You couldn’t find a happier looking man than James Middleton as he shows the HELLO! team around the grounds of his farmhouse in the Berkshire countryside.

In an exclusive interview (which you can listen to below) the entrepreneur, who turns 38 this month, opens up about his busy life with his wife, Alizee, their 18-month-old son, Inigo, and their beloved pooches.

With his six dogs bouncing at his heels, the younger brother of the Princess of Wales is in his natural environment as he piles the pack into the back of a red tractor, throws in a few bales of hay, and heads off to a grassy meadow bathed in sunshine as we follow behind.

James’s four cocker spaniels, which range in age from 14 to four years, are all related to Ella. He also has two golden retrievers.

They are all impeccably behaved – quick to obey commands and trained to look straight into the camera when photographed.

Inigo’s first word

 Theirs must be a lively household…

 James smiles, ruefully: “Yes, getting up in the morning trying to feed six dogs and get Inigo fed and off to nursery is a challenge.”

“He spent the first year of his life thinking he was a dog,” he adds. “He’d crawl around on all fours, which was entertaining to watch.”

© Tom Jamieson

Did he bark?

“His first word was ‘woof’,” he jokes. “But he loves dogs, particularly Isla – he puts his arm around her neck and squeezes. He loves chatting to the animals – he shouts at the chickens and knows what noise a cow makes. He shares many of my loves – which are tractors, sheep and dogs.”

© Tom Jamieson

Luckily Alizee, a French financial analyst whom James first met in 2018 when Ella approached her table while they were both in meetings in a London club, is also a dog lover.

When James darts back into the house to fetch his wife to meet us – they walk towards us holding hands – the dogs excitably greet her like a long-lost friend.

“Over the years she’s built her own relationship and often goes out for walks and runs with them.”

Fatherhood

Being a dog-owner helped James develop his nurturing skills when Inigo arrived.

© Tom Jamieson

“I’m less bothered about changing nappies as I’ve cleared up enough poo over the years!,” he admits. “And you have to have patience, you can’t rush anything. I often look at Alizee and say, ‘What did we do before we had Inigo? What did we do with all that time?’ But it’s like anything in life – you evolve and change. You can look back at the past and enjoy the memories, but not chase them today as it’s a waste of energy.”

To read the full exclusive report and photoshoot, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK on Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.