By Lucy Norris
Copyright hellomagazine
The Prince of Wales thrilled viewers as he made his appearance on Eugene Levy’s travel show however, it wasn’t just a glimpse of William, 43, that fans were elated about. The Waleses’ furry friend, Orla, made her Apple TV+ debut alongside her owner as he opened up about the “hardest year” of his life. The beloved black English Cocker Spaniel was featured in clips of Prince William and the Schitt’s Creek star as they sauntered around the grounds of Windsor Great Park.
Orla is the family dog of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louise, 7. She has been featured in a number of royal photocalls and has been posted about for campaigns such as National Pet Day on the Waleses’ official Instagram account. Her latest public appearance was part of filming for Prince William’s episode on The Reluctant Traveller, a travel documentary comedy series that sees Canadian actor Eugene, 78, visit intriguing destinations around the globe.
A life with Orla
The famous royals were gifted Orla by Kate’s brother James Middleton after the passing of their first dog, Lupo, in 2020, who was a wedding present for the couple who tied the knot in 2011. Lupo and Orla’s parents were bred by James, who has publicly spoken about the important role dogs have played in his battle with depression.
Since her arrival, Orla has been featured in some of the royals’ most pivotal moments, including Kate’s video in which she offered an update on her battle with cancer. Orla appeared in the emotional family clip and sat by while the princess revealed her course of chemotherapy had ended and credited time spent in nature as a vital part of her recovery.
Orla is said to have thrilled her royal owners recently after giving birth to a litter of four puppies. The Sun reported that the Wales children were over the moon at the additions to the household and had already fallen in love with the new arrivals, whose names are being kept under wraps.
William and Orla tackle the “hardest year”
During the appearance on the travel docu-series, William opened up about his year supporting his wife and his father as they navigated serious health issues. Taking Eugene for a pint in a local pub, the future king reflected on the last 19 months that saw both Kate and King Charles receive cancer diagnoses within weeks of one another.
He told the actor: “I’d say 2024 was the hardest year I’ve ever had. You know, life is sent to test us as well, and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are.” William’s admissions came after he previously stated that 2024 had been “brutal” on his family as they tackled the cancer diagnoses. It was not revealed what form of cancer either royal was facing.
