s flat in Chelsea. 

Detailing how Ella supported him during this challenging time, James explained: ‘She was my shield. Through her I could enjoy things.’

The Prince and Princess of Wales had already been dating for three years when James moved to London – and James admitted he found the public interest in his sister’s life ‘shocking’. 

Pictured: James Middleton with his parents Michael and Carole ahead of the Royal Wedding in April 2011

James Middleton pictured with his older sister the Princess of Wales on a family holiday as children

Describing how William was a ‘fantastic support’ for the family, James admitted: ‘At that time, I was already in a vulnerable state of mind and it was an added pressure.’ 

In 2017, James was in the midst of a mental health crisis – and in November, he came close to taking a fatal leap off the roof of his London home.

He writes in his memoir: ‘As I pace, I look down through the skylight and see my spaniel Ella’s gentle eyes looking back up at me. 

‘Like me, she has been wakeful all night. She senses my strange, agitated state of mind […]

‘What would Ella do without me? She depends on me and I on her. The feeling is entirely reciprocal […] In that instant I know I will not jump. What would happen to Ella if I died? How long would she wait alone in the flat for someone to find her?’

Pictured: James Middleton with his late dog Ella, who he has now written a book about and named his dog food company after

Pictured: James Middleton with his wife Alizee Thevenet in November 2021. The couple recently welcomed a son called Inigo

The following month, James took Ella and her two puppies to a cottage in the Lake District – where he enjoyed walking them in the wilderness, sourcing firewood and wild swimming. 

Describing how his dogs have got him through some of his greatest hours of need, James added: ‘I think we can learn from dogs. They’re not thinking about yesterday or tomorrow. 

‘They’re not even thinking about the next couple of hours. They’re thinking about right now. I’m here, they’re here, in the moment.’

What’s more, James shared his love of dogs with the late Queen – who reportedly owned more than 30 corgis in her lifetime. 

During his first visit to Sandringham, James recalled how the Queen came up to him and said: ‘Did you get my message? Ella is welcome to stay in your room.’

In March 2021, James detailed in an interview with The Telegraph how Ella – who had disapproved of previous girlfriends – ‘made a beeline’ for his future wife Alizée at a private members club in South Kensington in 2018.

After approaching his future wife to apologise, James said: ‘Alizée thought I was the waiter and ordered her drink while continuing to stroke Ella, who at this point was on her back lapping up the attention.’

The entrepreneur – who is the younger brother of the Princess of Wales – shared this photo of him cradling Ella, taken just hours before she died, in January 2023

Mr Middleton told his followers: ‘For 15 years Ella has been at my side, from my darkest days to my happiest’

Pictured: James Middleton signing copies of his memoir Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life 

In May 2020, James set up a raw dog food company called Ella & Co named after his beloved dog. 

Last January, James announced that Ella had sadly passed away at the age of 15 and said in a touching Instagram post how his beloved dog had supported him ‘from my darkest days to my happiest’.

He wrote: ‘Ella had a very short illness, she slipped away in my arms at home and is now buried in the garden alongside Tilly. I took this picture just a few hours before she died

‘I’m just about holding it together to write this, and despite the fact I knew this day was coming, it doesn’t make it any easier.

‘Goodnight my darling Ella, Alizee and the dogs will take good care of me.’

If you have been affected by the issues in this story, you can call Samaritans for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.