Duchess Catherine has unveiled the new addition to the royal family: a pet guinea pig called Marvin!
The mother of two explained the cute critter was recently bought by herself and Prince William as a gift for Prince George and Princess Charlotte, as she opened the new Magic Garden at Hampton Court Palace on Wednesday.
Catherine had the kids at the Magic Garden enthralled with tales of her family pets.
While she was taking some time out to play with a group of children at the newly opened garden, Kate told one of the kids, a nine-year-old girl called Darcey, about the newest little royal.
“She said she had a hamster, and Charlotte really likes it because the whiskers always tickle her face,” Darcey explained.
The 34-year-old then regaled the children with tales of the hamster pets she had while she was growing up: two little friends called Salt and Pepper.
Little Charlotte adores feeling Marvin the hampster’s little whiskers tickling her face.
But how will this newest bundle of furry joy sit with the family’s existing pet Lupo?
The Cambridge family received the cocker spaniel as a rather unique wedding present from James Middleton after their April 2011 nuptials.
With both pets now vying for the little Prince and Princess’s attentions, there’s no doubt there will be a little bit of animal rivalry at the family’s country home Anmer Hall, in Norfolk!
See Prince William dish the dirt on how life has changed for Lupo since introducing children to the family. Post continues below after the video…
Meanwhile, children at the Magic Garden opening were awestruck to catch a glimpse of the stylish royal – once they knew who she was.
One little girl was spotted tugging on the sleeve of the chairman of Historic Royal Palaces, Rupert Gavin, and asking “Who’s that?” After Rupert revealed Catherine’s royal identity, the little girl’s eyes went wide, and she said “Ooh, are you the princess?”
Ever the woman of the people, the Duchess replied with a breezy, “Just call me Kate!”
We wonder how Ludo feels about the new royal pet!
And her royal duties didn’t stop with the garden opening.
Afterwards, the former Miss Middleton went on to attend a lunch reception at the Anna Freud Centre, a charity that supports children’s mental health, before she raced off to the National Portrait Gallery to view the photo of herself taken as part of a collaboration with British Vogue.
