Marie Claire Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Fashion Month
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career Money
    • Health Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes amp; Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • NYFW
    • Life In Plastic
    • Cari Champion
    • New Books
    • Postpartum Psychosis
    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    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.

    Kristin Contino#039;s avatar
    By Kristin Contino
    Published 1 July 2026 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    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)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    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.

    Latest Videos FromMarie Claire
    Watch full video here:

    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)

    Princess Kate and James Middleton climbing down a mountain

    A photo posted by on

    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 ⛰️❤️."

    You may like
    • Princess Kate talking to Debbie Jevans and Tim Henman at Wimbledon Princess Kate Says She Was "Stoically British" During "Atrocious" Situation
    • Princess Kate at the top of a mountain Princess Kate "Finds Her Strength" Through Meaningful Jewelry, Says Expert
    • Princess Kate, wore is wearing red shorts and navy baseball cap, is greeted by her three children, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, and Prince Louis, who all wear matching denim jeans Charlotte, Louis, and George Just Wore Matching Outfits

    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.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
    Explore More
    Princess Catherine James Middleton
    Kristin Contino
    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.

    Read more
    Princess Kate wearing a green dress and holding hands with a cancer patient
    Royals Princess Kate Reflects On the "Huge Difference" One Hobby Made on Her Cancer Recovery
    By Kristin Contino
    Pippa Middleton and Princess Kate attending a wedding in 2011
    Royals Why Princess Kate Is Skipping Pippa Middleton's Party
    By Amy Mackelden
     
     
    James Middleton holding his dog Zulu
    Royals James Middleton Shares a Rare Photo of Princess Kate's Late Dog, Lupo
    By Kristin Contino
    Pippa Middleton wearing a white dress and sunglasses at Wimbledon
    Royals Pippa Middleton Could Be Offered One Future Role With Princess Kate
    By Kristin Contino
     
     
    Latest in Royals
    Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana (1961 - 1997) and Prince Charles at Victoria Station, London, where they will welcome a state delegation from Nigeria, March 1989.
    Royals Why Queen Elizabeth "Was Furious" With Princess Diana
    King Charles wearing a crown at his coronation
    Royals Royal Fans Help "Fix" an "Embarrassing" King Charles Mistake
     
     
    Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince George, Prince William, and Princess Kate in Scotland on August 1, 2026
    Royals How Kate and William Have "Chosen Schools" for Their Kids
    Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attend the launch of The Queen#039;s Baton Relay for the XXI Commonwealth Games at Buckingham Palace on March 13, 2017
    Royals Queen Elizabeth Greeted Prince Philip "Wearing a False Beard"
     
     
    Latest in News
    Jennifer Lopez wears a brown leotard with rare Nike sneakers, embracing Hailey Bieber#039;s jelly shoe sneaker hybrid trend.
    Celebrity Style Jennifer Lopez Is Embracing the Jelly Shoe Hybrid Trend
    Michelle Obama was spotted attending Celine Dion’s concert in Paris, where she made a stylish appearance in a Diotima dress and carried a Liffner bag
    Celebrity Style Michelle Obama Hops on Fall 2026's Suede Bag Trend
     
     
    Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana (1961 - 1997) and Prince Charles at Victoria Station, London, where they will welcome a state delegation from Nigeria, March 1989.
    Royals Why Queen Elizabeth "Was Furious" With Princess Diana
    King Charles wearing a crown at his coronation
    Royals Royal Fans Help "Fix" an "Embarrassing" King Charles Mistake
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.