James Middleton, brother of Princess Catherine, has announced the death of his oldest dog, Zulu, in a heartfelt Instagram post on Friday. Zulu, who was almost 16 years old, was the son of his late dog Ella, who inspired him to set up his business, James and Ella, after he credited her with saving his life.
In his post, James shared that Zulu had been a constant presence for him, his wife, and his son over the years. He confirmed that he has buried Zulu beside Ella.
James's tribute to Zulu
Sharing photographs of Zulu, James wrote: "My darling Zulu has passed away. I’ve written a lot about losing dogs. About the grief, the emptiness, how difficult it is to say goodbye. I’ve shared my own experiences, tried to find the words to comfort others and, in doing so, perhaps tried to make a little more sense of it myself."
He continued: "But no matter how many times you experience it, how much you write about it, or how much you think you’ve come to understand it, nothing quite prepares you for this cacophony of emotions… He would have been 16 this month. A wonderful age, and I know I couldn’t have asked for more."
Memories and laying to rest
James added: "But that’s the funny thing about loving a dog. They are with us for only a handful of summers and Christmases, yet somehow become so deeply woven into our lives that it’s impossible to imagine them not being there."
He wrote: "They share in our happiest moments, sit beside us through our darkest and ask for nothing more than our company. And when they leave, it’s not simply their absence we mourn, but the part of ourselves that went with them. Almost 16 years of memories and moments that belonged to the two of us. A lifetime for him, but never quite long enough for me…"
James concluded: "I have laid Zulu to rest beside his mother, Ella. I like to think that he’s already found her, his brother Lupo, Tilly, Mini and the other animals who have shared my life. That they’re all together again and he’s busy telling his mum everything she’s missed."
He added: "All the adventures, all the changes in our lives and, most importantly, just how wonderful little Inigo is… I’m going to have to stop here… Sleep well, my darling Zulu. I’m going to miss you terribly."
Photographs and recent news
James shared a photograph of himself hugging Zulu, a sweet snap of his toddler Inigo kissing Zulu on the head, a photograph of Zulu with the family's other dogs, and a final snap showing Inigo looking at Zulu's resting place.
Princess Catherine is likely to be saddened by the news, as Zulu was the brother of her late dog Lupo. The news comes just two days after James revealed that his brand, James and Ella, has some exciting news to share later this month.
