Meet King Louis, the ruling resident cat at the stunning Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar.
Rocking the 'gram with his very own page, this royal kitty will greet you with open, erm, paws when you visit (his) palace, but, as insiders from the royal court reveal, King Louis once had a very different life, before he ruled the kingdom…
The battle that made him king
King Louis wasn’t always ruler of the palace. In fact, the beautiful ginger actually lived on the streets for a while, before realising his royal calling. Prior to the reign of King Louis, the 18th century Palazzo Parisio had a resident cat for years, right up until this plucky ginger cat decided it was time to rise the ranks of the kitty social ladder and make a name for himself.
In an epic tale for the ages, the soon-to-be appointed King Louis set his sights on the palace. At the time, an older (feline) king lived within the palace's walls, but the street-savvy ginger fought a great battle to oust the pretender residing in his rightful home, Palazzo Parisio. He rode in, fought for his title and took over the palace, and well... he's been there ever since!
A day in the life of King Louis
Now that he is king, Louis spends his days sitting on his throne in the lobby, waiting for visitors to pet and cuddle him. He absolutely loves to hang out with visitors, and will help the staff treat you like a guest of honour!
His royal highness also likes to sleep a lot - as royals are want to do - and is a huge fan of the afternoon tea. We can't say we're surprised... he is a posh kitty after all! And if you're heading over for tea, he’ll make sure your stay is fabulous, and all he asks of in return is a bite from whatever you’re having - we'd say it's a bargain!
In a tremendous show of humility and grace, King Louis absolutely loves the cleaning lady. He begins his morning by walking around with her while she dusts, sweeps, and washes. And once he’s done supervising the cleaning and ensuring that everything is spick and span, he’ll sit on the sofa, waiting for one of his subjects to feed him.
While the monarch's schedule is undoubtedly busy, we were lucky enough to get a hold of his PA, Rachel, who was happy to share a few words about the mighty ruler's reputation at the palace. “He’s such a character! He’s got a big personality, and everyone loves him. King Louis obviously loves the attention, food and cuddles he’s given, and has become quite famous!”
King Louis' furry friends (& loyal subjects)
Every king needs loyal subjects to run a successful palace, and King Louis has a team of experts who do a fantastic job! His Insta page not only includes snaps of his daily adventures as reigning monarch, but also shows off his furry friends.
Brownie
These include Brownie, who is in charge of security at the back of the garden. No one, and we mean NO ONE, gets past him. He’s been at the palace longer than most people can remember, and also runs the laundry department, making sure those table whites are bright and sparkly for the guests!
Romeo
Meanwhile, Romeo is the general manager at Palazzo Parisio. Handsome chap, isn’t he? Romeo likes to keep things smart about the palace and is a quick problem-solver. Need something done? Romeo is on it!
Fritz
Meet Fritz, the chairman of the board. He's an old boy so he doesn't come into the office much, but whenever he does, he gets all the attention. Here he’s seen with the baroness, whose cuddles are the BEST.
Eddy
This gorgeous girl is Eddy, who works in accounts. King Louis isn’t on the best of terms with her as he thinks she’s scatty and has no respect for personal space, but she’s good with numbers so he keeps her on. “Having the right team is an important part of keeping the palace running,” he confides.
Have you had the privilege of meeting Palazzo Parisio's four-legged team? Look out for them on your next visit. Long live King Louis!