Throughout the seven decades of her reign, the Queen owned more than 30 Corgis – and tolerated no less than the royal treatment for them. From dog food prepared by royal chefs, to joining her on tours and even accompanying her for Earl Grey and biscuits in bed each morning, the Queen’s pups were a valued part of her life.
Queen Elizabeth II has died aged 96. The longest-reigning British monarch is survived by her four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, along with her beloved cohort of furry companions who she fondly referred to as “her family”.
It’s thought that at the time of her death, the Queen owned two Corgis, Muick and Sandy, one Dorgi (a dachshund/corgi crossbreed), named Candy, and a Cocker Spaniel.
A change from her usual Corgis, the royal adopted the Pedigree Wolferton Drama in January 2022, sweetly named ‘Lissy’ in her honour. The four-year-old pup was crowned top dog at the Kennel Club Cocker Spaniel Championship – earning her place as the Queen’s first gundog champion in any breed.
Other much-loved royal Corgis in the Queen’s lifetime include Susan, Willow, Holly, Vulcan, Dookie, Monty, Honey, Berry, Emma, and Linnet.
The Queen’s father, King George VI, arguably sparked Elizabeth’s obsession with Corgis after she was gifted her first pup Susan on her milestone 18th birthday in 1944. Their bond proved so strong that Her Majesty even snuck her four-legged friend on her honeymoon in 1947!
Now the Queen has died, there is speculation as to what could happen to her beloved clan of dogs.
Royal biographer Ingrid Seward told Newsweek, “I imagine the dogs would be looked after by the family, probably Andrew [as] he’s the one that gave them to her, they’re quite young, the Corgi and the Dorgi.”
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge could be the royals to re-home Lissy, especially as the couple are fond of the family-friendly breed.
Duchess Kate’s brother James Middleton gifted the family a Spaniel puppy earlier last year after their English Cocker Spaniel, Lupo, sadly passed away.
The Queen’s son, now King Charles III and his wife Camilla, Queen Consort, also share the late monarch’s love for animals. They too could be in line to inherit her dogs given their past of adopting their pets.
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