Prince William and Kate Middleton have a new four-legged addition to their family.
The royal couple’s cocker spaniel Lupo passed away in November after nine years with their family, but thankfully, the blow of their beloved dog’s death was softened by the arrival of a new puppy. The now 8-month-old black cocker spaniel was a gift from Kate’s brother James Middleton who announced on Instagram in May that his dog Luna, Lupo’s sister, had a litter of six puppies, but he wouldn’t be keeping any as “they all have lovely homes waiting for them.” A friend of the royals told the The Mail on Sunday, “The new puppy is adorable and the whole family are besotted. They were devastated when Lupo passed away. It was hoped that a younger dog would give Lupo some company and give him a little more life and energy.”
Lupo was a Christmas gift from Kate’s parents to the couple in 2011, the same year as their wedding. The dog was reportedly very protective of Prince George after he was born and even helped choose his name, according to the Times. Kate and William were apparently having trouble deciding what to call their first-born, so they wrote their choices on pieces of paper that they scattered all over the floor for the dog to pick. When Lupo passed, the royals issued a rare personal statement on Instagram, writing, “Very sadly last weekend our dear dog Lupo passed away. He has been at the heart of our family for the past nine years and we will miss him so much – W &C.”
James also shared a tribute to the family pet on his own social media account, saying, “Many people over the years have reached out to me about the pain of losing a dog and for most, the loss of a dog is, in almost every way comparable to the loss of a Human loved one. The pain I felt from losing my first dog Tilly back in 2017 still hurts and on hearing the news about Lupo brought a wave of emotions flooding back.” He concluded, “Rest in peace Lupo. Tilly & Mini will be waiting for you. You will always be remembered and your legacy will live on forever. Good Boy.”
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