Prince William and Princess Kate's rare social media move is going viral

The Prince and Princess of Wales commemorate the life of Queen Elizabeth II in 2023
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Prince and Princess of Wales have been front and centre in 2025. And with Princess Kate resuming her royal duties, following her cancer recovery, the Wales family as a whole has officially returned to the spotlight.

This is evident from the Wales family's social media, with Princess Kate increasing her online presence. So too have Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, with the Wales family opting to share more of an insight into family life than before.

And this week, that centred around their youngest family member, as the Wales family paid tribute on National Pet Day to their dog, Orla.

"Celebrating the animals who bring so much joy, companionship and love to our lives this #NationalPetDay," posted the royal couple in a rare social media move.

And judging by the outpouring of love in the comment section, the internet certainly approved.

"Lovely photo," posted one fan, while another wrote: "Orla is such a beautiful dog 😍 Totally love this pic", with fans calling for more photographs of the spaniel.

Even Kate's brother James Middleton featured in the comment section, posting: "Beautiful in every way".

The excitement around Orla's photograph is not surprising, with the Wales family previously keeping her out of the public eye. And as such, she has often been referred to as the Wales family's "secret dog".

In fact, despite the spaniel being a part of the family since 2020, her name was only revealed in 2022, during an appearance at the Royal Charity Polo Cup at Guards Polo Club.

The Wales family tragically lost their beloved dog Lupo in November 2020, and it is thought that James Middleton gave them eight month old Orla before Lupo passed away.

"They were devastated when Lupo passed away, as any dog owner will understand, but got the new puppy before he died," a source told The Mail on Sunday.

"It was hoped that the younger dog would give Lupo some company and give him a little bit more life and energy."

Well, that's that.

We will continue to update this story.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.