The Duchess of Cambridge's younger brother James Middleton made a surprise appearance on TV on Sunday, leaving some fans puzzled as to why he was watching Dancing on Ice. The reason is simple; James was supporting his long-term girlfriend Donna Air, who is competing in this year's competition. Cameras panned to James, proudly sitting in the audience, after Donna finished her routine with pro partner Mark Hanretty. The businessman was pictured applauding his girlfriend and beaming as he watched on.
While rumours of a split were rife last year, James, 30, and Donna, 38, couldn't be happier. Because of recent speculation, some viewers were quick to query James' attendance. "James Middleton in the audience - are he and Donna Air still an item or just good friends?" asked one fan, while another tweeted: "Why's James Middleton there I thought him and Donna broke up #DancingOnIce." A third quipped: "#dancingonice see James Middleton in the audience do we get Kate and William next week."
© Photo: RexJames supported his girlfriend Donna Air at Dancing on Ice
Last October, a friend of the couple confirmed to HELLO! that the pair are still "very much together", saying: "They are really happy in their relationship, and, like many couples who have been together for a long time, they are working out the next steps." The lovebirds were introduced in 2013 at exclusive private members' club No 5 Hertford Street in Mayfair, London.
Following their initial meeting, the two enjoyed a string of low-key dates attempting to keep out of the public eye. They went public with their relationship two months later in April and introduced each other to their respective families including Donna's now-14-year-old daughter Freya, whose father is her former partner Damian Aspinall.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe couple have been dating since 2013
In November last year, James gave a very rare insight into his romance with Donna, and hinted that marriage and babies could be on the cards. He said: "I love Donna very much. Marriage is absolutely not something I'm scared of, but it isn't necessarily the be-all and end-all. She makes me very happy. I think I make her very happy. I want children. I've said that before. I will have children, but you'll have to wait."
