Palmerston

Palmerston was a rescue cat from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home who served as the "chief mouser" for the British Foreign Office in Whitehall for four years. Named after a former prime minister, he gained considerable popularity, becoming a social media star with more followers than many ambassadors. He retired from his official duties in 2020 and relocated to Bermuda. He is newsworthy due to his recent death, announced in February 2026. A social media post in February 2025, purportedly from Palmerston, indicated he had come out of retirement to work as a feline relations consultant. His significance lies in his unique role as a public figure representing the Foreign Office and his popularity, which highlighted the softer side of diplomacy.