As I pace, I look down through the skylight and see my spaniel Ella’s gentle eyes looking back up at me. She senses my strange, agitated state of mind.
She cannot climb the ladder—I would not want her to; it is too dangerous on the exposed rooftop—but she is standing at the foot of it imploring me with her eyes to come down.
What would Ella do without me? She depends on me and I on her. I begin to pace again.
I glance down. Ella has not moved.
I have loved her with every bit being since she was a tiny, sightless newborn pup. She has been my companion, my support through my darkest days. She has loved me unconditionally. Even when I have felt the labour of living is not worth the effort, I have taken her for walks and fed her. She gives me purpose.
She is Ella, the dog who saved my life.
Meet Ella is a love letter from James Middleton to his beloved dog, Ella.
Both devastating and wonderfully heart-warming, it is much more than a charming story of a boy and his dog—it’s a deeply personal account of his emotional journey through his mental health struggles, with Ella by his side as his faithful companion.
From his childhood spent exploring the Berkshire countryside and dreaming of the day he’d finally get a dog, to the life-changing moment when his wish was granted, James takes readers on an intimate and relatable journey. His relationship with Ella is nothing short of remarkable, filled with shared adventures in nature and even serendipitous moments of fate—like Ella playing a crucial role in introducing James to his future wife, Alizée.
What makes Meet Ella particularly compelling is its exploration of the profound impact that Ella had on James’ mental health. Through his struggles with depression, Ella becomes more than just a companion—she is his anchor, offering the unconditional love and emotional support that help him navigate the darkest periods of his life. The book is a moving portrayal of how animals can intuitively sense our needs and become an integral part of our healing process.
With moments of tenderness, humor, and poignancy, Meet Ella is much more than a story for dog lovers. It’s a celebration of the deep, unbreakable bonds that can form between humans and animals, and a testament to the power of love and loyalty in overcoming life’s challenges. Whether you’re an animal lover or simply someone in need of an uplifting tale, Meet Ella will warm your heart and remind you of the extraordinary ways dogs serve us and love us unconditionally.
We think we are caring for them, but actually, in their own selfless way, they are the ones looking after us. They are the dogs who are saving our lives.
As I anticipated, I couldn’t help but shed tears reading about the passing of not just Ella, but also Tilly and Mini. Through James’ words, I felt the raw desperation of his mental health struggles. Yet, amid the heartache, I found myself laughing at the humorous anecdotes, as he adjusts to life in the royal spotlight, and the delightful glimpses into the Middleton family.
Meet Ella was launched on the 26 September.
