Daily Times

The duke and duchess of Cambridge are celebrating his third birthday with a string of touching family photographs.

But the royals have come under fire from some critics after allowing Prince George to feed ice cream to their family dog, Lupo, despite the fact dogs are highly allergic to dairy products.

In a collection of images released today to mark his birthday, Prince George can be seen crouching on one knee with a cheeky smile on his face as he offers the spaniel a white chocolate ice cream.

While the photo is one likely to appear in many family albums across the country, the royals have faced criticism from some animal cruelty campaigners who ridiculed them for giving Lupo treats.

Experts warn that dogs are allergic to both dairy and chocolate and feeding them milk-based products such as ice cream could cause them digestive issues.

On Twitter, one person took extreme offence to the photographs and branded the prince a ‘monarchist monster’.

They added, “Never give a dog ice cream. At worst: it’ll die, At best: the dog will diarrhoea everywhere!”

Another even remarked, rather dramatically, that the youngster should ‘go to prison’ for giving the animal what appeared to be flavoured ice cream with a white chocolate coating.

According to experts, animals should not be fed dairy or milk-based products such as ice cream as it can cause them diarrhoea and other digestive issues.

Adult dogs are deficient in lactose necessary for digestion of milk, one animal charity warned.

Chocolate is also harmful to pets as it contains theobromine which is toxic to animals. The chemical is found in all flavours of chocolate, including white. Consumption of chocolate can result in abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures, and death in dogs. Less severe symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea and excessive dehydration.

A spokesman for the RSPCA told MailOnline, “It is lovely that Prince George is trying to help keep his family dog, Lupo, cool in these high temperatures. 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.”

Paula Boyden, Veterinary Director of the Dogs Trust charity, added, “We would always advocate seeking methods to keep your dog cool, but possibly not in the form of an ice cream, unless it is a dog friendly version. The cow’s milk and sugar content in ice cream can sometimes lead to digestive issues. Whenever you do treat your dog, do consider the ingredients and always seeks the advice of your vet.” The image of Prince George appearing to feed Lupo ice cream emerged in a touching collection released to mark his birthday.

The little prince, third in line to the throne, can be seen in two shots playing on a swing in casual shorts and a T-shirt at his parents’ country home, Anmer Hall, that is inscribed with their names, William and Catherine. It is believed to have been a wedding gift to the couple.

Another shows George running through the gardens, this time wearing a £29.40 jumper by Pepa & Co – a brand Kate turns to time and time again – and his favourite Trotters shoes.

In recent years the royal household has often issued pictures taken of the Royal children by their keen amateur photographer mother, the duchess of Cambridge. This time, however, they were taken by a professional photographer, Matt Porteous.

In a statement, William and Kate said, “The duke and duchess of Cambridge are delighted to share four new photographs of Prince George to mark his third birthday. They were taken by photographer Matt Porteous at their home in Norfolk in mid-July.”

Kensington Palace adds, “The duke and duchess hope that people will enjoy seeing these new photographs. They would like to thank everyone for all the lovely messages they have received as Prince George celebrates his third birthday.”

Photographer Matt Porteous said, “I really enjoyed the opportunity to take these photographs of Prince George. 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.”

The three-year-old today enjoyed a birthday party with all the trimmings at the family’s Norfolk mansion, Anmer Hall.