“(He was) absolutely in love with my little dog. He asked what breed he was and he’s never met any of those breeds, he’s a Cockerjack, so he’s a bit of a unique combination.”

Harland added that the prince commented on how “soft” her pet’s ears were and “gave him loads of love”.

Orla was gifted to Wales by Catherine’s younger brother James Middleton, shortly before their older dog, Lupo, died in 2020.

While the heartwarming anecdote will delight royal fans and dog lovers alike, researchers warn to sleep with your four-legged furry friend.

As part of a recent study published in Scientific reportsanswered over 1,500 American adults to questions about their sleep routines. Surprisingly, about half of them admitted to sharing their sleeping space with their pets – meaning their pets slept with them at least part of the night.

Researchers then dug into the sleep patterns of both co-sleepers and those who snoozed solo. The verdict? People who cuddled with their pets experienced poorer sleep quality and more problems with insomnia compared to those who slept without their furry companions. Even after adjusting for different demographics, the results held.

Despite such findings, a whopping 93 percent of those who snuggled with their pets believed their presence had either a positive or neutral effect on their sleep.

Brian N. Chin, assistant professor of psychology at Trinity College and lead author of the study, noted that while pets often boost mental well-being, their nightly antics can sabotage sleep quality.

“Most pet owners report that their pets have a generally positive effect on their mental health,” Chin wrote.

“However, our study fills an important knowledge gap by indicating that co-sleeping with pets can affect sleep quality.

“Although pets may have an overall positive effect on mental health, it is possible that some of this benefit may be undermined if they also cause you to lose sleep at night.”