Even though she may be a future queen, it doesn’t mean that she’s exempt from being a sibling.
On Thursday, Kate Middleton’s brother, James Middleton, 36, made a rare TV appearance, on the UK talk show “Good Morning Britain,” to comment on his older sister.
“She’s my sister … and I’m extremely proud and I’m always taken aback by how much she does do, and that continues to stay at the forefront of my mind,” he said, according to the Sun.
He added about the 41-year-old, “But actually to be honest, she is my sister, so I know all of her quirks and everything, and actually to see her blossoming in that role I think is really … I am very proud of her.”
Middleton officially became the Princess of Wales after the death of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96 in September.
Her husband, Prince William, 41, is the Prince of Wales.
During James’ appearance on the talk show, he opened up about his own mental health journey and the work that his sister and her husband have done to raise awareness around the topic.
“I think what is fantastic is that they’re in a position where they are talking about their own mental health and I think it is something that is broad,” he said.
In 2016, the couple, along with Prince Harry, 38, established a mental health initiative called Heads Together. Through their work, they aim to raise awareness about mental health issues and provide tools to help those who may need them.
Middleton himself has been open about his own mental health struggles in the past. During a 2019 interview with Tatler magazine, he revealed that he developed depression after being thrust into the public eye.
He also penned a piece for the Daily Mail about the topic earlier that year.
On the show, James said, “It is a challenge and I remember early on, in my sort of … To say the words out loud that I was feeling depressed or I thought I had depression was impossible.”
“But actually, through some of the work they have been doing over time, it gave me the confidence and the help to speak out … So I have more to thank for them and the focus they put towards it,” he said about his sister and the royal family’s efforts around mental health.
He also added that he is now “in control” of his own journey with depression.
And it looks like Kate isn’t just an active member and advocate of Heads Together — she’s also a very supportive sister.
In January, James wrote in an essay for the Sunday Times that his sister had gone to therapy with him.
Their sister, Pippa Middleton, 39, also accompanied him during the sessions.
And recently, James also had some great news to share — he and his wife, Alizee Thevenet, are expecting their first child together.
He announced the impending arrival of their bundle of joy via Instagram earlier this month.
He’s already uncle to Kate’s kids — Prince George, who turns 10 on Saturday, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5 — as well as Pippa’s three children — Arthur, 4, Grace, 2, and Rose, who just turned 1.