Meet Kate Middleton's Sister-In-Law, Alizee Thevenet

If you've never heard of Alizee Thevenet, it's because she mostly likes to keep to herself. Still, when you're married to the future queen of England's brother, flying under the radar becomes challenging to do. Yes, Thevenet is married to James Middleton, Princess Catherine's younger brother.

When she started dating Middleton, Thevenet didn't exactly shout it from the rooftops. She did quite the opposite, actually, and managed to remain Middleton's mystery woman for quite some time. She was first clocked by eagle-eyed reporters when she was leaving St. Luke's Church with Middleton after attending the Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund's Christmas Carol Service in December 2018. She expertly hid her face while leaving the church, and the public and media were left wondering who she was. Her identity was only revealed in January 2019, when she was spotted vacationing with Middleton in St. Barts. Middleton made their relationship Instagram official in May of that year.

Thevenet met Middleton thanks to one of his beloved dogs. Ella the cocker spaniel took an interest in Thevenet while both she and Middleton were at the Chelsea Kensington Club. Middleton, embarrassed about his dog's shenanigans, went over to apologize and ended up meeting his wife-to-be. Thevenet and Middleton's relationship timeline resembles that of a Disney movie, and while Thevenet mostly keeps out of the public eye, we went on a deep dive to discover everything there is to know about Princess Catherine's sister-in-law. Read on to discover who exactly Alizee Thevenet is, and how she's managed to steal James Middleton's heart.

While Alizee Thevenet didn't exactly run in royal circles before she met James Middleton, her upbringing prepared her for the media attention she received after she started dating him. She was born and raised in France, but also lived in Germany, Indonesia, Chile, and Belgium before settling in England. Her father worked as a diplomat for several years, something relationship coach Emma Pruen believes prepared Thevenet for a life with Middleton. "A diplomat's emphasis on protocol and discretion along with the very formal French education system and the French obsession with manners and correct behavior will actually be serving her very well in her new role, and might even put her in the position to help James," Pruen told Express, noting that Thevenet takes her family's privacy seriously.

According to Pruen, it was clear from the beginning that Thevenet was the perfect match for Middleton. Not only was her French discipline going to serve her well as Middleton's wife and the sister-in-law of the future queen, but the diplomacy she learned from her father meant that she was an expert at keeping her public image drama-free. Thevenet managed to prove Pruen right. Her Instagram account, which is private, only has 39 posts as of this writing; James Middleton's social media posts are basically the only glimpse we get into her personal life.

Alizee Thevenet might be Princess Catherine's sister-in-law, but she lives a pretty ordinary life and has a job just like us common folks. In fact, she even has her very own LinkedIn profile.

Thevenet attended Queen Mary University in London before continuing her studies in Brussels. She first completed a master's degree in investment and finance in London before bagging an undergraduate degree in accounting and finance from the Ichec Brussels Management School in 2012. She's since worked as a sales and marketing assistant, consultant, and analyst. She currently finds herself working as the Head of Private Equity and Venture Capital for TreasurySpring and has been with the company since 2019. She started out as a director and got promoted to her current role in February 2023.

Aside from crunching numbers for most of the day, Thevenet is also very involved in husband James Middleton's unofficial dog breeding business, as is evident from several posts on Middleton's Instagram account.

Alizee Thevenet's father, Jean-Gabriel Thevenet, was an avid windsurfer and once revealed that his daughter's name has a special connection to the sport. "My daughter is named after my first love which is wind-surfing and the Alize wind that fills the sails," Jean-Gabriel told the Daily Mail after news about Alizee and James Middleton's relationship broke. The wind Jean-Gabriel referred to is a sub-tropical trade wind, which the French call the Alize. According to The Bump, Alize is of Hebrew origin and can also translate to joyous, joyful, or exalted, aside from meaning "trade winds" in French.

It's not a very common name, but The Bump's statistics show that the name started to rise in popularity in the U.S. in 2021. One of the reasons for this change could likely be the fact that Alizee and Middleton got married that year, which officially made her Princess Catherine's sister-in-law.

It seems Alizee inherited her father's love of watersports because she also loves to sail — that's likely one of the reasons she and Middleton celebrated their first engagement anniversary on a yacht.

When Alizee Thevenet first met James Middleton, she had no idea who he was. While Middleton was pretty famous, thanks to his sister Princess Catherine's marriage to Prince William, it doesn't appear that Thevenet kept up with the royal family.

When she first met Middleton at a members-only club thanks to his dog Ella, she thought he worked at and ordered a drink. Middleton was enamored by Thevenet and plucked up the courage to ask her out on a date. "After Alizee went back to her table, James asked the waiter to give her a note saying, 'I never normally do this, but would you like to go for a drink with me?' He also picked up their tab. A few weeks later, they went out for a drink together," a source dished to the Daily Mail.

The best part about this love story is that, even after Thevenet agreed to go on a date with Middleton, she thought he was just a regular guy. "It wasn't until after they'd met for a drink that Alizee realized who he was — one of her friends had to tell her," the source said. Another source later told the Daily Mail that the couple's relationship was getting serious pretty fast.

Everyone loves a royal wedding, and Alizee Thevenet got to attend one, courtesy of James Middleton, shortly after it was revealed that the two were dating. The royal wedding in question was that of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston in 2019. According to the Daily Mail, the wedding was described as the "biggest society wedding of the year." Even though Gabriella wasn't a working royal, several esteemed members of the royal family, including the late Queen Elizabeth II, were in attendance. Even Prince Philip, who at that point was rarely making public appearances, put on his best suit to join in the celebrations.

Prince Harry also attended the wedding, along with Princess Beatrice and Sarah, Duchess of York. Pippa Middleton, who is an ex of Kingston's, was also in attendance, along with her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton. Not many people get to attend a wedding where the queen is one of the guests, so Thevenet really got the full package when she accompanied Middleton to this one.

James Middleton has said that Alizee Thevenet helped him build a new life after he dealt with severe depression for several years. According to systemic relationship expert Emma Pruen, Thevenet was the perfect person to help Middleton through his personal challenges.

Speaking to Express, Pruen explained that Middleton likely experienced an enormous amount of pressure as a teen because of his sister Princess Catherine's relationship with Prince William. "His experience of depression is just one sign of the toll it took. He seems much happier now he's found Alizée," Pruen said. She added that Thevenet's ability to handle herself in public is a big asset for Middleton. Thevenet has proven herself to be "discreet and unruffled," Pruen said, adding that her accompanying Middleton to Lady Gabriella and Thomas Kingston's wedding in 2019 was proof that she could handle herself among the royals just fine.

Aside from helping Middleton navigate the royal social scene, Pruen said that Thevenet accepting Middleton for who he is is what makes their relationship work. "Alizée has helped him settle into his true nature as a dog-loving Englishman," she said.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

When you meet your girlfriend's parents for the first time, it can be quite intimidating. As it turns out, James Middleton had nothing to worry about; Alizee Thevenet's father, Jean-Gabriel Thevenet, was a big fan right away. When Jean-Gabriel spoke to the Daily Mail about his daughter's relationship with Middleton, he could barely hide his excitement. "My daughter Alizee is very happy with James, they are very much in love," he said, adding, "James is a very charming man."

Jean-Gabriel Thevenet also expressed his delight at how happy Middleton seemed to make his daughter. "We keep our fingers crossed for them," he told the outlet. At the time, very little was known about Middleton and Alizee's relationship, and the journalist prodded Jean-Gabriel to reveal how the couple met, but he refused to give anything away. "I am not allowed to say how they met, to give away their secrets. You must talk to her or James, they will be back in London soon, but I'm very happy for them," he said. He admitted that he'd seen pictures of the couple's St. Bart's trip and revealed that his daughter loved living in London.

James Middleton and Alizee Thevenet got engaged sometime in October 2019, and they planned their dream wedding for the summer of 2020. As we all know, the Covid-19 pandemic made weddings almost impossible, and like so many others, Thevenet and Middleton were forced to postpone their special day. News about the postponement was broken by the Daily Mail. "It's very sad, but it's just not practical to hold it in this crisis," a friend of Middleton reportedly said. "Holding an Anglo-French wedding is impossible in the coming months and is still likely to be difficult in the summer," they added. It appears that, apart from the chaos of the pandemic, Middleton and Thevenet also took into account the risk guests would be taking when traveling and attending their nuptials. "They would prefer to wait until all their guests are able — and happy — to attend," the friend said.

It was later revealed that this was not the only time Alizee Thevenet and James Middleton's wedding was put on pause. The new date they picked (which was unknown) ended up not working out for them either. Middleton revealed this in a post he shared on Instagram in which he celebrated his and Thevenet's engagement anniversary. As he recalled the eventful year they spent together, Middleton mentioned that they'd attempted to get married twice.

Thevenet and Middleton remained undeterred, however, and they finally tied the knot in September 2021. Middleton commemorated the joyous occasion on Instagram, sharing a picture of him and a beaming Thevenet.

Thanks to the pandemic thwarting their wedding plans twice, Alizee Thevenet's father, Jean-Gabriel Thevenet, couldn't attend the special day. Shortly before the couple was set to tie the knot, Alizee's dad died. The loss loomed over Thevenet's special day, as her father wasn't there to accompany her down the aisle. "It was a happy day but sadly Jean Gabriel was not there. He died five months ago. He was only in his 60s. It is a real tragedy. His wife Laurence was at the wedding, of course," a source told the Daily Mail. "I know that Alizee wanted her father to be there too. But it wasn't to be. They had to delay the wedding twice and it was too late for him." 

The source added that Jean-Gabriel would've wanted to be at the wedding more than anything (he did, after all, adore Middleton), but did not reveal the cause of death. Luckily, Alizee's mother, Laurence Thevenet, could still be in attendance.

While Alizee Thevenet is extremely private and rarely speaks to the press, she made an exception for her wedding day and granted Hello! a quick interview, revealing that the dress she wore on her wedding day was extra special. Thevenet opted to borrow one from none other than her soon-to-be mother-in-law. "My something borrowed was in fact my dress from my mother-in-law, Carole, who last wore it 41 years ago on her wedding day in June 1980," Thevenet told Hello! magazine.

Thevenet first got a look at Carole Middleton's wedding dress while they spent time together in lockdown. The two were talking about wedding dresses and throwing around ideas when Carole suggested Thevenet try on her old wedding dress. "It fitted me perfectly and was exactly what I wanted. It always troubled me that wedding dresses are only worn once, so it was amazing to give such a beautiful dress a second lease of life," Thevenet said.

Aside from wearing an extra-special wedding dress, Thevenet also had very special flower girls. When James Middleton spoke to Hello! about the big day, he revealed that his dogs Ella and Mabel filled this role at the wedding. "[They] were given the job of welcoming each guest as they arrived," James said, adding that it was a magical day. "It was wonderful to finally celebrate with family and friends despite the challenges of a global pandemic but we were relaxed and knew the day would eventually come," he said.

Alizee Thevenet lived with James Middleton in London for two years before making the move to the English countryside. In an article Middleton wrote for The Telegraph, he shared that he and Thevenet could hardly wait to make the move. "We are country people and love going out for long walks, but one of the key reasons we wanted to live in the countryside was our six dogs," he wrote. Speaking to Hello! magazine, Middleton further explained his and Thevenet's decision to move out of the city, saying that they didn't really have a close-knit community in London. "You don't get to know the things in life that people care about. We are so lucky to live in a small village with 100 people and two pubs," he said, adding, "Our house dates back to the 16th century, so when it's windy it blows through the drawing room. But that's the charm."

Thevenet and Middleton's four-bedroom house in Bucklebury didn't come cheap — the couple dished out about $1.8 million, and Middleton admitted that doing so wasn't exactly easy. "I think buying a house is up there with one of the most stressful experiences in my life," he shared on Instagram. It seemed to have been worth it — Middleton often shares pictures of Thevenet and his dogs enjoying the countryside.

One of the reasons Alizee Thevenet and James Middleton initially connected is because of their mutual love for dogs. Thevenet fell in love with Middleton's cocker spaniel, Ella, from the moment they met at the South Kensington Club. From that moment on, Thevenet was a fixture of Middleton's dogs' lives. After Middleton and Thevenet began dating, the former shared pictures of latter with his beloved pooches on Instagram, and she's been around for a few rounds of delivering puppies in the early hours of the morning.

Thevenet's love for dogs was on full display when she and Middleton went on a skiing trip in April 2023. They took their golden retriever, Mabel, with them, and Middleton later shared a reel of the trip on Instagram. In the video, Mabel can be seen having a glorious time in the snow and running alongside Thevenet as she makes her way down the slopes. "This year we took Mabel on our skiing trip. Instead of getting ski passes and leaving her at home, she came with us & we walked up the mountains with her, and had lots of fun coming down," Middleton captioned the video.

Middleton's dogs have been central to Thevenet's life; after she gave birth to her son, she and Middleton took him along on their next skiing trip, along with their dogs Mabel and Isla.

While Alizee Thevenet had to bid a bittersweet goodbye to Ella the matchmaking cocker spaniel at the beginning of 2023, she and her husband were blessed with another gift that year — their baby son, Inigo. Thevenet, who has a private Instagram account, announced the news of her pregnancy to the public via her husband's Instagram page. Middleton's excitement was palpable in the post's caption. "We couldn't be more excited," he started the post. "It was a very difficult start to the year after losing my beloved Ella however we will end the year with the most precious little addition to our growing family." The post featured Thevenet cuddling the couple's golden retriever, Mabel, while showing off her baby bump.

In October 2023, Thevenet was spotted pushing her newborn son in a stroller while walking the streets of London with Middleton at her side. The Daily Mail managed to acquire several pictures of the couple with their newborn, and the day after the story broke, Middleton took to Instagram to officially share the news of the baby's birth, revealing that he and Thevenet named him Inigo. "He has been in our lives for just a few weeks but they have been the most special of my life getting to know our beautiful baby boy," Middleton shared. He added that he and Thevenet were enjoying being new parents and have already told Inigo about Ella, who first brought them together.