James Middleton has taken to his Instagram page to share a heartfelt post to mark World Mental Health Day on Thursday. The post comes days after James announced his engagement to Alizee Thevenet. Sharing a snap of his pet dog Ella, the Duchess of Cambridge's brother heaped praise on her for helping him get through some dark times. "This is Ella and these are the eyes which helped me get through the insufferable darkness," he wrote. "The gentle touch of your wet nose and a loving lick was enough to make me feel brave. I will forever be in your debt. Thank you Ella."
In January, James bravely opened up about his battle with clinical depression over the years in a feature on the Daily Mail. The younger brother of Kate and Pippa Middleton revealed that he struggled to communicate with his friends and family over the difficult period, and also spoke about his struggle with dyslexia and being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).
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In the article, he wrote: "I couldn't communicate, even with those I loved best: my family and close friends. Their anxious texts grew more insistent by the day, yet they went unanswered as I sank progressively deeper into a morass of despair."
Meanwhile, James has lots to look forward to having confirmed his engagement. On Sunday, the entrepreneur posted a heartwarming selfie with his fiancée in the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District, both looking a little windswept but happy. He captioned the sweet picture: "She said OUI." Later adding: "Our secret is out but we couldn’t be happier to share the news," adding emojis of a champagne bottle and champagne glasses.
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James and his new fiancée share five dogs and reportedly owe their relationship to one of them, having met when Alizee greeted Ella in South Kensington Club last year. They began dating soon after and were photographed kissing during a New Year's holiday in St Barts in January. James was previously in a relationship with actress and presenter Donna Air, which ended in early 2018.
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