New puppy lifts Cambridges after death of beloved Lupo

THE Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were heartbroken when their beloved cocker spaniel, Lupo, died last month.

But their grief was tempered by the arrival of a new puppy, with whom the whole family is said to be “besotted”.

The new cocker spaniel, whose name has not yet been revealed, was given to the family by the Duchess’s brother, James Middleton, before Lupo died.

And ensuring it remains a family affair, the puppy is one of Lupo’s nieces. Mr Middleton, 33, bred his first litter of puppies from his dog Ella in 2011. He kept one, called Luna, but gave her brother Lupo to the Duchess in early 2012 after the

Duke had deployed for six weeks to the Falkland Islands as an RAF search and rescue pilot.

Last summer, Mr Middleton, who at the time was staying with his parents at their Berkshire home, bred another litter of six puppies with Luna as their mother. He is pictured with four of them. The Cambridges, along with their children Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two, are said to have had the pick of the litter. A friend told The Mail on Sunday: “The new puppy is adorable and the whole family are besotted. 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.” Lupo, meaning wolf in Italian, died aged nine, a relatively young age for a cocker spaniel. The news was announced in a rare statement on Instagram, with the couple stating: “Very sadly last weekend our dear dog, Lupo, passed away.”