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Privacy NoticeJames Middleton, the younger brother of the Princess of Wales, had a rather uncomfortable run-in with Queen Elizabeth, as he reveals in his new book. Set to hit the shelves on September 26, James delves into his personal struggle with depression and the pivotal role his late spaniel Ella played in his journey to recovery. But it’s not just his battle with mental health that he lays bare; James offers a peek into the private world of the royals, including anecdotes about his sister, Prince William, and other members of the Royal Family. In an excerpt featured in the Daily Mail, he recounts the time he inadvertently flouted Royal etiquette during a birthday celebration for his sister, hosted by none other than the Queen at Sandringham.
James Middleton revealed his funny run-in with the Queen
He recalls: “Pippa and I were late for Catherine’s birthday party, which in the normal run of things wouldn’t have mattered too much, but this time the Queen had kindly offered to host the teatime gathering at Sandringham.” The day was fraught with travel fatigue and wardrobe mishaps, as he describes: “We’d been on a late-night flight to Gatwick from France and arrived bleary-eyed and sleepless at the airport, then I’d driven us both to Bucklebury so we could pack.”
James recalled the moment he and Pippa were running late
(Image: Getty Images)
Worried about his appearance, he notes: “I was fretting about the standard of my ironing my shirt was rumpled and creased in all the wrong places and I could only find one cufflink. ‘Come on James, we’ve got to go now,’ urged Pippa as I filled up Ella’s water bottle for the journey. “We arrived breathless and flustered with barely time to run upstairs and change. I bounded downstairs two at a time and into the room where everyone was assembled for tea, almost running smack into Her Majesty. She and Prince Philip had got up to leave just as I blundered in with Pippa behind me.
James recalled running into the Queen at Sandringham
(Image: 2011 George Pimentel)
“All the way up to Norfolk I’d been rehearsing my lines, muttering: ‘Your Majesty’ for the Queen; ‘Your Royal Highness’ for the Duke of Edinburgh. But in my blind panic, I blurted: ‘I’m so sorry we’re late, Your Royal Majesty.'” The gaffe caused chuckles all around, with James recalling: “I heard a snort of laughter and looked past the Queen to see everyone in the room stifling their giggles. ‘Oh, how lovely to see you, James,’ she smiled.” “I’d met her several times, notably at my sister’s wedding, and she was always welcoming. ‘You must be hungry. Make sure you have something to eat.”Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnJames MiddletonPrince PhilipPrince WilliamPippa MiddletonKate MiddletonQueen Elizabeth IIRoyal FamilySandringham
