James Middleton shared a heartfelt account of how Kate and Prince William helped him regain hope.

As the brother of the Princess of Wales, James Middleton was catapulted into the spotlight when his eldest sister married Prince William.

And with the Middleton family known to be particularly tight, he has seen first-hand his sister become one of the most famous women in the world and has upfront access to the royal fold. Now, he is releasing a tell-all book, using his platform to share his own story about his struggles with depression and how it was his beloved pet dog Ella who helped pull him through some of his toughest times.

James’ memoir Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life, candidly explores his mental health journey and suicidal thoughts, and how his beloved cocker spaniel Ella helped to pull him back from the brink. The touching book also delves into the unwavering support given to him by his family, including his sister, and how he first confided in them about his struggles in 2017 before publicly speaking about them in 2019.

And speaking to the Mirror, James credits his sister Kate, and brother-in-law the Prince of Wales’ work in encouraging conversations about mental health in allowing him to speak out about his own experiences. He explained: “When I first publicly spoke about my depression, they were launching their Heads Together charity and that was great for me to learn and understand and have a platform.

“As I’ve said, I didn’t believe I was allowed to have mental health or depression and that work was a good catalyst for me to want to speak out because I can’t ever avoid or hide away from who my sister is, I will always be her brother. But it made me feel confident enough and supportive enough in what they were speaking about in what I felt. ”

James’ memoir explores his lifelong love of dogs and how they provided an outlet during his difficult school years when he struggled with dyslexia and to fit in. He also recounts eventually getting his own dog Ella, with the pair becoming inseparable and Ella earning a friend in his sister Kate’s then-boyfriend, William.

The book also explores Ella’s companionship for James when he prepared to give a reading at William and Kate’s royal wedding in front of a worldwide audience as well as how the late Queen allowed him to bring his beloved pet during a trip to Sandringham. But the memoir also takes a devastating turn as he describes how he struggled with his depression – and how it was Ella who pulled him back from the brink when he had suicidal thoughts.