Prince William and Kate Middleton announced that their ‘dear dog’ Lupo has died.
- Lupo was bred from an English cocker spaniel owned by the Middletons.
- The dog was named after Kate Middleton’s great-grandmother, Olive Christiana Lupton.
- At 9 years of age, Lupo has now sadly passed away.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been left heartbroken after their beloved dog Lupo passed away last weekend.
Prince William and Kate Middleton shared a photograph of Lupo and included the following caption on Instagram: “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.” According to the Daily Mail, Lupo had been given to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as a wedding present by Kate Middleton’s parents. That is, Lupo was bred from an English cocker spaniel that was owned by Michael and Carole Middleton. The Duchess of Cambridge had decided to honor her paternal great-grandmother Olive Christiana Lupton by naming Lupo after her.
Since 2011, Lupo has been a part of numerous royal events.
It is believed that Lupo had helped pick Prince George’s name. Taking this idea further, the Daily Mail reported that Prince William and Kate Middleton had first written several names on various pieces of paper. They had then scattered these papers on the floor and let Lupo wander through them. When the English cocker spaniel had stopped wandering, he had reached Prince George’s name. In addition to this, the beloved family dog featured in numerous pictures of the royal family. Moreover, when Prince George was born in 2013, Prince William claimed that Lupo was one of his main priorities:
For me, Catherine and now little George are my priorities, and Lupo. […] He’s coping alright, as a lot of people know who’ve got dogs and bringing a newborn back, they take a little bit of time to adapt, but he’s been alright so far, he’s been slobbering around the house, so he’s perfectly happy.
Prince William
After announcing their tragic news, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge received support and sympathy.
On Instagram, James Middleton (Kate Middleton’s brother) uploaded a photograph of Lupo who came from the same litter as his own dogs Ella, Zulu, Inka and Luna. Alongside the photograph, he wrote a touching caption in which he conveyed his sadness: “Nothing can ever prepare you for the loss of a dog. For those who have never had a dog, it might be hard to understand the loss. However for those who have loved a dog know the truth: a dog is not just a pet; it is a member of the family, a best friend, a loyal companion, a teacher and a therapist.” He went further as he explained how Lupo’s death reminded him of the death of his own dog, Tilly. James Middleton revealed that the 2017 loss broke his heart and that the news of Lupo “brought a wave of emotions flooding back.” He concluded the message:
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 🐾
