In her role as patron of Medical Detection Dogs, Queen Camilla has named a new puppy, drawing inspiration from her own family. The charity shared an adorable snapshot of their newest sandy-hued pup on social media, revealing the name chosen by Camilla: Freddy. The post read, “Meet Freddy, our newest team member named by a very special supporter – our Patron, The Queen. Her Majesty was invited to name a puppy in celebration of her continued Patronage. Welcome to the team, Freddy!”
The name Freddy holds a special place in Queen Camilla’s heart as it is also the name of one of her grandsons. Camilla’s son, Tom Parker Bowles, is a father to Freddy and his sister Lola, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Sara Buys. Born in February 2011, Freddy is Camilla’s youngest grandchild, arriving two months after his cousins, Gus and Louis. Freddy had a prominent role at the coronation, serving as a page of honour alongside his cousins and Prince George.
Aside from Freddy and Lola, Camilla is also a devoted grandmother to her daughter Laura Lopes’ three children, whom she shares with her husband Harry Marcus George Lopes. Together, they have daughter Eliza and twins Gus and Louis. Camilla has occasionally shared glimpses of her bond with her grandchildren, despite maintaining a relatively private family life. In a chat with Vogue, she mentioned, “The girls are beginning to get into clothes and make-up, and it’s rather frightening when you see them coming out with pierced ears and a lot of new make-up and funny-coloured hair.”
Camilla also spoke about her regular communications with her grandchildren, saying, “It’s very nice getting a text. We learn from very young people and they learn from us, too. That’s the way it’s always been.” In an interview with Mail+ to celebrate her 75th birthday, she shared that her grandkids had introduced her to the group chatting app Houseparty, which allowed up to eight people to have a conversation.
Queen Camilla’s involvement with Medical Detection Dogs dates back to 2014. In February, she hosted a reception at Clarence House to celebrate the organization’s 15th anniversary, where she met those aided by the animals and watched a demonstration by a bio-detection dog who could sniff out urinary tract infections. The dogs were treated like royalty at the reception, offered biscuits, and even sat on chairs at the royal residence to receive pets from the Queen.
“People thought how on earth can these dogs sniff out all these diseases, but as you have seen today, seeing is believing,” Queen Camilla said at the time. “During COVID, they were completely brilliant. We did demonstrations at Paddington station and other places. Sadly, they weren’t used. Maybe in the future, if we have a pandemic or something, they could be used because they have proved how brilliant they are doing it.”
Queen Camilla has two dogs of her own, rescued Jack Russell Terriers named Bluebell and Beth. She adopted Beth in 2011 and Bluebell a year later from South London’s Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, which she has visited regularly. In addition to occasionally joining her on royal outings and appearing in official portraits, Beth and Bluebell made a surprise appearance at the coronation. Although the pups didn’t actually attend the crowning ceremony, their images were embroidered on Queen Camilla’s coronation dress by designer Bruce Oldfield, along with the names of her children and grandchildren.
Freddy, the newly named puppy, has already started his journey with Medical Detection Dogs. The charity shared a video of Freddy in action, captioning it, “Freddy’s first few days have been so exciting with a new house and garden to explore and new humans to wrap around his oversized paws. Freddy was named by our Patron, Her Majesty The Queen, in celebration of her continued Patronage and we’re delighted to have him on the team!”
Freddy Parker Bowles, the grandson after whom the puppy is named, served as one of his grandmother’s Pages of Honor at the coronation in May 2023. The royal tapped all three of her grandsons—Freddy, along with Gus and Louis Lopes, the sons of Camilla’s daughter, Laura Lopes—as well as her great-nephew Arthur Elliot to take on the roles at the historic crowning ceremony.
Queen Camilla’s choice to name the puppy Freddy not only highlights her affection for her family but also underscores her commitment to the causes she supports. Her involvement with Medical Detection Dogs and her personal connection to the name Freddy bring a heartwarming touch to her patronage, showcasing the blend of her royal duties and family life.
Source: People, The Daily Beast
