James Middleton has revealed he “cried” when a monument to his beloved late dog Ella was installed at his Bucklebury residence.
The 38-year-old brother of the Prince of Wales lost his canine companion in 2023 and chose to keep a memory of her at his home hr shares with his wife Alizee and their young son, Inigo.
Ella, a cocker spaniel, had been instrumental in supporting James during his mental health struggles and was a subject of his book where he credited her for “saving my life”.
To commemorate his companion, the businessman had a bust of the dog installed at his home which he revealed to mark International Dog Day.
James Middleton has revealed an ‘emotional' tribute to his late dog Ella at his home
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The commissioned piece was created by artist Stephen Pettifer from Coade Studio.
“As it’s international dog day I thought I would share with you a beautiful sculpture of Ella by the incredibly talented Stephen Pettifer of @coadestudio,” James began.
Upon viewing the finished work, which was a detailed bust of Ella in a serene moment, the 38-year-old revealed he became overwhelmed with emotion.
"I was so emotional when I first saw her 'she's home' I cried," he shared on Instagram.
James admitted the touching monument made him 'cry' when he
|"Photos are amazing to treasure but this sculpture captures her in a way no photo ever has," he explained in his post.
“The three-dimensional artwork now stands as a lasting tribute to the cherished pet who provided comfort during his darkest periods,” he continued.
Ella’s memorial has also proved emotive for his young son Inigo, who will turn two in September.
"Inigo is captivated by her saying 'bonjour' every time he passes her," the proud father revealed.
James revealed his young son was also 'captivated' by the Ella tribute
|The businessman reflected on the enduring nature of canine companionship in his social media post.
"So even if a dog has gone, we can always celebrate them especially on international dogs day," he wrote.
James, an avid dog lover, has long celebrated the joy that dogs can bring - even advocating for them to be made mandatory in the work place.
“‘Dogs in the workplace should be a generic ‘yes’ unless there is a very good reason to say ‘no,’” he said last month.
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James has long been a advocate of the mental health benefits of companionship with dogs
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The royal relative backed up his thinking with experience running his own dog food business, James & Ella – named after his late first dog.
“I started the business during the pandemic and the whole team works remotely,” he began.
“When we all get together, there are dogs everywhere and I really believe they increase productivity.
“Ideas come from those 15-minute breaks, taking them out to the garden,” he explained, reported by Richard Eden in the Daily Mail.