Palmerston, the black and white feline who rose from the streets of London to the hallowed halls of Britain’s Foreign Office, has died in Bermuda, London’s overseas ministry said Monday.
The former ‘Chief Mouser’ of the Foreign Office retired from Whitehall in 2020 however returned to the highlight in 2025 when he joined the new Governor of Bermuda Andrew Murdoch in the abroad territory, in accordance with an Instagram publish.
The cat’s X account stated the “diplocat extraordinaire” handed peacefully on February 12.
Affectionately generally known as ‘Palmy,’ the feline was a “special member of the Government House team in Bermuda, and a much loved family member,” the publish stated.
“He was a wonderful companion, with a gentle nature, and will be sorely missed.”
Palmerston was rescued from the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and joined the Foreign Office in 2016 throughout a turbulent time in British politics, simply months earlier than the UK voted to withdraw from the European Union.
Named after the Nineteenth-Century Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister Viscount Palmerston, the cat rapidly garnered a big on-line fanbase, boasting almost 100,000 followers as of Tuesday who intently tracked his adventures throughout Westminster.
Palmerston loved a pleasant rivalry with Britain’s most well-known cat, 10 Downing Street’s Larry, who just celebrated 15 years in his post.
“Farewell old friend x,” Larry stated on X.
Among Palmerston’s many contributions to the UK public service was pest management. Just weeks into his publish, Palmerston caught his first mouse, in accordance with a congratulatory X post from the former Permanent Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Simon McDonald.
He was additionally a philanthropist and raised greater than 3,000 British kilos ($4,082) for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
Palmerston retired in 2020 throughout the Covid pandemic to “spend more time relaxing away from the limelight,” in accordance with a letter pawed by the cat and addressed to McDonald.
“I will miss hearing the footsteps of an Ambassador and sprinting to my hideout to see who it is,” Palmerston wrote, including that his departure could be a “major loss for our intelligence gathering” nevertheless it was time to “enjoy some me-time.”
In 2025, “a purr-fect role” lured Palmerston out of retirement, the beloved cat stated on X.
Palmerston ditched London’s gray skies and rain for the white sandy seashores and clear waters of Bermuda, the place in his last days he might be seen taking part in with big avocados, welcoming overseas dignitaries and handing out poppies forward of Remembrance Day, in accordance with his X account.