Monty Don has revealed James Middleton's incredibly thoughtful gesture, following the loss of his beloved golden retriever Nigel in 2020. Speaking with The Sunday Times, the TV star recalled: "I bought my puppy Ned from James Middleton [in 2022]. My son sent me a picture of the spitting image of one of my dogs. It turned out to be James Middleton's. James read my book [2016's Nigel: My Family and Other Dogs] about my dog Nigel, and emailed me saying, 'I was very moved by your story about Nigel. My dog is having pups. If you want to replace Nigel, I've got a nice dog that looks like him.'
© BBC Studios"This was too much of a coincidence to resist," Monty, 70, continued. "Last year, I did a 'dog garden' for the Chelsea Flower Show. James came with his dogs, Ned's sister [Isla] and mother [Mabel]. They had their first reunion."
© Hoda Davaine/Dave Benett/Getty IBack in May, James, 38, posted photos from the aforementioned reunion, and to say it was adorable would be an understatement. "Such a beautiful moment. Mabel & Isla reunited with Ned in the most beautiful of settings," he wrote in the caption. "Huge congratulations to @themontydon and @plantsman_jamie for creating the enchanting Dog Garden, and to @the_rhs for bringing the magic once again that is the Chelsea Flower Show."
Monty's beautiful bond with his dog Nigel
Monty, who has previously said that he "cannot imagine" a life without dogs, announced that Nigel – who became a bonafide star on Gardener's World – had passed away at the age of 12. Announcing the news on his official website, the 70-year-old penned a heartfelt tribute to his long-time companion. "His story is both ordinary - he was a beautiful dog that was a much loved member of our family - and completely extraordinary," Monty noted.
"Through his weekly appearances on 'Gardeners' World' he became known and loved by millions all over the world." Explaining that fans would frequently ask him about Nigel, whose "star quality" was undeniable, Monty concluded that above all else, Nigel was a "dear friend". According to Monty, Nigel is now buried in the garden of his home in Herefordshire, with "many of his beloved tennis balls".
Monty and James share a mutual love of dogs
It's hardly surprising that Monty and James have connected over their shared love of dogs. For Monty, the notion of a life without dogs is unthinkable. "I have lived with dogs all my life, and so it is absolutely natural to me that wherever I am in the garden I should be accompanied by a dog or two," he states on his website.
"I like dogs because they are not humans," Monty previously told The Guardian. "I get very uncomfortable when people start talking about dogs as 'my boys'. What is wonderful is that this is a wild animal which has chosen to go into partnership with you. It is the only wild animal that really does that."
© Tom JamiesonLikewise, James has reflected on the profound effect that dogs have had on his life. "I think dogs complete me in a way that I struggle to fully explain," he told HELLO!. "I've written about my dog Ella and I still can't quite pinpoint how it is that they complete me in that way, but I think it is their selflessness. They become part of you and that's why losing a dog is so challenging, because you lose a little bit of yourself."
