Her beloved corgis even had their own room ❤️
Aside from her commitment to duty, family, and country over a historic 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered for her love of animals, notably her beloved corgis. Her Majesty owned more than 30 corgis over her lifetime!
“She loves animals and she truly enjoys dogs,” royal biographer Ingrid Seward recently told Newsweek. “They were her first and will be her final love.”
“Take away the money, power, and palaces, and the relationship she has with her dogs is no different from the bond the rest of us have with ours, no matter our station in life,” author Penny Junor wrote in “All The Queen’s Corgis.”
We’re all the same, dog parents, tiaras or no tiaras.
A longtime friendship
According to the BBC, Princess Elizabeth fell in love with a friend’s corgi when she was seven years old. Soon later, the princess would receive her own corgi, Rozavel Golden Eagle, sometimes known as “Dookie” after the Duke of York.
Princess Elizabeth’s affection for corgis persisted throughout the years, as did their popularity in England, no doubt due to her influence. According to the BBC, the Kennel Club recorded a significant increase in Pembroke corgi registrations in 1936, and again on the Princess’s 18th birthday in 1944, when she was given Susan, another corgi.
Susan was the Queen’s constant companion for many years, notably during her honeymoon with Prince Phillip, when she allegedly snuck Susan aboard a ship beneath a few blankets, and when she was made queen at the age of 25.
Many corgis have called Buckingham Palace home over the years. Names like Willow, Sugar, Flash, and Vulcan stand out among them. According to The Independent, the Queen’s cherished dogs were always given their own chamber and lavish food (as you might expect of a royal pup).
What will become of Queen Elizabeth’s pets now?
At least four pets are left behind by the Queen (two corgis, a cocker spaniel and a dachshund-corgi mix, or “dorgi”).
According to CBS News, Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah, will adopt the Queen’s two corgis, Muick and Sandy, who were gifted to his late mother by Prince Andrew.
It is unknown who will take the Queen’s remaining puppies, Lissy and Candy.
“Care of the dogs has fallen to footmen occasionally, but mostly to the Queen’s trusted dressmaker, assistant, and right-hand woman, Angela Kelly; and to her equally trusted page of many years standing, Paul Whybrew, who was seen walking with the Queen and the dogs in the James Bond spoof [to promote the 2012 London Olympics],” Junor wrote in her book.
One thing is certain: Queen Elizabeth’s dogs will be well taken care of in the following chapter. And Her Majesty’s legacy will live on – not just as the longest-reigning British monarch, but also as a passionate pet parent and lifelong animal lover.
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