In breaking news today, Princess Katherine’s brother, James Middleton, provided a rare update on his sister following her announcement that she’s in remission. During an exclusive interview on Thursday, James shared, “She’s doing okay. It’s not for me to share on her behalf how everything’s going, but she’s getting all the right support and the focus she needs. Something like this takes time to process.”
James’ comments come as Katherine has begun to slowly reintegrate into royal life, taking on engagements for her Early Years project behind the scenes and attending church with her family as she continues to recover from a challenging year. Katherine’s younger brother, along with their sister, Pippa Matthews, recently celebrated their 18th birthdays with a cherished family tradition lovingly upheld by their parents, Carole and Michael Middleton.
Speaking fondly of his sister’s milestone birthdays, the father of one reminisced about how Katherine and Pippa were given beautiful jewelry for their 18th birthdays, while he humorously recalled receiving a tractor. “I’ve decided to honor her by naming it Tilly, after our family dog,” he said.
As the brother of the future queen, James is acutely aware of the enormous public interest in his family. In his new book, the 37-year-old opens up about his battle with clinical depression, including a deeply personal story of survival and overcoming suicidal thoughts. At the end of that difficult year, James returned to therapy and gave his GP permission to speak with his desperately worried parents, Michael and Carole, as well as his sisters, about his struggles.
James detailed how his supportive family agreed to attend family therapy, which he likened to having a translator. He emphasized the importance of having an impartial third party to explain to his parents that his mental health struggles weren’t something they had caused. James also spoke about the support he received from his older sisters during this time. “Once I started to understand things a bit better, my sisters could then also help my parents. Now, it’s something we can discuss at the dinner table. It’s helped us not just as individuals but as a family unit to be more open.”
Over the past decade, James has gifted two dogs to his sister, Lupo and Ora. He believes that Ora played a significant role in supporting Katherine during her most difficult times. The cocker spaniel, he said, helped her during her battle with cancer. “I know how much my dogs have helped me through tough times, so I’m certain Ora has been doing her job in supporting her family,” James shared. He reflected on how the dogs had supported him through his challenges and felt that Katherine’s family, like theirs, would benefit from the same.
Ora was prominently featured in Princess Katherine’s video message confirming that she had completed chemotherapy. In the video’s opening scene, the cocker spaniel can be seen running alongside the royal couple and their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The Wales family has had two dogs since their 2011 wedding, both bred by James Middleton. Lupo, one of the puppies from a litter James bred in 2011, was given to Katherine in 2012 when Prince William, then an RAF search-and-rescue pilot, was deployed to the Falklands.
In November 2020, the couple announced the sad news that Lupo had passed away at the age of nine. They shared the heartbreaking news on social media, saying, “Very sadly, last weekend, our dear dog Lupo passed away. He has been at the heart of our family for the past nine years, and we will miss him so much. – W & C.”
Having experienced firsthand the comfort a dog can provide during difficult times, Katherine is now receiving the same support from Ora during her healing journey. Now that she has completed her cancer treatment, the question remains: when will she return to work full-time?
While the palace has not provided a specific timeline for Princess Katherine’s return to full-time royal duties, it has been reported that she is working behind the scenes on projects she has long been associated with. However, no official details have been released.
As the holiday season approaches, royal watchers are eager to see if Katherine will host her annual “Together at Christmas” carol service at Westminster Abbey. Fans are also looking forward to her joining the royal family’s traditional Christmas Day walk from church.
