James Middleton shares a poignant puppy-themed tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II

The Princess of Wales’ younger brother, James Middleton has shared a thoughtful tribute to the Queen, with his new puppy.

James Middleton attends the launch of the George Charitable Dogs Committee at George Club on February 26, 2020 in London, England.
(Image credit: Getty Images / David M. Benett)

James Middleton has given his new golden retriever puppy a very sentimental name and poignant job after being ’extremely moved' by her late Majesty’s funeral.


Following the Queen’s state funeral, the Princess of Wales’ younger brother, James Middleton shared a thoughtful tribute to the late monarch, with the help of his new puppy.

Speaking to Hello! James, who married Alizée Thevenet last year, revealed that he has decided to name his new, golden retriever puppy ‘Bertie’ after Her Majesty’s father, King George VI. ‘Bertie’ is short for Albert and was her father's nickname before he ascended the throne and took on the mantle of ‘George.’

He said, “In light of recent events, I wanted a name that is a touching tribute to the late Queen.”

This gesture is made doubly sweet as the late Queen adored dogs, with her own two corgis being present at her funeral procession.

Members of the Royal Household stand with the Queen's royal Corgis, Muick and Sandy as they await the wait for the funeral cortege on September 19, 2022 in Windsor, England.

(Image credit: Getty Images / Justin Setterfield)

Moreover, James also shared another part of the tribute, revealing that Bertie will be trained as a guide dog and offer support and aid to someone who has lost their sight. He added, “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.”

Speaking on what inspired him to make this decision, he said, “I was extremely moved by the events on Monday [19 September], which I’m still taken aback by.”

James, who already has six dogs; Ella, Zulu, Inka, Luna, Mabel and Nala, also took to his Instagram following the news of the Queen’s passing, to share a tribute.

He posted a photograph of Her Majesty and her corgis, with a caption that said, “Queen Elizabeth II, the epitome of steady grace, resolve and reassurance. Our constant in a world of change. Thank you for a lifetime of service & leadership.”

This comes as the royal family shared the first photos of Queen Elizabeth’s final resting place at St George’s Chapel, where she was buried alongside her father, mother and husband, Prince Philip.

Surrounding the new inscribed ledger stone were a number of floral tributes, laid by the family - including a wreath from Prince William and Kate.

Naomi Jamieson
Lifestyle News Writer

Naomi is a Lifestyle News Writer with the Lifestyle team and has recently earned her Gold Standard Diploma in Journalism from the NCTJ. She has a background in design, having studied Illustration at Plymouth University but has taken a leap into the world of journalism after always having a passion for writing. She currently writes pieces on beauty, fashion, and entertainment for Goodto.com and My Imperfect Life.