Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@princeandprincessofwales
Topics: Royal Family, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Animals, UK News
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Royal Family, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Animals, UK News
The Prince and Princess of Wales have welcomed a brand new addition to their family.
The couple already share three little ones - Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and eight-year-old Prince Louis.
And while it doesn't appear as though Kate Middleton has kept another pregnancy under wraps for the last nine months, she may need to dig her toilet training handbook back out.
In a post shared by the couple's official X account on Friday (1 May), it was revealed that the family had adopted a dog.
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A sweet photo shows a baby-faced, chocolate-furred pup, looking adoringly into the camera with deep hazel eyes. The royal mutt appears to be a Cocker Spaniel - or, at least, a member of the wider spaniel family.
"Welcome to the family, Otto! 1 today," William, 43, and Kate, 44, wrote in the caption.
Otto's name originates from Old High German, and reportedly means 'wealth', 'fortune', or 'prosperity'.
It's a pretty apt moniker for a member of a monarchy, if you ask me.
Otto recently appeared in a family photo shared by the Wales, although no one knew his name at the time.
The snap was uploaded to social media on Wednesday (29 Apr) to celebrate William and Kate's 15th wedding anniversary, and showed the couple lying happily in a meadow in a line with their three children.
While William appears to cuddle their other beloved dog, a black cocker spaniel named Orla, Otto is seen getting cosy close to his head.
Royal fans have since wished Otto a very happy 1st birthday.
Replying to Kate and William's latest tweet, one X user gushed: "Love the name. What a handsome boy. I hope Otto is being spoilt on his 1st birthday."
"Awwww Otto is adorable," another noted. "And very photogenic (just like you all)."
"Oh what a beautiful dog. He’s lovely. There’s mischief in those eyes for sure. Happy Birthday Otto. Hope you have lots of fun and cuddles little one!" a third continued.
And another also noted: "A brilliant photo considering how notoriously difficult it is to capture a dog looking directly at a camera! Especially at that age!"
The late Queen Elizabeth's love for dogs followed a long tradition of the royal family keeping dogs for their companionship and loyalty, arguably setting a precedent for the UK to become a nation of animal lovers.
This breed was made popular in the 17th century by King Charles II, with several featuring in court portraits by Sir Anthony van Dyck.
During Queen Vicoria's reign from 1837 until her death in 1901, she kept a wide variety of dogs including King Charles Spaniels and Pomeranians (Very Queen Charlotte...) while her husband Prince Albert was known to have kept Clumber spaniels and Greyhounds.
King Edward VII, who reigned from 1901 until his death in 1910, was well known for his love of terriers, with him keeping breeds such as Wire Fox Terriers - his favourite being one named Caesar of Notts.
His son King George V continued the tradition of keeping Terriers, as well as taking an interest in working dogs such as Labradors.
Believe it or not, Queen Elizabeth wasn't the one who actually introduced the breed to the royal family.
The first Corgis joined the royals in 1933 when the Duke of York, later King George VI - Queen Elizabeth's father - acquired two for her and sister Princess Margaret.
Queen Elizabeth went on to own many Corgis, including Susan, who was an eighteenth birthday present and from whom all future Royal Corgis have been descended.
