Princess Kate and Alizee Thevenet's unexpected first meeting was very sweet

The Princess of Wales is known to be extremely close to her family, and over the past year the Middletons are said to have played a vital role in her support network.

It was Princess Kate's brother James Middleton who made headlines this week, as the 37-year-old reflected on his "close" bond and pride in the future Queen in new memoir, Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life.

"Growing up surrounded by three strong, capable women felt like having three mothers, and I would rely on Catherine and Pippa for advice," Middleton explained of his two sisters. "They never dismissed me as their little squirt of a brother who wasn’t worthy of their attention. On the contrary, they let me join in their games and included me in their friendships - they still do to this day.”

This reportedly extended to his partners too, with Middleton recalling the sweet and unexpected first meeting between Kate and his now-wife Alizee Thevenet.

The accidental meeting took place at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, where James and Alizee decided to stay after attending a nearby wedding. However, when they woke up the next morning, they found that the entire Wales family had stopped by for a weekend visit.

"I'm about to take a cup up to Alizee when she appears at the kitchen door," Middleton recalled of the unexpected and casual meeting. "She has just got out of bed, her hair still tousled, and she is wearing one of my shirts."

He continued: "In situations like this, Alizee is ­wonderfully French. She does not panic or rush upstairs to get dressed. Instead, she just greets everyone warmly as if it's not remotely unusual to be meeting her boyfriend's sister and brother-in-law for the first time wearing only an oversized man's shirt.

"'Hello,' she says, proffering her hand and with no awkwardness at all we're soon all chatting and the children are asking all kinds of cheeky questions at 100 miles per hour. Then we are all talking and laughing as if she has been part of the family for years."

According to Middleton, Alizee got Kate's seal of approval immediately, and when they said their goodbyes the next day, the future Queen gave him a "special squeeze" and whispered, "she's just great".

Well, this is lovely.

Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life by James Middleton is out now.