Beautiful story behind Will’s raw admission

It was a moment that struck a chord across the world, but the royal family’s love for dogs spans back generations.

It was a beautiful glimpse into the softer side of the royal family – when Prince William stopped while greeting mourners to focus on Luna the dog.

The video shared online pulled on the heartstrings of many and caught a side of the royals seldom seen.

The Prince was shown stopping to talk to a mourner with her dog.

“Oh look, who’s this,” he said in a voice a dog-lover makes.

“Hello Luna, you’re very sweet Luna.”

The viral footage showed Prince William affectionately patting Luna before giving the owner a glimpse into his own mourning.

“Dogs at this time are so important,” he said. “I give my dog a lot of cuddles at the moment.

“I’ve got a little spaniel called Orla. She’s very sweet.”

The moment struck a chord across the world, but the royal family have long relied on dogs for love and comfort – with the four-legged family members never far from the royals’ major moments.

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Will and Kate’s canine connection

The couple were left beaming in their moment of grief by their encounters with Luna and another dog in the crowd.

“Did you see that doggie as well?” Prince William was captured saying to Kate, the Princess of Wales.

The family welcomed Orla, the English cocker spaniel to the family in late 2020, and she now appears regularly on the family’s official Instagram account.

One special moment captured shows Princess Charlotte and Orla together to mark the young royal’s seventh birthday.

In November 2020, the family sadly farewelled their longtime family dog, Lupo, who the family described as the “heart of our family”.

Prince George with the late family dog Lupo. Picture: Matt Porteous

“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 family wrote in a touching statement.

Orla – whose name of Celtic origin translates to “golden princess” – was raised by Princess Kate’s brother and part-time dog breeder, James Middleton.

He announced his dog Luna, Lupo’s sister, had welcomed a litter of six “healthy little pups” in spring 2020.

Prince William and Kate were deeply saddened by the death of Lupo.

“I am sad to see you go, and yes I might cry but it will be with happiness as each of your new homes are bursting with love,” Mr Middleton wrote on Instagram.

“You might be scared at first, that’s OK. Just be yourself and you will never understand how much happiness you will bring to your new families and all the people you meet.”

The late Queen’s corgis

In the days after her death, many questioned what would become of the late Queen’s iconic corgis

Queen Elizabeth II, who left behind her dorgi Candy, two corgis, Muick and Sandy, and a new cocker spaniel puppy, Lissy, who joined the royal family in early 2022, had developed a profound bond with her dogs.

Her majesty, pictured with children Charles and Ann, received her first corgi, Susan, as a gift for her 18th birthday. Picture: AFP

Queen Elizabeth II's corgis leaving an aircraft at London's Heathrow Airport.

The Queen’s infatuation with dogs – in particular corgis – started well before her coronation when she was first introduced to a corgi at age seven by a family friend
At 18 she was given her first corgi, Susan.

The Queen loved Susan so much, she reportedly smuggled her beneath a rug in the royal carriage for her honeymoon with Prince Philip in 1947.

It’s estimated her majesty would have owned more than 30 dogs, most of which were descendants of Susan, and often travelled alongside the monarch on her jet and were present during her majesty’s meetings with world leaders.

The Queen’s personal advisor and curator Angela Kelly recently gave an insight into just how involved the dogs were in the Queen’s life.

Her Majesty and her corgis were featured with James Bond (Daniel Craig) in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Picture: Olympics

“I was worried they would get under the Queen’s feet, but they have turned out to be a godsend. They are beautiful and great fun and the Queen often takes long walks with them in Home Park,” she wrote in her 2022 book, The Other Side of the Coin, The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe.

As for the dogs’ fate now? They will be cared for by Prince Andrew, and his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York.

The regal Russells

Moving in to the Buckingham Palace with King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be Beth and Bluebell – the couple’s beloved Jack Russell terriers.

The pair were adopted from London’s Battersea Dogs’ and Cats’ Home in early 2017.

Queen Camilla said at the time: “Along I went to Battersea, and Beth appeared, and she had just been moved from pillar to post and dumped.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla with Jack Russell terriers Bluebell (L) and Beth (R) Picture: Clarence House

“We thought it would be nice for her to have a friend. They found [Bluebell] two or three weeks later, wandering about in woods, no hair on her, covered in sores, virtually dead.”

And as many with experience with Jack Russels can probably attest, Bluebell was described by the new Queen as “very sweet” but “a tiny bit neurotic”.

Beagle love at first sight

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also chose the adoption route for their three dogs.

In August, the couple welcomed Mamma Mia into their home, rescuing her from some truly horrific circumstances.

It’s no secret the Prince has a loving appreciation of dogs. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, pets a dog as his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, looks at a baby on the Long walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022. Picture: Kirsty O'Connor

Mamma Mia was one of the 4000 dogs rescued from the Envigo facility in Virginia after the facility, which bred the beagles for scientific research, was closed after more than 70 animal welfare violations.

“The second (the Duke and Duchess of Sussex) walked in, it’s like Mamma Mia knew,” an animal rights lawyer who was present at the adoption told The New York Times.

“She ran over to them. Her tail was wagging a million miles a minute.” She added, “It’s like she knew that was her new home,” Ms. Keith said. “They were just so loving towards her.”

Meghan Markle with Guy the beagle

Harry, Meghan and their children Archie and Lilibet have two other rescue dogs: Pula and Guy.

The couple adopted Pula, a black labrador in 2018, shortly after getting married.

Before meeting the Prince, Meghan rescued Guy, another beagle, in 2015 from a dog rescue event in Canada.

A long history

The royal family’s official website states: “Dogs have played an important role in the public and private lives in the royal family. This is reflected in a large number of items in the Royal Collection that feature dogs.”

A royal photo collection titled “Noble Hounds” shows how dogs have played an important role in the life of the royal family,

And monarchs through history have shared the same love of dogs as the current royals.

“From Van Dyck’s portraits of Charles I with King Charles cavalier spaniels to Edwin Landseer’s paintings of Queen Victoria’s beloved dog Dash – the royal family’s love of dogs has long been evident,” the website stated.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s King Charles spaniel Dash was buried in the grounds of Windsor Castle with the powerful epitaph: “His attachment was without selfishness, his playfulness without malice, his fidelity without deceit.

“Reader, if you would live beloved and die regretted, profit by the example of Dash.”

Edward VII and Queen Alexandra also paid tribute to their Irish terrier Jack with an epitath which read: “Here lies Jack, King Edward’s favourite Irish terrier, who only lived twelve hours after reaching his native land. He died at Viceregal Lodge on July 21, 1903.”

King George V had five dogs during his reign.

Queen Elizabeth II with her corgi, Susan. Picture: AFP

King George V had five dogs during his time as King, including a collie named Heather and a terrier called Happy.

Labradors were the breed of choice for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth as both gun dogs and pets. King George VI, when he was the Duke of York, saw the first corgi, Dookie, join the royal family.