The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have welcomed a new addition to their family - a three-month-old puppy.
The couple acquired the male cocker spaniel in early December and have been settling him in at their rented farmhouse in North Wales.
Remarkably, however, William and Kate have given palace aides strict instructions not to reveal the name of their pet, arguing that it is a "private" matter.
"He is a private pet and they do not want his name to be made public although the couple are happy to confirm that they do, indeed, have a new dog," said a spokesman at St James's Palace. The pup has not yet been formally revealed in public but has been seen with the couple on beaches near their Anglesey home.
His arrival is particularly timely as he will help keep the 30-year-old duchess company while her husband is posted to the Falkland Islands for six weeks. Search-and-rescue pilot William, 29, flew out this week with his Sea King crew on a routine deployment to the region.
