New Video Reveals James Middleton Kept His Touching Promise to Princess Kate—And Brought a Furry Friend—During Her Climbing Challenge

The Princess of Wales had her brother by her side as she took on the National Three Peaks Challenge.

A split image of Princess Kate holding hands with James Middleton and Princess Kate standing on top of a mountain
(Image credit: Phillip Tebajjwa/The Prince and Princess of Wales, Instagram)

Princess Kate took on an extreme physical test over the weekend by completing the National Three Peaks Challenge, climbing more than 10,000 feet to reach the top of the three highest peaks in the U.K. in 24 hours. She was greeted by Prince William and their children at the finish, but what wasn't revealed until now is that Kate's brother, James Middleton, climbed alongside the Princess of Wales—and he fulfilled a promise he made when she was diagnosed with cancer in 2024.

Fellow hiker Phillip Tebajjwa shared a video on his Instagram Story showing Princess Kate ascending from the top of Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, while beaming and holding hands with her brother while his golden retriever, Mabel, runs behind.

"There I was, congratulating fellow climbers as they made their way down from the windy summit... little did I know I was actually speaking to royalty," Tebajjwa wrote.

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Princess Kate holding hands with James Middleton climbing a mountain

James held hands with his sister as they completed the challenge.

(Image credit: Phillip Tebajjwa)

Princess Kate posing with hiker Phillip Tebajjwa

The princess poses for a selfie with Phillip Tebajjwa.

(Image credit: Phillip Tebajjwa)

The hiker then stopped to chat with the princess and snap a selfie, writing, in part, "At that moment, I could only think one thing...Am I actually dreaming?"

The Middleton family has long been a fan of hiking and climbing together, and when the Princess of Wales was diagnosed with cancer in March 2024, James shared a touching photo of themselves as children on a hiking trip, writing, "Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too ⛰️❤️."

Now it seems James has taken that statement quite literally, walking alongside his sister as she completed the grueling 24-hour challenge. It's unclear if Middleton was with the Princess of Wales during all three mountains or just for the final peak in Wales, but both appear to be wearing microphones clipped to their jackets in the video, hinting that there's more to come from this brother/sister adventure in the future.

Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.