Prince William and Kate Middleton were spotted on a rare outing with their new puppy

(Image credit: Joe Giddens)

The Cambridges are undoubtedly the most talked-about family in the world, and with their roles elevated over the coronavirus pandemic, it’s hardly surprising that Prince William and Kate Middleton are making even more news.

Whether it's Prince William and Kate Middleton relocating to London, or the sweet family portraits released to mark the Duke and Duchess' 10th anniversary, the Cambridges are all anyone can talk about.

Recently, the family of five made headlines as it emerged that it was actually a family of six, with Prince William and Kate Middleton welcoming a four-legged companion, a new dog.

The Cambridges tragically lost their dog Lupo last year, something that they opened up about in a rare candid post.

A photo posted by on

'Very sadly last weekend our dear dog, Lupo, passed away,' the couple posted to their social media accounts in November. 'He has been at the heart of our family for the past nine years and we will miss him so much. - W & C'

It has now been reported that Kate's brother James Middleton gave the Cambridges an 'adorable' eight month old black puppy before Lupo died.

'They were devastated when Lupo passed away, as any dog owner will understand, but got the new puppy before he died,' a source told The Mail on Sunday.

'It was hoped that the younger dog would give Lupo some company and give him a little bit more life and energy.'

Despite the news breaking earlier this year, the Cambridge family has not yet commented on their new puppy. It's hardly surprising therefore that a sweet video of the Cambridges boarding a helicopter with their new dog on the grounds of Kensington Palace made news.

A photo posted by on

The Cambridges have still not announced the name of their new dog or made any comment, with this 'shroud of secrecy' starting to irritate some fans.

On podcast Palace Confidential, Daily Mail's Royal Editor Rebecca English told host Jo Elvin that she was starting to get annoyed by the shroud of secrecy over royal pets and revealing them.

'Cards on the table, this really does irritate me,' Rebecca explained. 'I’m long in the tooth enough to remember when Lupo first came on the scene. Royal aides even refused to confirm his existence, let alone his name because it was an issue of privacy.'

She continued: 'Here we are in the same situation again. No official confirmation that they have a new puppy and definitely no official confirmation of a name, which is really strange.'

She later added: 'I genuinely can’t understand why there is this reluctance to be honest about it. I’m told the name will come out, it will probably be leaked out over the course of some official engagement. But I just don’t understand why they are doing that.'

The Cambridges have not responded.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.