The Princess of Wales has revealed that the royal family has welcomed a new puppy, an eight-month-old English cocker spaniel, during a visit to textile manufacturers in West Wales on Tuesday. Speaking to staff at Hiut Denim in Cardigan, Kate, 44, said: 'We have the same breed of dog' after stroking a spaniel named Barney. When asked about her own dogs, she replied: 'So we've got a little puppy, he's only eight months, and Orla's five.'
Kate and her husband, Prince William, live at Forest Lodge in Windsor with their children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, ten, and Prince Louis, seven. The family already owns Orla, a cocker spaniel given to them by Kate's brother, James Middleton, in 2020. Orla gave birth to four puppies last May, and it was reported at the time that the family planned to keep one, though this was not confirmed until now.
The new puppy joins a household that previously included Lupo, another English cocker spaniel who died in November 2020. In an interview last October, Prince William spoke about Lupo's death, saying: 'Yeah we were all there sadly, it was very sad.' The family announced Lupo's passing on Instagram, writing: 'He has been at the heart of our family for the past nine years and we will miss him so much.'
During her visit, Kate also toured Melin Tregwynt, a woollen mill in Pembrokeshire, where she learned about traditional double-cloth weaving. She later visited Hiut Denim, a brand famously worn by Meghan Markle during her first official royal visit to Wales in 2018. The company's founders credited the 'Meghan Markle effect' for bringing global attention to their business.
The visit is part of Kate's ongoing support for British textile manufacturers, following similar trips to Scotland, Carmarthenshire, Suffolk, Kent and County Tyrone. Her paternal ancestors owned William Lupton & Co, a woollen merchant and manufacturer based in Leeds.
