The photo was meant to celebrate a three-year-old’s birthday, but by all means let’s accuse the parents of animal cruelty.
Kensington Palace released four photos today, taken by Matt Porteous, celebrating Prince George’s birthday.
The shoot took place earlier this month, and one of the photos shows George sharing his ice cream with the family’s cocker spaniel, Lupo.
The Royal Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals is furious with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for allowing George to feed Lupo dairy, which can cause digestive issues and diarrhea.
“It is lovely that Prince George is trying to help keep his family dog, Lupo, cool in these high temperatures,” RSPCA stated, according to the Guardian.
“We would advise people to be cautious when giving their dogs food meant for human consumption as some items, like chocolate, can be highly toxic to dogs and dairy items can be difficult for them to digest.
“Instead of ice-cream we would suggest making an ice lolly from pet-friendly ingredients. Making these can be really fun for children and the end product is both safe and enjoyable for dogs.”
Kensington Palace has not addressed the question of whether the treat is dog-friendly or not, despite activists automatically assuming that it’s a white chocolate covered ice cream.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has both grown up with dogs, so it’s safe to assume that they would never knowingly put Lupo in danger.
The other photos in the set feature George on a swing, thought to be a wedding gift to his parents.
Though Catherine normally takes official photos of her children (she photographed Princess Charlotte ahead of her first birthday back in May), this time the royal couple hired Matt Porteous.
“I really enjoyed the opportunity to take these photographs of Prince George,” Porteous said.
“It was a very relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. I’m honoured that they have decided to share these images with the public to mark his third birthday.”
Happy Birthday, Your Royal Highness. And best wishes to Lupo.