Princess Kate was forced to miss St. Patrick's Day last year as she fought cancer, but on Monday, March 17, the royal returned to her regular duties as honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards. Channeling Queen Elizabeth in a repeat Alexander McQueen coat, the Princess of Wales spent time with members of the regiment, including their adorable Irish Wolf Hound mascot, Turlough Mór (a.k.a. Seamus). But while speaking with the dog's handler, the princess revealed her thoughts about another furry friend.
Seamus's handler, Joseph Aldridge, told People that he enjoyed a "lovely chat" with Princess Kate during the event. After the princess praised the dog for "being well-behaved," Aldridge replied, "He is but he can be unpredictable!"
According to the mag, Kate "laughed and said, 'Horses are the worst.'" However, Aldridge continued that the princess "loves all animals," adding the Princess of Wales wished him and Seamus a "happy St. Patrick's Day."
It's long been rumored that Princess Kate is allergic to horses, but in 2011, a palace spokesperson told E! News that it wasn't true. The same year, Clarisa Ru, whose husband served as president of the Santa Barbara Polo Club at the time, told told People (via Hello!) that she spoke with Kate, who told her, "I'm actually allergic to them, but the more time one spends with them the less allergic you become."
It's possible the royal is just not a fan of horses in general. In an episode of the "Palace Confidential" podcast, the Daily Mail’s Jo Elvin said, "I think you can’t be royal and not love horses." However, the publication's editor-at-large Charlotte Griffiths replied, "Catherine doesn’t. She doesn’t like riding. I think she's allergic."
Even if Kate might not be the biggest fan of horses (unlike Queen Elizabeth), it seems like Princess Charlotte inherited her great-grandmother's love of riding.
One animal Kate especially loves, however, is dogs. The Wales family owns a black Cocker Spaniel named Orla, and previously owned another spaniel named Lupo, both of whom were bred by her brother James Middleton. Orla's name has a special—and very royal—origin, meaning "golden princess."
During her St. Patrick's Day outing, the princess was full of smiles as she greeted Seamus and presented him with traditional sprigs of shamrock.
"It was special. She’s our Colonel, and obviously, we want her to come to our parade every year, but due to some unfortunate circumstances she couldn’t [last year]," the pup's handler said. "It’s nice to see her come out and get to meet everyone—especially Seamus."
"He’s the fan favorite," Aldridge said. "Not just with the royal family but everyone."
