James Middleton, the royal Princess Kate's brother, has always been cast in the shade. He has often felt "insecure" during his growing years, as he has not matched his sisters in athletic ability. Nor is he as smart as them. In fact, he was dyslexic at school.
"My sisters were very successful and confident. It was, 'Oh, you are Pippa's brother! Are you Catherine's brother?' And so I was automatically put into the top sports teams and academic sets," he explained. "But I was a bit of a squirt when I first started, so then it would be, 'Are you sure you're a Middleton?'"
However, James has been a caring and protective brother, especially after Kate began to date Prince William.
"I used to be first up in the morning to make sure I could get to the papers and rip out any stories about my sister, so nobody would see them and there would be no conversations about them" he recalled.
Even though the date between Kate and William took time to mature, the Middletons did begin to feel the heat after it warmed up a bit. "It was a gradual progression. Of course, there was a sense of, 'Oh my God, things are changing,' and 'Why are so many people interested in us?' he said.
"As a family, I don't think there is any particular 'policy' on [handling it]," he said. "But I suppose it's about respect, respecting the position we are in. It's making sure you don't overstep the mark. These aren't rules that are written out. It is a general understanding. The fact that you get times when [our lives are] broadcast to everybody brings us closer together."
James Middleton has his own private story with 37-year-old actress and presenter Donna Air. They had differences over her desire for children, and his disregard for them. Yet, though their relationship has been a bit rocky, he is keen on keeping it afloat.
"We are quite purposeful, forward-thinking people, so we needed wind in our sails in order to progress," he said. "She makes me very happy [and] I think I make her very happy. I want children. I've said that before. I will have children, but you'll have to wait."
Finally, he is resigned to having a Prince for a brother-in-law, yet he is quite firm about his own identity too. "When somebody is interested in me for other reasons, I can spot it a mile off," he said. "All I want to do in my life is be known as me and for what I do.
