With his sister the Duchess of Cambridge having locked down a prince and Pippa getting serious with her new banker boyfriend, pressure is on for James Middleton, the youngest of the Middleton clan and the only one not to have had a serious relationship.
But 26-year-old James, one of Britain’s most eligible bachelors is off the shelf, going public with his relationship with millionaire UK TV presenter Donna Air.
The 33-year-old mother of two met James, who is seven years her junior, at an exclusive London pub in February according to The Mail on Sunday.
Friends tell the paper the two have been carrying on a secret romance for three months, but have confirmed with those close to them they are officially a couple.
“It’s still early days but James thinks she’s great,” says a close friend of the pair.
“They’ve been out together a few places — but they always choose discreet restaurants where they are less likely to get spotted.”
The pair had been spotted together at a party last month, it didn’t click that they were actually an item, particularly since the TV star was noticeably absent at James’ 26th birthday last week, holidaying in Barbados.
James is said to have met Donna’s daughter Freya, and she is acquainted with James’ sister Pippa.
She also counts Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice among her friends.
James, a keen sportsman with a healthy lifestyle, is set to become an uncle in the coming months as his older sister Kate welcomes a royal baby.
Kate is expected to move back into the family’s rural home for several weeks, where James enjoys spending time when he is away from the family flat in Chelsea, which he shares with Pippa.
Said to have several female admirers in Scotland where he studied at Edinburgh university, James has reportedly felt pressure to find a girlfriend since Pippa began to settle down with her stockbroker boyfriend Nico Jackson.
In the past he has dated Australian Amy Bradshaw and Japan-based model Emily Steel.
The older woman he’s been seeing has previously been engaged to Damian Aspinall, the son of a zoo tycoon John Aspinall.
“Donna thinks James is a kind and wonderful guy. He is a real gentleman and very generous and he is showing her a good time,” a friend said.
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