Queen Elizabeth II, who will go down in history as Britain’s longest-reigning sovereign, was also known for her passion for corgis. The monarch, who died this Thursday (8), at the age of 96, had at least 30 dogs of this breed throughout her life.
The connection between the queen and the pets was so intense that it even inspired the movie: “Corgi: Top Dog”, in 2019. opening of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Susan, her first dog, was a gift for her 18th birthday in 1944. Later, Elizabeth raised several generations of these animals—many descendants of Susan.
Corgis, sand-colored dogs with short legs and pointed ears, were a permanent presence at court and followed the queen through every room of Buckingham Palace.
The queen stopped breeding dogs of this breed when she turned 90 so as not to orphan them after her death.
The death of Willow, the last of her corgis, ended the dynasty in 2018. Until then, many dogs have been immortalized with her in official photographs or paintings.
In February 2021, amid the isolation imposed by the pandemic and turmoil in the British monarchy, the Queen found comfort in the company of two new friends: Muick and Fergus. The dorgis, a mix of dachshunds and corgis, were gifts from her son Andrew to cheer her up during the hospitalization of her husband, Prince Philip, 99, who died shortly afterwards.
Fergus died unexpectedly in May of that year.
Elizabeth personally supervised the pets’ daily diet, according to Brian Hoey’s book “Pets by Royal Appointment”, which traces the pets of British royalty back to the 16th century.
According to the AFP news agency, an employee prepared the dogs’ dinner, consisting of a steak and a chicken breast, which was served promptly at 5 pm. The queen herself even served the feast.
In the book, Hoey suggests that the monarch preferred the company of animals to humans. Royalty “distrust almost everyone outside of their own family, so the only creatures they really trust are not the human species,” he said.
But not everyone at Buckingham Palace had the same enthusiasm. Prince Philip is said to have been averse to these animals because they barked a lot, according to Hoey.
Also according to AFP, some of the queen’s corgis have become a source of pain. One of her favorites, Pharos, had to be euthanized after being attacked by the English bull terrier of her daughter Princess Anne in 2003.
Threatened with extinction in 2014, when only 274 specimens were registered, the breed experienced a renaissance when, years later, the television producer Netflix portrayed them alongside Elizabeth in the hit series “The Crown”, which chronicles their reign.
Thus, corgis are back in fashion. The news outlet says that since the first season aired in 2017, registrations of baby corgis have steadily increased, nearly doubling between 2017 and 2020, according to the Kennel Club, Britain’s largest canine health organisation. In 2018, the institution managed to remove them from the list of endangered dog breeds.
With AFP
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
