The Foreign Office’s retired chief mouser Palmerston has died in Bermuda.
Larry the cat – Downing Street’s chief mouser – has led emotional tributes to his feline colleague.
Palmerston was a rescue cat from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home before he joined the foreign office during Boris Johnson‘s tenure as Foreign Secretary.
He retired in 2020 after four years of service in Whitehall and moved to the island paradise of Bermuda.
Announcing his death, a post on Palmerston’s X, formerly Twitter, account read: ‘Palmerston, Diplocat extraordinaire, passed away peacefully on 12 February.
‘”Palmy” was a special member of the Government House team in Bermuda, and a much loved family member.
‘He was a wonderful companion, with a gentle nature, and will be sorely missed.’
Tributes to Palmerston have poured in with Larry leading the way.
A post on the cat’s satirical X account – which has over one million followers – read: ‘Farewell old friend x.’
Palmerston, the former chief mouser for the Foreign Office, has died at his home in Bermuda
Palmerston on duty in 2018. He was a rescue cat from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home before he joined the foreign office during Boris Johnson’s tenure as Foreign Secretary
Palmerston was rumoured to have had a long–running feud with Number 10‘s chief mouser Larry during his time in Westminster.
Today is also Larry’s birthday according to his X account.
Meanwhile, Labour MP Sarah Champion wrote: ‘RIP.’
And former staffers from Whitehall have took to the platform to share their pictures with Palmerston.
On his retirement in 2020, a letter to Sir Simon McDonald, permanent under–secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, read that the cat would like to spend more time ‘away from the limelight’ after enjoying ‘working from home’ during the coronavirus pandemic.
‘I have found life away from the front line relaxed, quieter, and easier,’ the letter signed in Palmerston’s name read.
Downing Street’s chief mouser with his Foreign Office counterpart in 2017. The pair were rumoured to have had a long–running feud
Tributes to Palmerston have poured in with Larry leading the way. A post on the cat’s satirical X account – which has over one million followers – read: ‘Farewell old friend x’
‘My 105,000 twitter followers show that even those with four legs and fur have an important part to play in the UK’s global effort,’ Palmerston’s letter said.
‘I have championed our work, built our relationships, and celebrated the diversity of our staff.’
Foreign Office staff paid tribute to the outgoing mouser at the time with Jon Benjamin, director of the department’s Diplomatic Academy, wishing him a ‘very happy retirement’.
‘He left us a slightly chewed dead mouse next to my desk in @UKDipAcademy once, and we were of course not very grateful,’ he added.