James Middletonis shedding light on his family vacations, past and present.
In a Dec. 29 interview withThe Sunday Times, the younger brother ofKate Middletonopened up about vacations when he was a child with older sisters Kate andPippa Middletonand their parents Carole and Michael.
“Holidays tended to be packing up the car and driving somewhere,” James, 37, told the outlet. “My parents, sisters and I would visit different places in the Swiss Alps each summer, such as Les Masses, or we’d go to Avoriaz in France.”
Pippa and James Middleton, siblings of Catherine, Princess of Wales arrive at the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.Andrew Milligan - WPA Pool/Getty
Andrew Milligan - WPA Pool/Getty
James went on to describe “distinct memories of the beautiful butterflies, wildflower meadows and the sounds of cowbells — and those memories came back to life this summer when we took Inigo to Valmoral in the French Alps to visit Alizée’s family,” referring to his wife, Alizée Thevenet, and their 1-year-old son, Inigo.
Alizee Middleton and James Middleton attend the switch on of Bulgari’s iconic Serpenti Christmas lights at its flagship boutique with a star studded party in conjunction with Save The Children, on Nov. 12, 2021 in London, England.David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty
“There were the same smells, the same marmot calls; it was a pinch-me moment that brought me back to childhood summers when I’d hike up mountains with a rucksack that was bigger than me,” James added. “I can’t wait for Inigo to form those sorts of memories.”
After the Princess of Wales, 42, announced her cancer diagnosis in March, those trips to the mountains factored into her brother’s tribute to her. On March 22, the same day Kate announced to the public via a video message that she had been diagnosed with cancer, James posted a show of support for her, writing on social media alongside a photo of the two of them in their younger years wearing backpacks in front of a mountainous backdrop: “Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together,” he wrote. “As a family, we will climb this one with you too.”
“Mountains play a huge role in my life,” he toldThe Sunday Times. “They remind us that we’re vulnerable; you’ve got to respect them.”
James also toldThe Sunday Timesthat “Growing up, we’d also head to the Lake District, staying in rented cottages around Coniston Water and Windermere. It’s a very special place for us as a family, and the adventures we’d get up to as kids, from rock climbing on the crags to exploring the caves, were like something fromThe Famous Five.”
Carole Middleton, Michael Middleton, James Middleton, Alizee Thevenet and Pippa Middleton attend the ‘Together At Christmas’ Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on Dec. 6, 2024 in London, England.Samir Hussein/WireImage
Samir Hussein/WireImage
“Now [that] we’re adults we always make sure that we spend time as a wider family so that the cousins get to spend time together, especially around Christmas,” James added.
“They are milestones, because [my sisters] remember when their child was wearing something, and how old they were — it takes them back,” James said. “It’s a lovely thing for them.”
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (R) and her sister Pippa Middleton talk in the Royal Box before the men’s singles final match between Britain’s Andy Murray and Switzerland’s Roger Federer on Centre Court on day 13 of the 2012 Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 8, 2012.LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty
LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty
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As for his own family of three in 2025, “Alizée and I would both love to explore Norway next year,” James toldThe Sunday Times. “I want to see the fjords. We also love ski touring — it’s fantastic exercise and you really feel like you deserve your fondue afterwards — and that’s something we want to try in Scandinavia. Inigo’s walking, so he’s almost ready for skis.”
source: people.com
