James Middleton Says Group Therapy Was "Easier" for Sisters Kate and Pippa After Revealing Parents Initially Blamed Themselves for His Depression
The Princess of Wales's brother shared insights on family therapy in his new memoir.
This story discusses depression and suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
The Princess of Wales's brother, James Middleton, has revealed plenty of candid details about his family life and how they helped him battle depression in his new memoir, Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life. But in a new interview with Hello! magazine, the royal sibling revealed his sisters Kate and Pippa Middleton had an "easier" time in family therapy than their parents.
James, whose book was released on Thursday, Sept. 26, told the media outlet that the Middleton family attended therapy sessions to get a better idea of what he was going through.
"It gives somebody the opportunity to ask questions that I don't necessarily know the answer to, or might be too emotional to give the answer to, or not have the confidence to say it," he shared, adding, "It's like having a translator."
The James Ella dog food founder credits his late dog, Ella, with stopping him from a suicide attempt during the height of his depression. He told Hello! that his parents initially struggled with blaming themselves for his condition.
"It was easier for my sisters, because initially my parents saw it as a challenge for them—where had they gone wrong?" James told the magazine.
He went on to share, "that's why it was so important to have somebody else in the room to explain: 'No, this isn't you that's done this to your son. This is a combination of multiple things. It stems back to childhood but there's not a single trigger point.'"
James credited sisters Kate and Pippa for being able to bridge the gap between James and his parents.
"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," the entrepreneur shared.
James, pictured at a Wimbledon match with his wife, Alizée Thevenet, and sister Pippa (right) and Mom Carole (second from right), said his family now speaks about mental health openly.
In his book, James wrote of how he knew he was "privileged" and had "a loving and close-knit family." However, his depressive feelings didn't allow James to turn to the princess and the rest of his family at first.
"I do not answer their phone calls. Emails remain ignored. Invitations to visit go unheeded. I hide behind a double-locked door, unreachable," he wrote, adding, "My sisters gently cajole me out of the flat now and again."
However, James penned that once he opened up about his depression, the Prince and Princess of Wales—who have long worked with mental health charities— brought "valuable knowledge and understanding" of his depression.
James—who is married to Alizée Thevenet and welcomed a baby boy, Inigo, with his wife in 2023—said therapy has allowed the Middletons to discuss mental health more freely.
"It's helped us as a family— not just me individually, but as a unit—to be more open," he said.
