That's right—the royal family just got bigger, and we have all the details. Get ready for a royally adorable announcement.
Too Cute for Words! Prince William and Princess Kate Welcomed a Few New Additions to the Family—And We Have the Pic
Updated on Jun. 27, 2025
Just when we thought Kate and Wills had packed away the bassinets for good, the royal couple expanded their brood once again. We’re talking lots of cuddles, sleepless nights and a whole lot of adorableness. According to the latest report, George, Charlotte and Louis are completely besotted with the new arrivals. Oh yes, you heard that right—arrivals. And now, we even have an adorable new photo to share of the new additions.
So who, exactly, has joined the family of the future king of England? And why haven’t we heard a peep about this before now? Here’s a clue in the form of a royal riddle for you: One very special member of the household has become a mom—of quadruplets, no less!—but Prince Harry needn’t worry, as it hasn’t pushed him any further down the line of succession. Any guesses?
Read on to find out who the new royal cuties are.
Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more royals, etiquette, humor, cleaning, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.
How have William and Kate expanded their family?
The couple’s dog, Orla, gave birth to four pups, and the princely puppies are reportedly just pawfect. Kate and William’s beloved 5-year-old black cocker spaniel had her pups in May, and the proud mama and her babies are doing well. The whole family has also fallen in love.
“Everyone loves a new royal baby, and so new royal puppies run very close,” a source told the Sun. “We always thought the patter of tiny feet in the Wales’s household had ended, so the sound of tiny paws will have to do.” Good enough for us!
How did we get a glimpse of the puppies?
Kensington Palace posted an official photo of Orla’s puppies on June 21, in honor of Prince William’s 43rd birthday. Despite William being in the photo, it wasn’t the future king who was getting all the attention. Royal fans were smitten with the real stars: the litter of spaniels.
The snaps show William gently petting the pups alongside their proud mum. Social media lit up with love. “Aww the puppies!!! What an adorable picture,” one Instagrammer wrote. Over on Reddit, fans were equally charmed: “How me heart flutters,” commented one, while another joked, “Spaniels are crazy. Imagine having so many spaniel puppies at home—must be chaotic. Cute picture, though.”
The photo was taken by Kate herself, who added a simple “Happy Birthday” message from her and the kids—signing off with the initials G, C and L for George, Charlotte and Louis. A personal touch that made royal fans swoon.
Who is the father of Orla’s puppies?
Good question! It’s all very mysterious—we don’t know if he’s a prince or a pawper, and no one’s saying. Unlike when a royal baby arrives and an official statement is placed on an easel outside Buckingham Palace, there has been no announcement from the Palace as to the names of the newest royal bubs—or the identity of the pup-pa.
Will they be keeping the puppies?
It appears so! If you ask us, it would be nearly impossible to part with these fur babies, but there’s no word yet on plans for the puppies in the future.
What do we know about Orla?
Orla is a much-loved member of the Wales family. Prince William even let it slip that she sleeps in bed with him and Kate. She joined the family in 2020, as a gift from Kate’s brother, James Middleton, after their previous dog, Lupo, also a black cocker spaniel, passed away. Lupo had been a wedding present from James, and he was even featured in the first official photo of Prince George, taken in the garden of Kate’s family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, in 2013.
James had bred Lupo and Orla, so royal insiders believe he has encouraged Orla to continue the doggy dynasty. The princess’s younger brother owns six dogs, wrote a book called Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life and launched a dog-food brand dedicated to the dog he says cured his depression.
Orla made her debut on Instagram in 2022, posing with Princess Charlotte for her seventh birthday portrait. She also appeared in the family video Kate posted on Instagram last September (when Kate announced that she’d completed her chemotherapy), as well as on the Prince and Princess of Wales’s social media accounts in April, for National Pet Day.
What other dogs made their royal debuts recently?
Orla’s babies may be the latest dogs to join the royal family, but only by a little. Queen Camilla adopted another four-legged friend, Moley, from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, of which she’s patron. She posed with her “mischievous” dog—named Moley because her black and tan markings make her look like a mole—on Instagram in mid-May. The 5-month-old Jack Russell mix is a new playmate for Bluebell, Camilla’s other Jack Russell, who was left alone after her buddy, Beth, passed away last November.
And that’s not all! King Charles was recently gifted a dog of his own, a curly haired Lagotto Romagnalo named Snuff.
Do all the royal dogs get together?
The royals are well-known dog lovers and take their pets with them when they travel between residences, including over the holidays. Charles and Camilla often take their dogs to Balmoral and previously shared a sweet portrait of themselves with Beth and Bluebell at their Scottish estate, Birkhall, for their 15th wedding anniversary. The late queen would also walk her dogs with Sarah, Duchess of York, as well as Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. The queen’s corgis were famously snapped being carried on and off royal planes as well.
To use a Britishism, the Windsors would be barking mad if they got all their dogs together at once. But lucky for them, they have plenty of houses on their estates, meaning there’s lots of room. In Balmoral, for example, the late queen and her corgis stayed in the castle, while Charles, Camilla and their pets would be in nearby Birkhall. Similarly, in Sandringham over Christmas, William and Catherine take Orla home to neighboring Anmer Hall, which also has plenty of room for the new puppies, if they do decide to keep them. And if not, we think they’d make the perfect addition to anyone’s palace.
RELATED:
- Kate Middleton and Prince William Lip-Synched to This Song at Their Wedding
- The Surprising Reason Why King Charles and Camilla Have Separate Homes
- Coronation Portraits of King Charles and Queen Camilla Were Just Unveiled—Here Are 9 Things to Know
Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of stories on the British royal family, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating facets of the monarchy. We regularly cover topics including the latest royal news, the history and meaning behind time-honored traditions, and the everyday quirks of everyone’s favorite family members, from Queen Elizabeth’s daily snack to Prince William’s confessions about his home life. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Reddit: “New photo for William’s 43rd birthday”
- Instagram: @princeandprincessofwales
- The Sun: “William and Kate’s cocker spaniel welcomes quads of pups – and royal children are already in love”
- BBC: “Prince William celebrates birthday with puppy photo”
- Instagram: @princeandprincessofwales
- Instagram: @theroyalfamily
