Kate Middleton and Prince William's Dog Has a Celtic Name Meaning "Golden Princess"

The pup posed with Princess Charlotte in recent portraits.

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Cuuuute.

The Cambridges' dog, a female black cocker spaniel, joined their family in late 2020, but we weren't privy to the pup's name until now.

People has revealed that the royal doggo is called Orla, a Celtic name meaning "golden princess"—basically the best possible name for a duke and duchess' pet.

Orla was in the news recently, as she featured in one of the portraits of Princess Charlotte released by the Palace for her seventh birthday.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced the sad news that their dog Lupo had died in November 2020. "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 wrote on Instagram.

Then in January 2021, the Daily Mail reported that Orla (then unnamed as far as the public knew) had joined the family shortly before Lupo passed. She was a gift from the duchess' brother James Middleton.

"The new puppy is adorable and the whole family are besotted," a friend told the Mail at the time. "They were devastated when Lupo passed away, as any dog owner will understand, but got the new puppy before he died. It was hoped that a younger dog would give Lupo some company and give him a little more life and energy."

James Middleton and his now-wife Alizee Thevenet are huge animal lovers. Exhibit A: James' Instagram bio reads, "Dog Dad to Ella, Zulu, Inka, Luna, Mabel & Nala." Orla is one of Luna's puppies.

James is also the founder of healthy dog food company Ella & Co.

Iris Goldsztajn
Iris Goldsztajn
Morning Editor

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.