James Middleton facts for kids

James William Middleton (born 15 April 1987) is a British businessman. He is the younger brother of Catherine, Princess of Wales.

James was born in Reading, Berkshire. He went to St Andrew's School, Pangbourne and Marlborough College. He studied at the University of Edinburgh for a short time before starting his own cake-making business. He became well-known as his older sister's relationship with Prince William grew.

James is a strong supporter of mental health awareness. He has shared his own experiences with major depressive disorder. He is also an ambassador for the Pets As Therapy charity.

Early Life and Education

James William Middleton was born on 15 April 1987. He was the youngest child of Michael and Carole Middleton. His father was a flight dispatcher, and his mother was a flight attendant.

Before James was born, his parents started a company called Party Pieces. This company sold party supplies by mail. James has two older sisters: Catherine (born 1982) and Philippa (born 1983).

The family lived in Bradfield Southend before moving to Bucklebury in 1995. James went to St Andrew's School, Pangbourne and Marlborough College. In 2006, he started studying environmental resources management at the University of Edinburgh. However, he left after one year.

Career and Businesses

James Middleton has started several businesses. His first idea was a cake-making business. He was inspired by how much people remember homemade cakes.

He sold baking kits that had all the ingredients needed for fun cakes. These kits were even distributed by his parents' company, Party Pieces. He also made special cakes for other companies. His cake business won awards, but it closed down in 2015.

In May 2020, James launched Ella & Co. This company sells freeze-dried, raw, organic dog food by mail.

Boomf: Personalised Gifts

Boomf

Magical Mallows
Type	Private
Industry	Personalised confectionery
Founded	November 2013
Founders	James Middleton and Andy Bell
Headquarters	Reading and London, England
Area served	Global

In 2013, James Middleton and Andy Bell started a company called boomf. This company made personalised marshmallows and greeting cards.

Boomf started quietly in November 2013. In January 2014, they announced James's involvement. They believed it would be hard to keep it a secret for long.

In 2014, Boomf raised over $1 million from investors. They sold a lot of marshmallows in their first year. The company grew and was valued at £10 million in 2015.

Boomf faced some financial challenges for a few years. However, in 2019, James announced that the company had become profitable. Sales increased to £4.4 million. The company moved to new, larger offices in Reading.

In 2021, Boomf raised another $1 million in funding. But by December 2021, the company had financial difficulties. It officially closed down in November 2022.

Personal Life and Interests

Middleton has visited Glen Affric Estate, owned by the family of Philippa's husband.

James Middleton has dyslexia. He read from the Bible at his sister Catherine's wedding to Prince William in 2011.

In 2019, he shared his experiences with depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He felt that public attention from a young age contributed to these struggles. He started therapy in 2017. He also spent time at the Glen Affric Estate, which is owned by his sister Philippa's father-in-law. He wrote an article for a newspaper about mental health.

James is an ambassador for the Pets As Therapy charity. He says his dog, Ella, helped him a lot with his depression. He owns six dogs and one rescue lamb. He also keeps bees at his home in Bucklebury Manor. In April 2020, he started the Paw Print Fund to help animal welfare charities.

James met French financial analyst Alizée Thevenet in 2018. They announced their engagement in September 2019. They planned to marry in 2020 but postponed it twice because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

James and Alizée married on 11 September 2021. The wedding took place in a village in the south of France where Alizée's family lives. Alizée wore her mother-in-law Carole Middleton's wedding dress from the 1980s. The couple welcomed their first child, a son named Inigo Gabriel, on 21 September 2023.

Arms

Arms of James Middleton

Notes The arms of James William Middleton are the arms of his father differenced by a gold label. In heraldry, the label is the mark of the first son. Crest A Rock Argent, thereon a Wolf sejant Azure, gorged with a Collar of Roses Argent, barbed and seeded proper, supporting in the dexter forepaw a Caduceus Or, serpent Gules, labeled Or. Escutcheon Per pale Azure and Gules, a chevron Or, cotised Argent, between three acorns slipped and leaved Or (Middleton). Symbolism The dividing line (between two colours) down the centre is a canting of the name 'Middle-ton'. The acorns (from the oak tree) are a traditional symbol of England and a feature of west Berkshire, where the family lived. The three acorns also denote the family's three children. The gold chevron in the centre of the arms is an allusion to Carole Middleton's maiden name of Goldsmith. The two white chevronels (narrow chevrons above and below the gold chevron) symbolise peaks and mountains, and the family's love of the Lake District and skiing.