He continued: "We had a fantastic childhood, and they included me in everything they did, and still do. I'm now in my late 30s and we still have that friendship."

He added that he gave Kate and Pipa dogs from litters bred from his beloved dog Ella, who's now passed away. Kate first had Lupo, who died aged nine and now Orla, while Pippa has Rafa.

James said: "Wherever they go, they bring the dogs with them, so I see lots of them, which is lovely." He also spoke about Prince William's love for dogs, saying: "He had a long love of dogs.

"He had a very strong relationship with a black lab called Wigeon growing up, so he knew the powers of what dogs can do."

He also spoke about how close his family is: "We're a close family, and we’re fortunate in that we see lots of each other. My parents play a good role in getting us all together in that respect.

"We've been brought up knowing that you can't take family for granted," he adds. You don't get to choose them, as you can choose your friends. But I don't think you can give up on your family like you can sometimes with friends."