William and Kate’s Bizarre Sleeping Arrangements—and the Unexpected Guest Who Joins Them
While Prince William and Kate Middleton share the same bed, unlike their predecessors, they have a surprising guest joining them.
It's no secret that the royal family has some rather bizarre sleeping arrangements, and it is well-known that upper-class British couples have long favored sleeping in separate bedrooms. But Prince William and Kate Middleton are happily rewriting that rule, adding their own unconventional twist. While the Prince and Princess of Wales share the same bed, their beloved pet dog, Orla, who was a gift from Middleton's brother, James, joins them each night. Turns out, even future kings don't mind a little pawsome company at bedtime.
As reported by HELLO!, in 2024, the Prince of Wales visited the Duchy College Stoke Climsland. There, he engaged in a conversation with Louise Harland, who was accompanied by her dog, Jacks. She gushed about their conversation to Hits Radio Cornwall, saying, "[William] said that his little dog sleeps on the bed with them at night, with him and Kate." She added, "[He was] absolutely in love with my little dog. He asked what breed he was, and he's never met one of those breeds—he's [Jacks] a Cockerjack—so he's a little bit of a unique combination."
While William and Middleton insist on sleeping beside their beloved Cocker Spaniel, how beneficial is it? Research shows that sharing a bed with a pet promotes deeper sleep by boosting oxytocin, the hormone linked to comfort and bonding, and helps people reach their REM stage smoothly. Another pawsitive benefit is that it releases anxiety and reduces the likelihood of nightmares, making it especially helpful for individuals dealing with PTSD. Moreover, sleeping with a pet reduces the likelihood of children developing allergies later in life. So, it seems like Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis may hop on to this trend very soon.
And on that note, Orla was one of the six puppies welcomed by Middleton's dog-loving brother James' dog, Luna, in 2020, which he then gifted to his sister that same year. For William's 43rd birthday portrait last year, he could be seen playing with Orla's four adorable furry babies, with the post signed as "Happy birthday! Love C, G, C, L, Orla, and the puppies!"—his children's initials. Orla has also been spotted in family photos, appearing in Charlotte's birthday portrait and happily trotting beside the Prince during his interview on The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy.
