James Middleton says puppy will be ‘dedicating his life to service too’ as he gives it a royal name in tribute to the Queen

James Middleton has paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth by naming one of his puppies after her father King George VI.

Kate Middleton’s younger brother, 35, who lives in Berkshire, explained that he wanted to give one of his golden retriever puppies a royally-inspired name to honour the longest reigning monarch in British history, who died on 8 September.

The entrepreneur and self-proclaimed “Dog Dad”, who set up natural dog food company Ella & Co, chose Bertie which is a nickname that was given to the Queen’s father - whose real name was Albert.

Following in the footsteps of the Royal family, Bertie will also lead a life of service as the golden retriever is training to be a guide dog for the visually impaired at the charity’s National Centre near Leamington Spa.

Speaking to Hello! Magazine, James 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.”

James continued by saying he is still “taken aback” by the Queen’s state funeral on 19 September and to see how many people Queen Elizabeth inspired and impacted.

Five billion people watched the broadcast of the Queen’s funeral while 2,000 dignitaries and politicians flew in from around the world to attend the service at Westminster Abbey.

While James did not attend the funeral last Monday, he often finds ways to share his respects for Her Majesty, including during his first wedding anniversary earlier this year to his financial analyst wife Alizee Thevenet.

Alongside a picture of the late Queen and Prince Philip on their wedding day, James said: “Today is our first wedding anniversary, however it doesn’t seem right to celebrate while mourning the loss of Queen Elizabeth II.

“Instead, I am sharing a photo of the marriage of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh on their wedding day 74 years ago.”

James and Alizee tied the knot in September 2021 in Provence and marked their first year together during the 10-day mourning period for Queen Elizabeth after she passed peacefully at Balmoral Castle.

“To my darling Alizee I look forward to sharing as many with you in our lifetime,” James added.