Who was Palmerston? Former UK Foreign Office chief mouser dies in Bermuda on 12 February

Palmerston, the much-loved former Chief Mouser of the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, has died peacefully on 12 February 2026 in Hamilton, Bermuda, according to a statement published on his official social media account. His death marks the end of one of the most distinctive and widely recognised episodes in modern British institutional history, in which a rescue cat became an enduring symbol of British diplomacy, government tradition and soft power during a period of political upheaval. Palmerston’s public role extended far beyond rodent control, influencing how the Foreign Office was perceived by the public in the UK and internationally, reports The WP Times.

Who was Palmerston

Palmerston was a black-and-white rescue cat adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and formally appointed Chief Mouser to the Foreign Office on 13 April 2016. While the role carried no legal authority, it was steeped in British tradition, reflecting the long-standing practice of employing cats in government buildings to control rodents.

X / Palmerston

Palmerston quickly became far more than a working mouser. Based at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) in Whitehall, he developed a distinct public persona: confident, territorial and occasionally aloof, yet visibly comfortable amid the rituals of British state administration. His presence coincided with a period of intense political upheaval, including the Brexit referendum and its aftermath, during which he was frequently described by commentators as a reassuring constant amid institutional flux.

He served under several foreign secretaries — Philip Hammond, Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Raab — and remained in post until 7 August 2020, when he officially retired after four years of service. At the time, his retirement statement described a desire for “a slower pace of life away from the spotlight”, though few suspected his public career was truly over.

A cat with a public profile

Unlike previous government mousers, Palmerston arrived in office at a time when institutional social media had become a core part of public communication. His official X account rapidly attracted a large following, peaking at around 100,000 followers, and his daily movements around Whitehall were often documented in a tone blending dry humour with mock-diplomatic language. Media outlets regularly covered his activities, from naps on sensitive documents to surprise appearances at diplomatic meetings. In an era of increasingly cautious political messaging, Palmerston’s account provided a rare outlet for levity within official government communication, helping humanise a department often perceived as distant or opaque.

The rivalry with Larry

One of the defining episodes of Palmerston’s public life was his long-running rivalry with Larry, the resident chief mouser at 10 Downing Street. The feud became headline news in February 2018, when the two cats were filmed confronting each other near the gates of Downing Street.

According to widely reported accounts, the altercation ended with Palmerston tearing off Larry’s collar and leaving his rival with a noticeable clump of missing fur. Though neither party appeared seriously injured, the incident was treated with mock solemnity by British media and became emblematic of the personalised storytelling that surrounded Palmerston’s tenure.

Office rules and working discipline

Despite the humour, Palmerston’s “employment” was taken surprisingly seriously within the Foreign Office. At one point, staff were reportedly advised not to feed him excessively after concerns he had gained weight and was becoming less effective as a mouser. The guidance, later confirmed by officials, reflected both a genuine concern for his health and the peculiar seriousness with which his role was regarded. The BBC also noted that Palmerston’s exact age was never publicly confirmed, though estimates generally placed him between 11 and 13 years old at the time of his death.

Palmerston retired in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with his official account joking that he was adapting well to “working from home”. For several years, he lived quietly with his adoptive owner, largely out of the public eye.

That changed in 2025, when a social media announcement revealed that Palmerston had been “tempted out of retirement” to take up a new overseas role as “feline relations consultant” to the Governor of Bermuda. The appointment, though tongue-in-cheek, was made official by Government House and framed as a morale-boosting presence rather than an operational role.

In Bermuda, Palmerston settled into life at Government House, where staff described him as calm, affectionate and quietly authoritative. He was often seen greeting visitors, touring offices and lounging in shaded courtyards, becoming a small but recognisable figure in local public life.

What is known about his death

According to statements released on his official account, Palmerston died peacefully on 12 February 2026 in Bermuda. No cause of death has been disclosed, and those caring for him indicated that he had been comfortable and well cared for in his final days.

A message posted after his death described him as “a special member of the Government House team and a beloved member of the family”, noting his gentle temperament and the sense of absence left by his passing.

News of Palmerston’s death prompted a wave of tributes from diplomats, journalists and members of the public in the UK and internationally. In a brief post, Larry, his former rival at Downing Street, wrote: “Farewell old friend x” — a message that was widely shared.

Former officials recalled Palmerston as an unexpected but effective ambassador for British institutions, while commentators noted that his popularity reflected a public appetite for relatable, humanising figures within state structures. Though never elected, appointed by Parliament or bound by constitutional convention, Palmerston occupied a rare space in British public culture. He represented continuity without authority, influence without power — a reminder that even within rigid institutions, personality and warmth can resonate.

In an age defined by polarisation and rapid political turnover, Palmerston’s quiet patrols of Whitehall and later Government House offered something increasingly rare: a shared, uncontroversial point of affection. His legacy is not measured in policy or precedent, but in the gentle reminder that diplomacy, at its most human level, is about presence, temperament and trust.

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