James Middleton has had to say goodbye to a beloved family member.
The younger brother of Kate Middleton announced on Instagram over the weekend that his black cocker spaniel Zulu had died.
“My darling Zulu has passed away 🖤,” the 39-year-old wrote on Instagram, alongside a black and white photo of him and Zulu.
“He would have been 16 this month,” he continued. “A wonderful age, and I know I couldn’t have asked for more. But that’s the funny thing about loving a dog. They are with us for only a handful of summers and Christmases, yet somehow become so deeply woven into our lives that it’s impossible to imagine them not being there.”
Princess Kate and Middleton family rally around James
Sources close to the Middletons say the family are rallying around James in support.
“James is really going through it, he’s naturally devastated to have lost Zulu and needs all the love and support he can get right now,” our insider says.
“The Middletons are an extremely tight-knit bunch and suffice to say they’re all right there for James, helping him stay as positive as possible…”
While James is close with the entire family, he has a special bond with his older sister.
“James has been leaning on [his wife] Alzee first and foremost, but also his parents and siblings, with Kate right at the centre of that immediate support system. They’ve always shared an extremely tight bond, whenever the chips are down she’s invariably the first person he calls to try and lift his spirits,” our sources reveal.
“Even with her busy schedule Kate is always happy to help, she never fobs him off and never will do. Family is everything to her, she’s very open about that. And it goes both ways, because whenever she’s had difficult times in her life there’s been nothing but love and support from her parents and siblings.”
In fact, James was a “rock” for his older sister when she was ill.
“That’s one big comfort in all of this, that James at least has his big sister in his corner to talk to and use as a general sounding board. It means the world to him,” our insider reveals.
How Kate’s close family bond differs to sister-in-law Meghan
While Kate continues to have a close bond with her family, Meghan Markle’s relationship with her estranged father, Thomas Markle, continues to fracture.
“It’s not lost on people that she hasn’t been there for him when he’s needed her most this past several years, during his various medical emergencies especially,” our insider spills. “And whilst she may have some extenuating reasons or excuses for that, it’s still a marked difference that shows how different her and Kate’s priorities seem to be.”
The contrast only seems to further highlight the differences between the two members of the royal family.
“Right now Kate is all about family and helping James through this difficult period while Meghan is feverishly getting ready for her and Harry’s big public debut in the UK,” insiders reveal.
“Their paths and overall choices couldn’t be any different in that way, but they’re both seemingly quite comfortable with that.”
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
