Kate Middleton Reveals Puppy's Name During Charity School Visit

Solo royal heads to Oxford, where she takes part in an art class with one of her new patronages and lets slip the name of her and Prince William's new cocker spaniel

By Gina Serpe Feb 21, 2012 6:05 PMTags
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Ladies and gentlemen, our long international animal-loving nightmare is over: Kate Middleton has finally revealed the name of her and Prince William's puppy, a secret that's been guarded tighter than the crown jewels.

The doggy disclosure came while the duchess was on one of her now increasingly frequent charity visits, this time to a school in a disadvantaged area of Oxford in support of the Art Room, one of the charities she has recently become patron of.

So, what's the royal pup's name? Fido? Rover? Harry (what, royals can't have a sense of humor?)? It's…

Lupo!

Prince William's temporarily solo half let slip the moniker—Italian for wolf—of her new black cocker spaniel puppy during a watercolor lesson at the Art Room's facility in the Rose Hill Primary School.

According to the Telegraph, one of the students handed her a stuffed dog to play with after learning she had a puppy. "Why don't we call it after my dog?" she said. "He's called Lupo."

The organization aims to teach children self-esteem and confidence through art, and Middleton assisted in a class for 7- and 8-year-olds during her visit.

For the occasion, "Miss Catherine," as she was dubbed by the kids, accepted flowers, greeted schoolchildren and their parents (and assorted other fans) before jumping in herself, donning a black apron over her $250 (on sale!) Orla Kiely Birdie jacquard dresscoat—which, yes, sold out in the U.K. within minutes of Middleton's appearance.

Doggone it.