As we all know, the Middletons and the Cambridges care deeply about mental health, just as long as it’s not Meghan and Harry’s mental health. But other people’s mental health struggles, sure. They care. More specifically, they care about James Middleton’s mental health, his anxiety and depression and the tools he’s used to function. James has often spoke about it too, and he has not been criticized for it (unlike, say, Meghan and Harry). So he’s going to make a documentary about it. More specifically, he’s going to make a documentary about how his dogs help his mental health.
James Middleton will front a new documentary about dogs and their impact on mental health, The Sun has reported. In the past, the 32-year-old has spoken out about the positive impact his pet dogs have had on his mental health, and now James will explore the close bond he has with his beloved pets on camera. The documentary helmed by James, who is the younger brother of The Duchess of Cambrige, will be titled James Middleton’s Super Dogs and according to The Sun will “follow him talking to others who are suffering and looking at how a dog can impact your mood and depression”.
The paper adds: “Mental health is a topic very close to both James’ and his sister’s hearts, and he credits his dogs with helping him out of his darkest days.”
James has become so attached to his pet dogs that he won’t agree to do interviews without them present. The entrepreneur made the revelation in November when discussing a recent interview with Vanity Fair Spain, writing on Instagram: “Every interview I agree to my one request is to bring a dog or 2 or 3,4,5 – they give me the courage to speak openly, freely and without fear of judgment especially when I talk about my experience with depression. Every 40 seconds someone takes their own life because of depression. This statistic scares me. It’s a big factor in why I talk openly about depression and will continue to do so. Ella and Mabel accompanied me on a wonderful day out with @vanityfairspain – thank you for translating my words so carefully.”
Again, no clapback, no criticism. But lord, what would happen if, ahem, other people spoke honestly and openly about how they deal with their mental health struggles? Would James’ brother-in-law Prince William be incandescent with rage? Who knows. Anyway, it’s just nice to look at James’ beautiful dogs. Also: why was James on the cover of Vanity Fair Spain again?!
Photos courtesy of Instagram.
Animals are a great tool for MH recovery, esp dogs so no shade. However wouldn’t this have a greater impact if his big sister and her husband were involved – you know the GREAT and ONLY MH champions? Just saying …
Mens MH often gets ignored and I think he’d be a good champion of it.
There were times when my dog was the only thing keeping me from committing suicide. When he died everyone around me went on high alert. But thankfully, by that time, I had developed better coping mechanisms, and I had a really good support network.
the dog I had when I was a teenager, literally, saved my life. The furbabies I’ve had as an adult (cats and dogs) are an absolute lifeline.
when I start to feel myself teeter into a downward spiral, I remind myself that there’s nobody to care for my dogs if I die and from my experience in rescue, I’m acutely aware of how long it would take to place them should they end up in rescue. It’s been an impetus to pay close attention to any deterioration in my mental health – especially in the current political environment.
I agree Digital Unicorn. And I’m all for his stepping up and speaking out. I’ve worked in several hospitals where therapy dogs are used to great advantage. Actual research studies have proven that human brain chemistry changes for the better when animals are petted. Our heart rate slows, our brains release endorphins, etc., so, good on him and his lovely dogs.
On a totally different note —- in looking at the Vanity Fair cover photo of James above, it is amazing to me how much he looks like he could be the long lost cousin to Czar Nicolas II of Russia and his cousin, King George V. In photos of them side-by side (in their younger years) they almost look like twins. James could almost be a long lost triplet to those two.
This is wonderful. I’m proud of James for doing this. Men especially need to see other men speak about their struggles and methods of coping. It’s genuine, which means so much.
Ehm, sure, just as Prince Harry has been showing us how he’s been dealing with his own struggles. Three years in therapy while dealing with constant shit from the RF and RR, and protecting his young family at the same time! Harry’s a real champ…Hurray for Harry!!!
PS: I just had to get that in since it seems like the press would more readily champion the Cambridges and Middleton’s issues than Harry and Meghan’s.
Harry and Meghan are criticized for the notion that they might, somehow, accidentally trade on their royal connections.
But here’s James Middleton, only getting this series because the royal-adjacent Middletons trade on their royal connections.
He is obviously monetizing the connection but somehow that’s ok. And when is William going to call him fragile for talking about his feelings. Or does he only save that for his brother? I frankly find that to be the most offensive thing William has done. You can’t give a crap about mental health when you gaslight your brother in the international media.
That comment from William, and quite frankly their overall actions over the past 6 months, have shown me that their mental health “focus” is just lip service because they needed a signature cause. They are both still clueless about it and judgmental.
Anyway – agreed re: James Middleton and his connections. People on here over the past have heavily criticized Jessica Mulroney – she only got X gig because she’s friends with Meghan, etc – so I don’t feel bad saying the same about James, even if I think this is a good idea.
Exactly. Who would finance this film if he weren’t related to Katie Keen? Would he even want to make this if he weren’t related to Katie K? My guess? Mom’s idea.
I will give credit to Carole that this is a much better idea than his nazi marshmallow company. It’s too bad his brother in law and sister are hypocrites in terms of mental health issues.
I work in trauma and am always glad to hear anything positive regarding mental health BUT…..why him?
Most people have no understanding why he gets a platform and have literally nothing in common with him.
Privately educated, dropped out of University, bankrupted business, organises stag shooting parties and his sister married a potential future king.
I think he is a hard sell which is a shame as men and mental health could do with a likeable relatable champion and the therapy animals provide is invaluable
Totally agree. He is not relatable nor is he a man that other men that might be struggling with mental health issues look up to (or honestly even know).
Agree with everything you said. This seems like a good documentary in theory and I’m glad that James is doing well and that his dogs have helped him (I follow him on IG because his dogs are really freaking cute). And to the extent he is using his platform/royal connections to speak out about mental health, then good for him.
But……
It will follow him talking to others…
It sounds like he is doing some type of YouTube thing? It’s a little thin on details.
No real feelings other than I resonate with that golden retriever’s confusion on the cover.
Unrelated to the article above, but I just wanted to inform all of you Celebitches that I SAW James Middleton cycling through London (Mayfair, very hoity-toity neighborhood, quelle surprise) with his doggie box and two dogs in tow yesterday evening. He looked quite dandy and even more like Tsar Nicholas in person than I had imagined! Quite short though from what I could tell…
He *does* look like Tsar Nicholas – good call! Glad to hear he’s a short dandy – that might finally purge me of this shameful crush, thanks!
😂😂😂
While I always welcome someone shining a light on mental health issues, why James Middleton? As many others have said, he only has his platform because of who his sister married. God forbid these Middleton children ever have a conventional form of earning income. The three of them are as lazy as they come.
A fellow Brit, Martin Clunes, made a documentary in 2008 about dogs & mental health, a bit. So, fame adajacent, J. Middleton isn’t the first to walk in this path. Hopefully, he does this well.
My Pugs saved my life so often
Martin Clunes: A Man and His Dogs (2008))
He looks very happy in these photos. I wonder if being Kate’s brother (as well as the brother in law to Prince William) has turned out to be a good thing for James. They say that narcissists often have a preference scale for their children. There is the “golden child” and the “scapegoat child” and then there is the “forgotten child”. I’m thinking that James may be one of the latter two.