UK First Lady Akshata Murty reveals cat and canine fights at Downing Street

Akshata Murty, the Indian spouse of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on Friday shared some insights into life at 10 Downing Street as she revealed “heated exchanges” between the household canine and the resident cat on the world-famous road.

In a uncommon interview for the ‘FYI: Weekly News Show’ to be aired on Sky Kids channel over the weekend, the 43-year-old businesswoman advised schoolchildren that she feels “lucky” to be residing in a constructing related to prime ministers for a whole bunch of years.

However, the household’s Labrador retriever Nova might have combined feelings concerning the residence as he will get challenged by the historic road’s long-term resident – Larry the cat.

“I feel lucky, so grateful and so honoured to live here,” mentioned Murty in an interview filmed within the backyard of No. 10 Downing Street.

“This building has been in use by the office of the Prime Minister for over 275 years, a very long time. And, to be able to live and have a sneak peek, in a way, of this historical place, I feel really lucky,” mentioned Murty, the daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and creator Sudha Murty,

“You saw our dog earlier, Nova has mixed emotions; she sometimes doesn’t get on with Larry the cat and they’ve had some heated exchanges and Larry’s come out on top; our family is so grateful to be here,” she shared with the youngsters’ present interviewers.

Larry, known as Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office for its function in protecting mice at bay, has resided at Number 10 for 12 years and served 5 Conservative Prime Ministers – David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and now Rishi Sunak.

The cat’s altercations with pets of the resident households on the road, which additionally homes the Chancellor’s workplace at Number 11, have been properly documented through the years and in addition impressed a number of spoof social media accounts.

Asked by the youngsters what it was prefer to be the spouse of a Prime Minister, Murty mentioned: “You know, I’ve had a busy life before. I have a busy life now.

“I believe what’s been unimaginable is the vary of alternatives that I’ve been uncovered to… assembly actually attention-grabbing folks.”

She also spoke of an initiative she introduced since moving into Downing Street in October last year called “Lessons at 10”, which invites children from across the UK to the Prime Minister’s residence to learn about the building’s history and the role of government.

“Through the ‘Lessons at 10’ programme, assembly numerous younger folks each Friday, I actually take pleasure in that and so for me, I take a look at it (being the Prime Minister’s spouse) as a really particular time in my life to assist assist my husband within the job he is doing whereas opening up the doorways to younger folks,” she mentioned.

Murty married Sunak in 2009 after they met at Stanford University in California.

The couple have two daughters, Krishna, 12, and Anoushka, 10, and divide their time between Downing Street and Sunak’s northern England constituency house in Richmond, Yorkshire.

Published On:

Sep 22, 2023