Prince William and Kate Middleton have always been big fans of animals. That goes for the entire Royal Family, with the late Queen Elizabeth’s trademark corgi dogs possibly being the most mentioned.
However, the Prince and Princess of Wales are big dog lovers, and in 2011, they got their first dog. Sadly, Lupo passed away in 2020, but not long after, Kate Middleton’s brother gifted William and Kate’s three children with a new dog, Orla.
The cute pup has become a beloved family member, but just as with the prince and princess’ home, not much is known about Orla’s life. Just days ago, Prince William revealed new details—and it turns out the dog has quite the sleeping arrangement.
It goes without saying that Prince William and Kate Middleton had very different upbringings. The Princess of Wales didn’t have a bad childhood in any way, but given that William was the royal heir, one can expect that his upbringing was rather unique. Then there’s the trauma William endured when his mother, Princess Diana, passed away.
Prince William & Kate Middleton – how they are raising their children
Both William and Kate have been praised for their modern take on royal life, and that also goes for their children. Meanwhile, exactly what is going on in their home of Adelaide Cottage isn’t too known to the public. However, there have been plenty of reports about how they want to raise their children.
It makes sense that William has more experience of what a royal upbringing is like, but given that he and Kate want their kids to have a “normal” childhood, they’ve turned mostly to Kate Middleton’s parents when it comes to how they’re raising their children.
According to royal expert Duncan Larcombe, William and Kate prefer the “Middleton model” for their children. That includes hard-working parents and “lots of love in the house.”
Not only that, but William and Kate don’t want their children to be just their children, but also their friends.
“By the time Kate was in her early twenties, she counted her mother and father on the list of her best friends. That’s what William and Kate are aspiring to with their children, but they also have to drip-feed George and, to some extent, Charlotte and Louis, into the public domain.” Larcombe told OK!.
The royal expert argued that if they’d had the choice, William and Kate wouldn’t let Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis appear in public at all.
“George is being raised in a very different way to Prince William”
However, that’s sadly not a viable option.
“Because if the public doesn’t fall in love with Prince George as a little boy, then he’s going to be playing catch up for the rest of his life. By the time the Queen came to the throne, the nation had fallen in love with Princess Elizabeth because they felt her pain,” Duncan said.
“They saw her very popular father, the unexpected King, die at such a young age and the public loved and supported the Queen because of what happened to her father,” the expert said.
Duncan added: “Although there are some similarities, George is being raised in a very different way to Prince William. William has based his children’s upbringing on the Middleton model – three children, affluent, but hard-working parents, and lots of love in the house.”
Naturally, while William and Kate Middleton are doing their utmost to raise their kids to become good people, the royal side of their lives will likely take center stage more and more as the years go by.
That includes learning various royal traditions and the expected ways to behave in public. As we all know, the royals have specific customs and ways of acting, which George, Charlotte, and Louis will be expected to grow into.
At the same time, as we’ve stressed, the three children are just that: children. They, just like other kids, are not always listening to their parents. William and Kate, of course, must respond in kind.
Kate Middleton is “slightly” stricter than Prince William
As per reports, royal parents have their ways of handling their kids if they do not behave as they should. According to an insider, the couple decided to ban the “naughty step” in their home. Instead, they use a “chat sofa” for George, Charlotte, and Louis.
Also, reports suggest that Prince William and Kate Middleton “never shout” at their children.
“The naughty child is taken away from the scene of the row or disruption and talked to calmly by either Kate or William,” the royal source said. “Things are explained and consequences outlined, and they never shout at them.”
The insider added: “Shouting is absolutely off limits for the children, and any hint of shouting at each other is dealt with by removal.”
While the couple doesn’t shout at their kids, the aforementioned royal source added that Kate is “slightly stricter” than William. Ever since George was a baby, the couple has had the help of a nanny, Maria Borrallo.
While the couple don’t shout at their kids, the aforementioned royal source added that Kate is “slightly stricter” than William.
Maria has been with William and Kate since 2014. The nanny began caring for George when he was only eight months old
“She is not married and doesn’t have a boyfriend, as her life is totally dedicated to the family she is working with. She is known for being totally professional – married to the job,” an insider told Hello Magazine.
Maria Borrallo – the royal nanny
Borrallo was trained at the prestigious Norland College in Bath. She makes all the decisions at home regarding the children, keeping with William and Kate’s outlined wishes.
The source said: “Maria is firm, but she never acts unilaterally with the children on discipline. Kate and William, along with Maria, are strict with the children but have this magic ability to appear not to be.”
“It is a military operation, but you would never guess it because they work ferociously hard on their children’s upbringing and make it seem relaxed and happy for the three of them,” the insider continued.
“They are very good at listening to the children but being firm.”
Barallos’ support continues to be significantly appreciated by Prince William and Kate Middleton. When the family moved to Adelaide Cottage from Kensington Palace, the nanny stopped living in the same house. However, she lives at another property just around the corner.
Speaking with Hello Magazine, parenting expert Jo Frost explained that Maria is a very important person for William, Kate, and their children.
“The blessing of her nurturing ways and wonderful service to the family leave the children in good steady hands, affording William the flexibility to be present as a father, attend to his royal duties where he can at home and be the emotional support he will want to be for his wife,” she said.
Prince William & Kate Middleton’s dogs
There haven’t been many details about what life really is like behind the doors of Adelaide Cottage. However, just now, Prince William revealed one thing about their bed. Usually, it’s not only him and his wife that sleep there – but also the family’s dog, Orla.
Pets, especially dogs, have always been a part of the Royal Family. The late Queen Elizabeth II had her beloved corgis, and it appears that the interest in dogs was passed on to the future king.
Prince William and Kate Middleton first had their beloved dog Lupo together, who actually helped them pick out the name for George.
William and Kate struggled to choose the name for their firstborn son. However, they came up with a solution in the picking process. According to the Times, the Prince and Princess of Wales brought in their dog, Lupo, who helped them choose from the list of possible contenders.
After putting all the possible names on scraps of paper and spreading them on their floor, they let Lupo in and watched which piece of writing he went up to. The English cocker spaniel picked George, and the case was closed.
Sadly, Lupo passed away in 2020.
“Very sadly, 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,” William and Kate shared on social media.
“They were devastated when Lupo passed away,” an insider told the Daily Mail.
Prince William & Kate Middleton’s dog Orla
Not long after the Wales family says goodbye to Lupo, they welcomed a new cocker spaniel puppy, Orla, into their lives. Prince William and Princess Kate decided to adopt Orla from James Middleton, Kate’s brother, and have been a beloved family member ever since. George, Charlotte, and Louis have a best friend on four legs who will see the children grow up for many years.
“I’m really pleased that they are able to enjoy and have the benefit of a dog in their lives,” James Middleton told OK!. “I see them being lucky that they have a dog in their life.”
The name Orla is truly fitting for a royal dog. It’s a popular girl’s name in Ireland – and means “golden princess.”
Not only does her name mean princess, but Orla is also getting the best possible treatment for a dog at Adelaide Cottage. In fact, she gets to sleep in the same bed as her owners.
During a mid-October visit to the Duchy College Stoke Climsland in Callington, Cornwall, Prince William met several students—and dogs.
Prince William reveals their dog is sleeping in the same bed as him and Kate
Prince William is a proven animal lover. When Louise Harland–whose dog absolutely loved the future king–got to speak to William, that’s when he revealed the secret about Orla’s sleeping arrangement.
“[He was] absolutely in love with my little dog,” Harland told Hits Radio Cornwall. “Jacks came and met him. And he asked what breed he was and he’s never met one of those breeds – he’s a cockerjack – so he’s a little bit of a unique combination.”
“[He] said that his little dog sleeps on the bed with them at night, with him and Kate,” the dog owner added, revealing that William also told her that Orla “loves cuddles.”
