King Charles just adopted an incredibly rare dog—and it’s so cute, you’re going to want one for yourself!
Buckingham Palace Is Packed with Puppies! Here’s What to Know About King Charles’s Adorable New Dog
Published on Mar. 07, 2025
If you were a member of the British royal family and could have literally anything you wanted, what would you choose? A luxury car? A tiara dripping with diamonds? Afternoon tea and scones with your all-time favorite musician? Well, if you’re King Charles and Queen Camilla, the answer to that is puppies—lots of them—and we can’t say we disagree with that choice!
Within weeks, Buckingham Palace has welcomed not just one but two new dogs. First, Camilla adopted a rescue dog, and shortly thereafter, Charles expanded the brood with his own canine companion. And according to the Sun, Charles is absolutely “besotted” with the new addition to the family, who happens to be an incredibly rare (and incredibly adorable) breed.
We know, you want details—and we have them. Read on to find out all about the latest star of Buckingham Palace.
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What do we know about King Charles’s new dog?
Charles’s new dog is a Lagotto Romagnolo puppy named Snuff. And despite now residing in the official royal palaces and estates of the British monarchy, Snuff isn’t British but instead a proud Italian, which you may have guessed from the breed’s name. Lagotto Romagnolos hail from northern Italy, specifically the region around Ravenna, the capital city of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century.
According to media reports, Charles hadn’t planned to get a dog but received Snuff as a surprise gift. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been revealed (yet) who was behind this excellent gift, but we might find out in April when the king is scheduled to travel to Snuff’s home region. No promises, though, as Buckingham Palace was quick to say that Snuff was a private gift that had nothing to do with the king’s state visit.
We also haven’t seen any pictures of Snuff yet, but we’re keeping our eyes glued to the royals’ official Instagram account for when he makes his big social media debut.
What’s so special about this breed?
The small- to medium-sized Lagotto Romagnolo is a relatively rare breed, especially outside of its native Italy. While the breed has been recognized in the U.K. since 1991, there were only 327 of these puppies registered in the country as of 2023. Originally a duck hunter (hence the name—Lagotto means “curly coated duck retriever” in one Italian dialect), the dog later became known for hunting truffles, a passion Snuff shares with Charles. Talk about the perfect pairing, not to mention the perfect name for a truffle-hunting dog!
Lagotto Romagnolos are known to be friendly, lively and smart dogs that enjoy long walks and are exceptionally family-friendly. They are also super cute, thanks to their thick wool-like coat, which needs to be groomed several times a week. With that oh, so pettable curly fur, they look a lot like poodles or small Portuguese water dogs. Their coloring can be anything from white to shades of brown and orange or a mix of all. Fun fact: Lagotto Romagnolos also tend to bark a lot, so Charles may need some serious training to get Snuff, well, up to snuff in the manners department.
Unsurprisingly, Charles’s new dog instantly turned the Lagotto Romagnolo into a household name in the U.K. and beyond. According to the Kennel Club, the largest British organization devoted to dog health, welfare and training (which Charles is patron of), searches for the breed skyrocketed by more than 700% after the royal announcement.
Why is Charles particularly excited about the puppy?
While Charles and Camilla have been parents to various rescue dogs over the years, the king hasn’t had his own puppy since his beloved dog, Tigga, passed away more than two decades ago. A Jack Russell terrier, Tigga had been with Charles from the 1980s (when Charles and Diana were married) until 2002, when Tigga died at the age of 18. Charles adored Tigga so much that he buried him on the grounds of Highgrove House.
Who is the other new puppy in the royal family?
That would be Moley, a Jack Russell mix adopted by Camilla earlier this year. Camilla announced the news on Feb. 28, during an official visit to Canterbury. Born on Boxing Day, Moley owes her name to her appearance. “It looks just like a mole,” the queen told a group at an event, and she too seems completely besotted. (And yes, that’s our new favorite British word.)
Both Snuff and Moley join Bluebell, the royal couple’s older Jack Russell, who was adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, an animal organization that Camilla has been a patron of since 2016. That’s also where she adopted Beth, another Jack Russell, who had to be put down late last year after being diagnosed with an untreatable tumor.
Those aren’t the only dogs in the royal family, of course. In the unlikely case that Charles and Camilla’s canine brood ever gets bored, they can always play with Muick and Fergus, the late Queen Elizabeth’s corgis (well, a corgi and a dorgi, respectively), who now reside with Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
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Sources:
- The Sun: “King Charles has a new dog named Snuff—his first pooch in two decades”
- The Standard: “King Charles adopts ‘rustic’ new dog Snuff, a Lagotto Romagnolo—All the Royal Family-approved dog breeds”
- The Times: “King Charles smitten by royal family’s latest puppy”
- Metro: “King Charles gets first new dog in 20 years—and they have ‘a lot in common'”
- The Kennel Club: “Lagotto Romagnolo”
- The Kennel Club: “Searches skyrocket for King Charles’ new breed which has Crufts Crown”
