Exciting Middleton baby news announced after ‘very difficult’ start to the year

Middleton baby news has been confirmed with the most adorable pictures as the family looks forward to a 'precious little addition'

Middleton baby news announced. Seen here are James Middleton and Pippa Matthews with their parents Michael and Carole Middleton arriving for the coronation ceremony
(Image credit: Photo by Andrew Matthews - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Exciting Middleton baby news has been announced with the sweetest photographs after a “very difficult” start to the year. 


The Prince and Princess of Wales have been busier than ever in recent months, with everything from Prince William’s new five-year plan to end homelessness in the UK to Kate’s Royal Foundation Center for Early Childhood’s Shaping Us initiative being announced. However, despite their schedules being packed with their royal responsibilities, family remains incredibly important to them both. And now they have a major reason to celebrate together as exciting Middleton baby news has been revealed.

Taking to Instagram on July 5, the future Queen Consort’s brother James Middleton confirmed that he and his wife Alizée are expecting their first child. He shared two special snaps of Alizée, her hand carefully cradling her growing baby bump. 

Given James’ love of his loyal canine companions it’s perhaps no surprise that one of them - golden retriever Mabel - got the honor of joining his wife in the pictures. Though his beloved spaniel Ella also got a heartfelt shout-out as he explained that whilst they’d had a “very difficult start” to 2023 with her death, the little one’s arrival at the end of this year is so “precious”. 

“We couldn’t be more excited … well Mable might be ❤️”, he declared, before adding candidly, “It was a very difficult start to the year after losing my beloved Ella however we will end the year with the most precious little addition to our growing family ❤️”.

James and Alizée’s exciting Middleton baby news means that Princess Kate and Prince William will soon be an aunt and uncle for the sixth time. Fans took to the comments to congratulate James and Alizée on their baby news and one reflected on how adorable it is that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will soon have another cousin.

Prince Louis of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince George of Wales on the Buckingham Palace balcony

(Image credit: Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

“Congrats James! Another beautiful blonde cousin for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis”, they wrote delightedly. 

Another responded simply, “🙌❤️🙌 So Excited for you two and for both your families!”, whilst a third declared, “Much excitement and imagine Auntie Catherine will be delighted about a new niece or nephew”. 

James and Kate are understood to be close and he received a prestigious invitation to King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation in May. He married Alizée in September 2021 and generally maintains a high level of privacy, though he has previously opened up in The Telegraph about how his late dog Ella played a key role in the couple getting together.

Alizee Thevenet and James Middleton attend the Bulgari gala dinner

(Image credit: Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Bulgari)

They’d been at the South Kensington Club when Ella “made a beeline for Alizée”, leading James to follow and apologize to her.

“Little did I know, but I had just met my future wife, all thanks to Ella,” he wrote. “If I hadn’t trusted Ella, I wouldn’t have brought her to the South Kensington Club and she wouldn’t have been able to say hi to the woman who became my fiancée.”

His emotional reference to Ella as he announced his Middleton baby news is incredibly heart-warming and the entire family are no doubt excited to welcome the new arrival later this year.

Emma Shacklock

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!