Outside of royal events and engagements, the Prince and Princess of Wales’s life is incredibly private and the couple carefully consider what photos, videos and insights about their family they share. Although we always look forward to a new photo to mark Prince George, Charlotte and Louis’s birthdays, these snapshots are rare in the grand scheme of things.
One thing we do know, though, is how important the family’s black spaniel, Orla, is to them. She appeared alongside Princess Charlotte in her 7th birthday pictures and she and three of her puppies got a starring role in Prince William’s birthday photo.
This post was the first time the Waleses have publicly confirmed the name of their canine companion in a caption and it’s been suggested that Prince William and Kate are "planning" to keep one of the pups as a new addition to the Adelaide Cottage household.
Amid reports that Orla gave birth to four puppies, the Daily Mail’s Rebecca English has claimed that the future King and Queen’s wanted to breed from Orla, partly because they were keen to add a new puppy to their family.
"It's one of the reasons, I am told, that she and Prince William have decided to breed from their adored spaniel, Orla," the royal expert wrote. "Not only has it been something fun for the children to look forward to, but I am told they are planning to keep one of the pups."
In the photo taken by Kate and shared for the Prince’s birthday, you can see two brown and one black cocker spaniel excitedly scampering around William in the garden. Although it’s not known who named Orla when they got her back in 2020, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis might well have some idea for what to call her puppy.
Whether they’ll agree is another matter, though Prince William and Kate could always do the reverse of what they did before Prince George was born. According to The Times, the couple laid out possible names for their firstborn on the floor and it was their previous dog Lupo who picked ‘George’.
Lupo was Prince William and Kate’s beloved companion throughout the early years of their marriage and passed away shortly after they got Orla. She is understood to have been bred from Lupo’s sister, Luna, who was the daughter of James Middleton’s beloved late spaniel Ella.
Her genes will live on in the Wales family’s new puppy too and given their love of exploring the great outdoors, the spaniel is in for some very picturesque walks.
Earlier this year the Prince and Princess marked National Pet Day with a picture of Orla, in tribute to the "animals who bring so much joy, companionship and love to our lives".
If the reports are true then they’ll have double the joy, companionship and love - but much less space on their bed. As per Hello!, the future King supposedly told Louise Harland, who met him during his visit to Duchy College Stoke Climsland that Orla sleeps in their room.
"[He] said that his little dog sleeps on the bed with them at night, with him and Kate,” she claimed.
