Kate Middleton and Prince William's controversial sleep set-up will definitely divide the crowd

Sleep routines look different for everybody, whether you love sleep aids like lavender sprays or face masks, or have a set bedtime you rigidly stick to. Preferences range massively and the Prince and Princess of Wales’s sleep set-up won’t be for everyone.

The royal couple moved to their new "forever home" Forest Lodge late last year and whilst they might be stricter now, at Adelaide Cottage they apparently allowed their dog Orla to sleep on their bed with them. It was widely reported that Prince William revealed this intriguing detail during a visit to Duchy College Stoke Climsland in July.

The future King spoke with Louise Harland, who was there with her own dog Jacks, and afterwards she’s said to have told Hits Radio Cornwall, "[He] said that his little dog sleeps on the bed with them at night, with him and Kate."

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For many people, this is a rather controversial decision and the debate over whether your pets should or shouldn’t be allowed to sleep on your bed can seriously divide a crowd. It seems that William and Kate are very much in favour and enjoy the company of Orla in the evenings.

The black cocker spaniel has been a much-loved member of the Wales family since 2020 and is understood to have been a gift from Kate’s brother James Middleton. For many years we didn’t even know her name, but more recently the Prince and Princess of Wales have shared more of Orla, including in a post for National Pet Day.

She also got a special mention - alongside Kate, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis, of course - in the caption of William’s 2025 birthday post. The accompanying photo showed him sitting on the grass giving three tiny spaniel puppies plenty of attention whilst Orla explored in the background.

These were clearly her own puppies and the Prince of Wales looked seriously besotted with the new arrivals. Having a dog is a non-negotiable for William and Kate, who have had their own ever since 2011. Their first spaniel was Lupo and it’s been suggested that the canine companion was a great source of support for the Princess whilst her husband was away in the Falklands.

He sadly passed away in 2020 and the family went on to welcome Orla into the fold. Both spaniels are related and were bred by James Middleton, who recently shared his thoughts on why the royals have such a connection with dogs.

"I think it’s because dogs don’t care who you are. A dog looks at the King or Queen the same way that my dogs look at me," he told Hello!. "I think, in everyone’s life, they are the best secret-keepers."

Just as the late Queen Elizabeth will forever be associated with corgis due to her love of them, the Prince and Princess of Wales are strengthening their links to spaniels. However, we know that the corgis didn’t get to sleep on the Queen’s bed like Orla does with them. Instead, they got the privilege of sleeping in their own room.

"There is a special corgi room where they have raised wicker baskets lined with cushions to keep draughts away," claimed royal author Penny Junor in All The Queen's Corgis.