Prince William and Duchess Catherine have a new puppy

A source told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "The new puppy is adorable and the whole family are besotted. They were devastated when Lupo passed away. It was hoped that a younger dog would give Lupo some company and give him a little more life and energy."

Back in October, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge revealed they were mourning the loss of their pet pooch Lupo, their beloved English cocker spaniel, who they had for nine years.

They wrote: "Very sadly last weekend 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. - W & C (sic)"

The pooch often appeared in photos alongside the family, and the couple’s eldest son, Prince George, was particularly fond of the black pup. Lupo was bred from a dog owned by Catherine’s parents and was given to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011.

It’s even thought Lupo helped them choose a moniker for Prince George when Catherine was pregnant, after she and William scattered pieces of paper with various names on the floor, and Lupo was drawn to the one labelled "George".

Earlier this year, the Duchess joked about the family's pet while visiting Savannah House, a facility run by social justice charity Extern, in County Kildare. As she played ping pong, the royal said: "We try to do this at home but our dog keeps catching the ping pong balls."