‘Lived privileged life but…’: Kate Middleton's brother talks about depression

James Middleton talked about his past struggles with depression saying, “It’s still challenging to talk about it."

Kate Middleton's younger brother James spoke candidly in a new interview about mental health saying that he believes his sister’s children are “lucky”. Speaking to OK! Magazine, the 36-year-old entrepreneur talked about his past struggles with depression saying, “It’s still challenging to talk about it, but actually the role that my dogs played was fundamental in my recovery and my rehabilitation.

James Middleton, the younger brother of Kate Middleton.

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“My dog Ella, in particular, was my reason to get up in the morning, my reason to get dressed and go outside and go for a walk – even if it was pouring with rain,” he said. Talking about his 15-year-old black spaniel Ella, who passed away earlier this year, he said that the dog “unintentionally helped” him overcome his mental health struggles.

“You go outside for 10 or 15 minutes, get that fresh air and you suddenly forget what was traumatising you,” James said, adding, “That respite from the thing that was banging away in my mind and causing me to not function properly was unintentionally helped by Ella and the rest of my dogs.”

“I think they played such an important role to the point that I do think they’ve saved my life," he said.

Talking of his nephews and nieces, James Middleton said, “I’m really pleased that they are able to enjoy and have the benefit of a dog in their lives. I see them being lucky that they have a dog in their life.”

James Middleton has previously also talked about his difficult battle with depression in 2019 essay describing it as “an absence of feelings” saying, “I also felt misunderstood; a complete failure. I wouldn’t wish the sense of worthlessness and desperation, the isolation and loneliness on my worst enemy. I felt as if I was going crazy.”

Though admitted that he’s “richly blessed and live a privileged life,” he added that “it did not make me immune to depression.”