Kate Middleton and Prince William and their three children are mourning the loss of their family dog, Lupo.
The Royal couple announced the sad news on Instagram on Sunday, Nov. 22. They shared a photo of the black cocker spaniel and wrote, “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.”
Lupo was part of a litter born in 2011 to Ella, the dog of Kate’s parents Carole Middleton and Michael Middleton. Kate and William welcomed the puppy to their Kensington Palace home that Christmas, eight months after their royal wedding. Lupo was so popular that in 2014, he became the subject of a children’s book.
Over the years, the couple as well as Kate’s siblings, Pippa Middleton and James Middleton, and William’s brother, Prince Harry, were occasionally spotted and photographed with Lupo, while he has also appeared in official family portraits. In 2013, Kate was seen with the dog in Hyde Park in London. At the time, she was pregnant with her and William’s first child, son Prince George. In addition to the now-7-year-old, they are also parents to Princess Charlotte, 5, and Prince Louis, 2.
