James Middleton Reflects on His 'Panic' When Greeting Queen Elizabeth

James Middleton is set to release his memoir, Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life, later this month. As Princess Kate Middleton‘s brother, the new book explores James’ interactions with members of the royal family, including Queen Elizabeth II.

Princess Kate married Prince William on April 11, 2011, in a fairytale royal wedding at Westminster Abbey in London. As well as giving a Bible reading at the Prince and Princess of Wales’ nuptials, James has spent time at Sandringham with the royals.

James recalled traveling to the royal family’s Sandringham estate for Princess Kate’s birthday party, after Queen Elizabeth agreed to host a “teatime gathering” for the occasion.

After flying back from France overnight, James traveled with his sister Pippa Middleton to the royal residence. Despite having met the monarch previously, James found himself more nervous than usual when greeting the Queen at Sandringham.

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“We arrived breathless and flustered with barely time to run upstairs and change,” James wrote in an excerpt from Meet Ella published by the Daily Mail. “I bounded downstairs two at a time and into the room where everyone was assembled for tea, almost running smack into Her Majesty.”

In preparation for “teatime” with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, James had been revising the correct way to address the monarch.

“All the way up to Norfolk I’d been rehearsing my lines, muttering: ‘Your Majesty’ for the Queen; ‘Your Royal Highness’ for the Duke of Edinburgh,” James wrote. “But in my blind panic I blurted: ‘I’m so sorry we’re late, Your Royal Majesty.’”

Rather than causing any sort of offense, James’ incorrect greeting appears to have been found funny by those in attendance.

“I heard a snort of laughter and looked past the Queen to see everyone in the room stifling their giggles,” James wrote.

As for Queen Elizabeth, James recalls the monarch being warm and inviting, in spite of how “flustered” he may have been.

“‘Oh, how lovely to see you, James,’ she smiled,” James wrote. “I’d met her several times, notably at my sister’s wedding, and she was always welcoming.”

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Instead of correcting Princess Kate’s brother, the Queen was quick to make him feel at ease in her home.

“‘You must be hungry,'” James recalled her saying. “Make sure you have something to eat.’”

Spending time with the royal family must have been nerve-wracking at first for Princess Kate’s family, but as James’ memoir attests, the Middletons were embraced by the Queen.

 Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life is set to be released on Thursday, September 26.