James Middleton shares son's surprising middle name for the first time and special family meaning behind it

The royals have a long tradition for naming their babies after family members, and the Princess of Wales 's brother, by extension, was no different when it came to choosing a moniker for his baby boy.

James Middleton revealed previously unknown details about his and Alizée Thevenet 's son in his heartwarming memoir, Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life , published on Thursday.

Baby Inigo's date of birth – 21 September 2023 – and his middle name have now been revealed by James in his book, and it's very touching.

After recalling the moment his son was born, James shared the meaning behind the couple's name choice.

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"Then there is his name. We have thought about it – of course we have – and we decide on it now," he wrote. "Inigo Gabriel Middleton. Inigo means fiery, ardent, although he is peaceful now.

"Gabriel is in memory of his grandfather, Alizee's papa. It is a small tribute and we look forward to sharing lots of stories about his French grandad too."

Meeting Alizée

James credits his late dog Ella with meeting his wife, Alizee, at the South Kensington Club in Chelsea in 2018.

The couple announced their engagement in 2019 and after having to postpone their nuptials twice due to the pandemic, they finally tied the knot on 11 September 2021 in Bormes-les-Mimosas, France, with HELLO! sharing world exclusive photos from their happy day.

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Blushing bride Alizee looked beautiful in a bardot-style wedding dress, which once belonged to her mother-in-law Carole Middleton.

In July 2023, they shared the happy news they were expecting their first child, having discovered that Alizee was pregnant a week after Ella's passing.

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Baby Inigo made his arrival into the world at Basingstoke Hospital in September 2023 and he's already bonded with the family's dogs.

LISTEN: Why the Princess of Wales decided to release incredible family video

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