The Duchess and Duke of Cambridge are keeping their new dog's identity under wraps. (Photo: WENN.com)
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge got a dog over the Christmas break.
At first, after photos of the couple with the pup were revealed in U.S. tabloids, the couple refused to even say the dog belonged to them. They wanted their privacy and those paparazzi photos of them walking the pup on the beach clearly violated that, the royals said.
After a bit of time, they admitted yes, it was their dog. But they then refused to tell anyone the dog’s name.
Here it is, mid-February, and we still don’t know what the cocker spaniel’s name is. And palace aides have been apparently given strict instructions not to release the pooch’s name.
“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,” a spokesman at St James’s Palace told the Daily Mail.
Does it matter if we know the name of the dog?
Some people think it does and this little battle is becoming about more than a dog’s name.
The confusion over something as simple as a puppy has led some to question whether Will and Kate are trying to control what goes out to the media and when.
Diana — William’s mother — notoriously tried to control the media – she’d give insights when she felt like it, but then tried to hide away from the flashes on cameras when it didn’t suit her. We all know that love/hate relationship did not end well.
Does this mean Kate and Will are in for the same fate. Unlikely. But the media doesn’t take kindly to being played.
For a long time, British papers have shied away from publishing paparazzi shots of the royals – particularly the boys when they were young and now Will and Kate. It would have been a rare find to see pictures of the newlyweds in Mustique on vacation last month with Kate’s family in the British press.
But this situation with the dog really seems like they want to show the media, “We’re in charge of what you cover.” While that worked while Prince Harry and Prince William were young and still in school, it’s going to get old really fast.
It’s really causing unnecessary drama. I mean, for goodness sake, it’s a dog! Why pick this fight?
The media — particularly in Britain — has bended to the will of the royals for many years. Now to be told something as trivial as the name of a pet (when the names of the Queen’s corgis were always known) will not be released, well, don’t be surprised when there’s some backlash from even the most seasoned royal reporters who have put up with having to stay away for so long.