James Middleton opens up on passion he shares with Princess of Wales and Pippa Matthews

Prince William recently noted during a royal engagement that Catherine ‘knows everything about bees’

James Middleton has opened up about a hobby he shares with his sisters, Pippa Matthews and Catherine, the Princess of Wales.

He revealed that beekeeping is a passion the siblings share with the trio regularly swapping jars of honey from their respective hives.

The 39-year-old explained: “Within the family, we’re often exchanging a jar for a jar. It’s incredible how different places produce different types of honey and different-tasting honey.”

When asked whether competition exists between Catherine’s Sandringham honey, his own Bucklebury variety, and Pippa’s Kintbury produce, James dismissed the notion entirely.

James Middleton has opened up about a hobby he shares with his sisters, Pippa Matthews and Catherine, the Princess of Wales.

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“Not at all. The beekeeping community is about sharing advice and experiences, because no two years are ever the same,” he told Hello.

Prince William recently noted during a Borough Market visit that Catherine “knows everything about bees”.

Catherine, alongside Pippa and their parents, Carole and Michael, first introduced James to the hobby by gifting him 1,000 bees for his 24th birthday.

The Princess of Wales’s brother will make a public appearance this month at Goodwoof, the Duke of Richmond’s pet festival often described as “Glastonbury for dogs”, where he plans to showcase his canine first-aid kit.

He revealed that beekeeping is a passion the siblings share with the trio regularly swapping jars of honey from their respective hives.

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“I used to make my own from various components and then it dawned on me that maybe I should actually produce one,” James explained.

Developed with guidance from his family’s veterinarian, the kit contains essential items including a tick-removal tool, blood-clotting agent, antiseptic wipes, bandages, thermometer and nail trimmer.

The product has already demonstrated its practical value. James recounted encountering a dog owner whose pet had torn out a nail, using his kit to bandage the wound and stem the bleeding, enabling them to reach veterinary care.

James, who celebrated his 39th birthday last month, admits he views his approaching 40th with some apprehension.

“It’s a scary one, for sure, because I think I look at it as being quite old. But then, I don’t feel any older than I did when I was 20,” he reflected.

James, who has attended Goodwoof since its 2022 launch and participated in the inaugural parade with the Duke of Richmond, will bring six dogs to this year’s festival: spaniels Zulu, Inka, Luna and Nala, plus labradors Mabel and Isla.