William and Kate left heartbroken as ‘heart of the family’ passed away

Recently, Prince William and Kate Middleton sadly announced the departure of their beloved dog Lupo on their Instagram page, Kensington Royal.

The Cambridge’s announced that the English Cocker Spaniel had been ‘at the heart’ of their family and even helped the Duke and Duchess pick out the name of their first child Prince George. The royal post stated:

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

The family pet was bred from one of the dogs owned by Kate’s parents and given to the couple as a gift.

Lupo, which is Italian for wolf, even helped William and Kate pick out a name for Prince George.

The pair wrote out dozens of names on pieces of paper which they then laid out all over the floor of their home.

Then, Lupo was brought in to select one of the names by tapping one of the pieces of paper.

The pup was initially brought into the family to help Kate deal with all the time spent apart from William in the early months of their marriage while he worked as an RAF pilot in Anglesey.

It is even thought that the beloved dog was the reason that the fire brigade was called out to their home in Berkshire back in 2013.

The firefighters received a call for an ‘animal rescue’ where a dog, thought to be Lupo, got their head stuck in a fence. A spokesman for the Royal Fire Service stated:

We were called to an animal rescue. The special unit from Reading was despatched along with an appliance from the nearest station, Newbury. Our crew got to the manor but were told as they arrived at the gates that the dog, which had got its head stuck, had been freed just a few moments earlier so their services were not needed. The animal rescue unit was stood down before it reached Bucklebury and the appliance returned home.

Kate Middleton’sbrother James has also posted his condolences on Instagram with the sentiment that no feeling is comparable to the loss of a family pet:

...Nothing can ever prepare you for the loss of a dog. For those who have never had a dog, it might be hard to understand the loss. However for those who have loved a dog know the truth: a dog is not just a pet; it is a member of the family, a best friend, a loyal companion, a teacher and a therapist.

He continued:

...There isn’t much of a rule book on how to grieve for a dog, but I’ve said a prayer, lit a candle and taken Ella (Mum) for a long walk to spend time remembering Lupo. Rest in peace Lupo. Tilly & Mini will be waiting for you. You will always be remembered and your legacy will live on forever. Good Boy 🐾