James Middleton has named his dog Bertie in a "touching tribute" to Queen Elizabeth.
James Middleton donates guide dog as a tribute to Queen Elizabeth
The 35-year-old entrepreneur - who is the younger brother of Catherine, Princess of Wales - has proudly donated the puppy to Guide Dogs and wanted to give the canine a suitable regal name following the death of the monarch earlier this month, so opted for the informal moniker used by the family and friends of the queen's late father King George VI.
James' dog Mabel gave birth to her litter in the summer and he recently visited the charity's National Centre near Leamington Spa to hand over Bertie to begin his training.
He said: "In light of recent events, I wanted a name that is a touching tribute to the late Queen, It was incredible that the Queen dedicated her life to service, and in many ways Bertie the dog will be dedicating his life to service too,"
The Ella and Co. founder - who tied the knot with French financial analyst Alizée Thevenet in September 2021 - was "taken aback" by the spectacle of the queen's state funeral on 19 September but admitted it was "extraordinary" to see the impact the late monarch had had on her home country and the Commonwealth during her record-breaking 70-year reign.
He told HELLO magazine: "I was extremely moved by the events on Monday [19 September], which I’m still taken aback by.
"It is extraordinary to see how many people’s lives Her Majesty touched, not just in our country, but in the Commonwealth and around the world. My eyes have been opened even wider to that."
Tagged in Queen Elizabeth James Middleton