James Middleton Announces New Memoir About Beloved Dog Ella — and the Story He Included to Share with His Son

"We were inseparable for 15 years, so I decided to share our journey through this book," James explained of the inspiration

James Middleton put pen to paper in memory of his late dog Ella, who he credited as his strength while struggling with depression.

On Friday, Kate Middleton's younger brother announced that he has written a memoir, Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life, which will be published on Sept. 26.

“Now, as many of you know, I credit Ella to saving my life when I was eclipsed with clinical depression, and she passed away just over a year ago. I was heartbroken…we were inseparable for 15 years. So I decided to share her journey through this book,” James, 36, explained in an Instagram video, where he proudly held up the first manuscript.

“I know many of you have your own Ellas or might be in need of one. I hope this book will also help us to talk more openly about our mental health, our need for connection and the way in which the animals that we think we are taking care of are actually looking after us in return,” he added.

Related: Kate Middleton's Brother James Changes Name of Business for Emotional Reason

James announced in January 2023 that his beloved dog died following a “short illness,” and he told Tatler that writing the book helped him deal with grief after her death.

“Ella was there at so many of the important moments of my life, including when I met Alizee. Our son was born after Ella passed away, so Inigo never got to meet her, but it’s important to me that he knows all about her,” the entrepreneur told Tatler in an interview published on Friday, referring to his wife Alizee Thevenet and their baby son Inigo, whose birth was announced in October.

“Another of the reasons that I wanted to write this book was so that I could tell Inigo the story of how I met his mother,” he added of the sweet story about how he met his future wife after Ella ran up to her in a restaurant.

Related: James Middleton Shares First Photos of Baby on Instagram — with the Help of His Beloved Dogs!

James told Tatler that his therapist suggested speaking out loud to Ella while navigating depression, which reminded him “how powerful it can be to put things into words.”

“It gave me the confidence to talk to others, and that was transformative. I hope that by writing this book, I might help other people to talk about their mental health – whether their difficulties are in the past or something they’re experiencing currently,” he explained.

Ella was the first dog James owned in adulthood, and he previously said that bringing her along to his therapy sessions made all the difference.

"I got this diagnosis and Ella came to all of my therapy sessions, which I was reluctant to go from the start," he told BBC's Sunday Morning Live in 2020. "But with her by my side, I really became confident in understanding that I had a mental illness."

"I would go so far as to say that I owe Ella my life, and she doesn't know that," he added.

The same year, he launched an all-natural pet food company named Ella & Co. in 2020 in her honor. Over the summer, he rebranded the business as James & Ella to better reflect her legacy.

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James and Alizee are pet parents to six other dogs, but they brought Ella into their birth announcement for Inigo on social media.

The Princess of Wales’ brother shared the happy news that his son was born by posting a photo of his hand holding Inigo’s, with a golden Ella charm in between.

“We have settled into our new life as parents and I’ve told him all about Ella and that if it wasn’t for her he wouldn’t be here today and that we miss her greatly. The dogs have been fantastic at welcoming their little brother into the pack,” James wrote in part.

If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

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