Back at Downing Street, President Prabowo ‘Greeted’ by Larry the Cat

London: President Prabowo Subianto was welcomed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office on Downing Street on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

The encounter featured a light-hearted moment when Larry the Cat -,Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office since 2011,- also appeared to “greet” President Prabowo at the entrance to Number 10.

Larry, a domestic cat, was originally adopted by Prime Minister’s Office staff in 2011 as a pet for then prime minister David Cameron’s family. At the end of Cameron’s term in 2016, it was announced that Larry was officially a “civil servant,” allowing him to remain at Downing Street as a permanent resident.

The brief encounter with Larry later became a talking point during President Prabowo’s meeting with several British university leaders.

“They seemed to think you’d bring your cat, Bobby. But I think you just met Larry,” joked Sir Steve Smith, the British government’s International Education Champion, as quoted from Presidenri.go.id, Wednesday 21 January 2026.

“I saw him, but he didn’t really see me,” President Prabowo replied with a smile.

Larry’s presence added a distinctive and informal touch to the visit, contributing to a warm and friendly atmosphere at Downing Street and underscoring the spirit of familiarity and goodwill in Indonesia–UK relations.