Prince William and Kate Middleton's family has suffered a big loss.
On Sunday, the couple shared a photo of family dog Lupo on Instagram. They shared that Lupo had died the previous weekend.
"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," they captioned the image.
Lupo was well known by royal fans as well. He'd been spotted out and about with the Cambridges many times throughout their marriage. The black cocker spaniel was the first addition to the Cambridge family.
William and Kate got Lupo about a year before Prince George was born. He helped the couple through times of separation, when William was being deployed with the air force. The royal family has a long history of close relationships with their dogs, and surely the family is missing Lupo during this tough time.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have lost their beloved dog. The Cambridges announced on Instagram that their dog, Lupo, has died. The 9-year-old cocker spaniel was beloved by all the members of the family.
Lupo is the only pet the Cambridges have had since they got married in 2011.
"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," they captioned a photo of the beautiful dog on Instagram.
William and Kate got Lupo in 2012, a year before Prince George was born. The Middleton family has a long history with cocker spaniels. Kate's brother, James, has several himself. He was clearly fond of Lupo, too, because he posted a tribute to the beloved pooch.
"It is with great sadness that Lupo, the beloved dog of my sister Catherine and her family has passed away. Lupo was the son of Ella, brother to Zulu, Inka & Luna. He was 9 years old," James wrote.
"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."
"Many people over the years have reached out to me about the pain of loosing a dog and for most, the loss of a dog is, in almost every way comparable to the loss of a Human loved one. The pain I felt from loosing my first dog Tilly back in 2017 still hurts and on hearing the news about Lupo brought a wave of emotions flooding back," he continued.
"There isn't much of a rule book on how to grieve for a dog, but I've said a prayer, lit a candle and taken Ella (Mum) for a long walk to spend time remembering Lupo.
"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 ."
It was revealed some time after the Cambridges got Lupo that he was meant to help the couple through times apart. One of the first of those periods was William's six-week deployment to the Falkland Islands that year.
"When Prince William was away in the Falkland Islands, he went for dinner with some good friends of ours in the Air Force, and he was saying how difficult it was for Kate because he was leaving for six weeks. It was when they’d just got the Spaniel to help her with the time apart," Natalie Bressani, a guest at a 2018 Kensington Palace Christmas party for Royal Air Force families separated from their loved ones, told People magazine.
Lupo had a particularly strong bond with Prince George. The sweet dog appeared aside the little prince during his third birthday photo shoot. In one picture, George is seen offering Lupo a lick of his ice cream cone.
There was even a rumor that Lupo helped pick George's name before he was born. The Express shared a story about how the royal couple, unsure of what to name their baby, wrote all the names they were considering on different pieces of paper. They then left the papers in different parts of the house and let Lupo in to take his pick. He allegedly picked George.
It's surely a difficult time for the Cambridges. The death of a dog is truly a heartbreaking experience. As difficult as it is for them, it must also be very hard on their three little ones.
Because the Cambridges have been a one-pet family for so long, it will likely take them some time to recover from this loss. Perhaps down the line, they'll be ready to welcome a new four-legged friend into their home. With their kiddos a little more grown up than last time around, they'll surely enjoy helping out with a new addition, should they decide to.
