The British Royal Family has welcomed a new addition—but not one in line for the throne. This newest member of the House of Windsor comes with four legs and a furry coat.
According to People, Prince William and Kate Middleton have officially introduced their dog, Otto, to the public. The couple shared the name on May 1, posting a photo to celebrate the pup’s first birthday with the caption, “Welcome to the family, Otto! 1 today.”
The English cocker spaniel had actually made a quiet appearance days earlier in a family portrait released for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 15th wedding anniversary, meaning he’d already been part of the household for some time. This just marks the first time he’s been officially named.
Otto is the son of Orla, the family’s black cocker spaniel who has been with them since 2020. Kate had previously shared earlier this year that they decided to keep one male puppy from Orla’s 2025 litter, subtly growing their family before revealing the news publicly. She didn’t, however, say what happened to the rest of the puppies from that litter.
The arrival of Otto follows a familiar pattern within the British royal family. Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first dog, Lupo—also an English cocker spaniel—was a regular presence in early family photos after being gifted to them following their 2011 wedding.
Lupo even featured in official portraits with Prince George and was widely seen as a reason for the breed’s surge in popularity across the U.K.
Sadly, Lupo passed away in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, a loss that soon led to Orla joining the family.
William later reflected on that moment, saying, “Yes, we were all there, sadly. It was very sad,” as he spoke about the family being together when Lupo died during lockdown.
Since then, Orla has made appearances at public events and in family content, including a 2024 video where Kate opened up about her health journey and highlighted the importance of “simply loving and being loved.”
