Lupo (December 2011 – November 2020) was an English Cocker Spaniel owned by Prince William and Catherine, then known as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. He was credited with raising the profile of the breed in the United Kingdom by The Kennel Club, and appeared in photographs alongside his owners' son, Prince George.
 | |
| Species | Canis lupus familiaris |
|---|---|
| Breed | English Cocker Spaniel |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | December 2011 |
| Died | November 2020 (aged 8) |
| Owner | |
Life and family
editLupo was bred from Ella, a dog owned by Michael and Carole Middleton,[1] the parents of Catherine, Princess of Wales.[2] He was a working-type English Cocker Spaniel. Lupo was born in a litter just prior to Christmas 2011, and was given to Catherine and her husband, Prince William.[3][4]
Following the birth of William and Catherine's son Prince George of Wales, Lupo was featured in one of the first official photographs.[5] He was subsequently featured in a family portrait with William, Catherine and George in March 2014.[6] He did not travel with his owners on their tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2014.[6] Lupo briefly appeared posthumously in a video released to commemorate William and Catherine's tenth anniversary, filmed in 2020 at Anmer Hall.[7]
Origin of name
edit"Lupo" is the Italian word for wolf and derived from Latin "lupus". It was reported that Catherine named the dog after the family of her paternal great-grandmother, Olive Christiana Middleton (née Lupton); the Lupton family crest has wolves on it.[8][9] The pair appeared on the front cover of Hello magazine.[10]
Death
editLupo died in November 2020, of unknown causes.[11] The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared an image on Instagram on 22 November 2020, saying: "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".[12]
Cultural impact
editThe Kennel Club has attributed the raised profile and interest in English Cocker Spaniels to Lupo. There was an increase of 50% in the searches on its "Find A Puppy" website in the months following the royal couple's announcement of their ownership of Lupo.[13] This increased interest has also had the effect of an increase in thefts of English Cocker Spaniels.[14]
Aby King is signed to a four-book deal to write about the fictional adventures of Lupo for children. She was inspired following walks in Kensington Palace Gardens with her own Cocker Spaniel, and the death of her fiancé. The first book is called The Adventures of Lupo the Royal Dog: The Secret of Windsor Castle and was released in September 2014.[15]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Kate in 999 Drama after 'Lupo' Traps Head in Gate". The Mirror. 20 July 2013. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ Rudd, Andy (22 July 2013). "Kate Middleton labour: How the Duchess of Cambridge's family will back the royal parents". The Mirror. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ Lupo, the Cambridge Family dog, has died
- ^ Clarence House deny Kate Middleton's dog caused emergency services to rush to the Middleton's Berkshire home
- ^ Cockerell, Jennifer (20 August 2013). "Our Little Rascal; William and Kate Release Portrait of Baby George". Daily Post.[dead link]
- ^ a b Young, Fiona (30 March 2014). "The Bark Royal". Sunday Mail. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ "Kate Middleton's new family video features one heartbreaking detail". Hello!. 29 April 2021.
- ^ "William and Kate's cocker spaniel is named Lupo". AP Worldstream. 21 February 2012. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ Rayner, Gordon (21 June 2013). "How the family of 'commoner' Kate Middleton has been rubbing shoulders with royalty for a century". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
- ^ "Why puppy love is just what Kate needs before the baby comes along". Belfast Telegraph. 2 March 2012. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ Yasharoff, Hannah (22 November 2020). "Prince William, Duchess Kate mourn death of dog Lupo, who was 'at the heart of our family'". USA Today. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
- ^ Pasquini, Maria (22 November 2020). "Prince William and Kate Middleton Mourn the Death of Family Dog Lupo: 'We Will Miss Him So Much'". People. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ "Now everyone's going loopy for Kate's Lupo". Birmingham Mail. 9 March 2012. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ Stretch, Euan (8 February 2013). "Dognap: 2 Arrested". The Mirror. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ "Prince George and pet dog Lupo to star in children's books". Hello Magazine. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
The adorable canine will play a starring role in The Adventures of a Royal Dog: Lupo and The Secret of Windsor Castle, written by Aby King.