James Middleton.Photo: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty, James Middleton/instagram
James Middleton’s furry family has expanded again!
Kate Middleton’s younger brother, 35, previously shared that his golden retriever, Mabel, had welcomed alitter of eight puppiesthis summer — and on Sunday, he revealed that one of them is officially joining his dog pack.
James shared a photo of his wife, Alizee Thevenet, with Mabel and the new addition captioned, “My Golden Girls.” “Many of you have been asking if we kept a puppy from Mabel’s recent litter and…of course we did…” he wrote. “Introducing Isla. Her name is a little nod to her Scottish routes.”
Isla is a variation of Islay, a Scottish island on the west coast. Isla the puppy also shares her name with a member of the royal family: Isla Phillips, who is the great-granddaughter ofQueen Elizabeth, granddaughter of Princess Anne and daughter of Peter Phillips.
The Ella & Co. founder also shared the first photo of his dogs including their newest addition. Isla poses with mom Mabel, as well as James' five cocker spaniels: Ella, Inca, Luna, Zulu and Nala.
Another one of Mabel’s puppies — named Bertie after the sweet family nickname forQueen Elizabeth’s father,King George VI, whose first name was Albert — has started his training to become a guide dog for a visually impaired person.
“Once all of the necessary checks and paperwork had been concluded, it was time to choose the right puppy,” James wrote in ablog post. “This was a tough decision, as they all had such loving temperaments. I followed guidance from Guide Dogs, regarding which of the puppies would be the most suitable; we needed a dog that was a gentle balance of calm and confidence. There was one puppy that continuously showed all the right traits, and the decision was easily made. Guide Dogs agreed; he had the potential to make a fantastic future Guide Dog.”
“If he’s successful in his training, Bertie will be paired with his potential new companion,” James said.
But the cost to support a guide dog is over $65,000. In addition to donating Bertie to Guide Dogs, James pledged to raise the total amount needed to cover the pup’s training and retirement. He set up aJustGiving pagewhere others can contribute to support Bertie and view his progress in training.
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“I recognize, too, the role my dogs — Ella, Inca, Luna, Zulu and Mabel — have played in my recovery,” he added. “Ella, particularly, has been my constant companion for ten years and she’s been with me to all my therapy sessions. In her own particular way, she has kept me going.”
source: people.com
