Prince William and Kate Middleton Say Goodbye to Their Dog, Lupo

From Town & Country

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared some sad news this afternoon on Instagram. Their dog Lupo, an English Cocker Spaniel who was born in 2011, has died.

"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," the royal couple wrote on social media, signing the post personally with a simple "W & C."

According to Hello, Kate first got the dog when Prince William was serving as an RAF search and rescue pilot, and on duty in the Falklands Islands.

"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," a source told the publication. "It was when they’d just got the spaniel to help her with the time apart. She appreciates what wives and families go through."

Over the years, Lupo has become an important part of the Cambridge family, even appearing in a few official royal portraits, including the first photo of Prince George released to the public and the portraits shared for George's third birthday in 2016. In one of those sweet pictures, George was spotted feeding the pup some ice cream.

It's been a week of highs and lows for the Cambridge children. Just a few days ago, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were photographed to mark their 73rd wedding anniversary, holding a colorful card from Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

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