This week, royal fans have been closely following Donald Trump’s state visit to the U.K., during which he has made several appearances with the royal family, including at a state banquet on Wednesday, Sept. 17.
Prince William and Kate Middleton were both in attendance at the event, at which Kate stole the show in one of her most regal looks yet—a hand-embroidered gold Chantilly lace and silk crepe couture gown by British designer Phillipa Lepley accessorized with the Princess of Wales’ beloved Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara.
Royal fans everywhere were buzzing about Kate’s look and the state banquet in general, and even the royal’s younger brother, James Middleton, weighed in publicly after the event.
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Middleton shared his thoughts in a comment on a picture Will and Kate shared from the event through their official Prince and Princess of Wales Instagram account.
The post included a picture of the royal couple posing at the state banquet and was captioned, “Ready for The State Banquet 🇺🇸🇬🇧.”
Although the post shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales Instagram account included both the American and British flags in its caption, Middleton’s comment made a subtle-but-strong statement about his own patriotism amid Donald and Melania Trump’s state visit.
“Proud to be 🇬🇧,” Middleton commented.
This isn’t the first time Middleton has used his platform to comment on a political topic. In July 2024, he took to Instagram to encourage his followers of all political affiliations to get out and vote.
“No matter your paw-litical stance, make sure your voice is heard today 🗣️ #ElectionDay #EveryVoteCounts #DogsForDemocracy #dogsatpollingstations,” he wrote in the caption of the post, which also included a picture of four of his dogs posed in front of a polling station.
Middleton is an avid dog lover and frequently includes his dogs—which include golden retrievers Isla and Mabel, and cocker spaniels, Ella, Inca, Luna, Zulu and Nala—in pictures on his Instagram account.
The 38-year-old’s love of animals (particularly dogs) is something he’s incorporated into his work as both an entrepreneur and activist. He’s been clear about the role his dog Ella played in his mental health journey and in inspiring him to start his company, James & Ella.
“I founded James & Ella, a happiness and wellbeing company for dogs, as a way of giving back to my dogs that have done so much for me,” Middleton explained in a post on the company’s website. “Ella, my eldest black cocker spaniel, is the namesake of our company. She is my teacher, therapist and best friend.”
Middleton added that Ella’s support and presence were pivotal in his decision to work with a therapist to address his own mental health struggles.
“Ella came to every single one of my therapy sessions. I’d make excuses not to go, if Ella couldn’t be there with me,” he wrote. “Just being by my side, she was helping me tremendously and had an immense positive impact. It’s not always been easy for me to talk about my struggles with anxiety and depression, but Ella has been the one to encourage me to get the help I needed.”
Middleton’s dedication to advocating for animals and mental health awareness is probably matched only by his consistent and vocal support for his family, including his famous older sister.
In March 2024, Middleton shared a tribute in support of Kate amid news of her battle with cancer. The post included a childhood picture of the siblings with a heartfelt message of support as its caption.
“Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together,” he wrote. “As a family, we will climb this one with you too ⛰️❤️.”
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