As she heads home to London after almost three weeks away in New Zealand and Australia, it’s more than just the comforts of home Kate Middleton will embrace.
The Duchess of Cambridge has also sorely missed her faithful pup Lupo, who recently posed with the royals back home in their official portrait. The black cocker spaniel was adopted by William and Kate in early 2012 and has been a beloved member of their family ever since.
While greeting well-wishers outside of the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra, Australia on April 24, a young girl presented Middleton with a plush dog toy, causing the Duchess to grin with excitement.
“Oh, thank you so much!” she exclaimed. “Everyone is giving me presents for George but this is the first present I’ve received for Lupo. Nobody knows how much I’m missing my own dog… I really miss him. He’ll be so happy to have it to play with.”
With their adorable son Prince George in tow, Kate and William boarded a plane home on Friday, April 25 at Fairbairn Airbase in Canberra. The family has enjoyed an activity-packed trip with a host of events, from Kate and William’s recent DJing session to Prince George’s adorable visit to the zoo on Easter Sunday.
“Reluctantly, Catherine, George and I leave Australia tomorrow,” William said at Australia’s Parliament House on April 24. “Thank you for the warmth and generosity that has been shown to us during our visit. We go away with wonderful memories, and George goes away with his cuddly wombat, which he has taken to chewing so lovingly. We greatly look forward to coming back. And when we do return, it will be to marvel again at all that Australia is, and will yet become.”