What really happened to Bogart, the beloved rescue dog abandoned by Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been in the spotlight for various controversies over the years, but one of the most troubling situations for the Duchess of Sussex involves her former rescue dog, Bogart.

Meghan adopted Bogart, a labrador-shepherd mix, in 2012 from a rescue shelter in Los Angeles, with a little help from Ellen DeGeneres, who was at the shelter at the same time. She often shared sweet photos of Bogart on her now-deleted Instagram, calling him “my love” and “my boy.” Bogart became a significant part of Meghan’s life, even inspiring her to adopt more rescue dogs in the following years.

However, everything changed when Meghan’s relationship with Prince Harry began to heat up, leading to their engagement and the subsequent move to London. As she prepared to make this big transition, Meghan faced a tough choice about what to do with her pets. While her beagle, Guy, was approved to travel to the U.K., Bogart was left behind in North America, which surprised many people.

Initially, there was some uncertainty about why Bogart didn’t make the move with Meghan. In a post-engagement interview with the BBC, she explained that one of her dogs was staying with a close friend while the other was already in the U.K. She reassured everyone that Bogart was “doing just fine.” Speculation soon followed, with some suggesting that Bogart was too old to fly or that strict pet immigration laws in the U.K. were to blame. However, the true reason for his absence remained unclear until recently.

In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry revealed that Bogart’s departure from their lives was more complex. He shared that Bogart had been traumatized by the constant media attention surrounding Meghan, causing him to become more aggressive and act like a guard dog. This change in behavior made it difficult for Meghan to bring him into her new royal life. Harry mentioned that Meghan’s neighbors in Canada kindly agreed to adopt Bogart, ensuring he remained in a familiar environment as she transitioned to her new life in the U.K.

Naturally, many people were outraged at the idea of Meghan leaving her pet behind for her royal aspirations. The situation was made worse by what some perceived as dishonesty on Meghan’s part. Initially, she suggested that Bogart was too old to travel, but skeptics pointed out that when she first adopted him, he was only nine months old. That meant he was five years old at the time of her move to the U.K., which many believe was still an age when he could have made the journey.

Additionally, while it’s understandable to consider the risks of flying a dog, Meghan had accepted those risks for her beagle, Guy. Critics argue that if flying Bogart was indeed the issue, she could have easily reunited with him during her trips back to North America. Instead, the couple adopted two new dogs, a black Labrador named Pula and another rescue beagle named Mamma Mia, which raises questions about why she couldn’t also bring Bogart back.

There are various theories about why Bogart was left behind. Perhaps Meghan felt it was best for him to stay in a familiar setting, or maybe there were deeper issues with Harry and Bogart’s relationship that discouraged her from bringing him back. As any devoted pet owner would agree, though, when faced with such a choice, it’s often best to prioritize your furry friend over a romantic partner.