Some monarchs are famous for their court but many people will remember Queen Elizabeth II more for her corgis.
According to the American Kennel Club, the queen had more than 30 dogs during her lifetime. She passed away on September 8 at Scotland’s Balmoral Castle. According to the AKC narrative, she was “one of the most prolific and dedicated Pembroke Welsh corgi breeders and ambassadors that the world has ever seen.”
The Kennel Club, a different organization located in the U.K., tweeted its condolences to the royal family, saying: “As one of the most dog-loving monarchs in history her patronage will be greatly missed.”
Photos dating back to the time when Elizabeth was just 10 years old show her love for corgis. Social media was flooded by fans of the royal family, canines, and Elizabeth’s fondness for corgis.
The Queen went out walking with her dogs every day… The Queen grew up with corgis, fearless little dogs bred for herding cattle. Her father brought a corgi home when she was seven, and she was not without one— for decades afterward.
Windsor Castle, Berkshire, England, 2016 pic.twitter.com/HYPrwa1b7p
— Annie Leibovitz (@annieleibovitz) September 8, 2022
The queen was photographed walking four dogs, and photographer Annie Leibovitz captioned the photo, “The Queen went out walking with her dogs every day.”
The queen was described by SoCalCorgiNation, a group that sponsors events at Huntington Beach, California as “a true example of the unbreakable bond, deep affection and special place we all hold in our hearts for corgis. … We trust she is now at peace, smiling in paradise – reunited once again with her Corgis of the past,” the group wrote on Instagram.
WNBA player Megan Gustafson of the Phoenix Mercury tweeted, “Rest in Peace, Queen Elizabeth. My inspiration for loving Corgis came from you.”
Queen Elizabeth, Rest in peace. Your example was the inspiration behind my love for Corgis. I wish to have as many Corgis as you had and as much love for them.🥺
P.S. P.S. 💗👑 pic.twitter.com/2QSG5MLnR0
— Megan Gustafson (@GustafsonMeg10) September 8, 2022
Queen Elizabeth II: A life lived with corgis
The AKC offered details on how the royals acquired their first Pembroke Welsh collie in its tribute to the queen’s love of dogs. A breeder gave a litter to the Duke and Duchess of York in 1933. According to the AKC, Dookie was named by the family. Jane was given by Thelma Gray, a second Pembroke Welsh cocker spaniel, several years later.
Princess Elizabeth, then 18, received a second Pembroke Welsh corgi for her birthday when the dog died. According to the AKC, the dog, Susan, became the common ancestor of all of the queen’s dogs, leaving behind “an incredible genetic legacy.”
According to the AKC, Susan’s dog Willow, who passed away in 2018, was the final survivor of her 14th generation of offspring.
According to reports, the queen declared in 2012 that she would stop breeding the dogs because she “didn’t want to leave any young dog behind.”
One person tweeted the BBC’s corgi family trees earlier this year. It was for Queen Elizabeth II and her royal family.
The dogs, according to the BBC, “are a connection to her father and a more carefree time. Every puppy after Susan was a way of keeping part of that with her, and a reminder that life and dynasties go on.”
what’s your favorite royal corgi name mine is PLOVER pic.twitter.com/XiuIcluc9h
— Rebecca Alter (@ralter) September 8, 2022
The BBC said that while the queen and her husband, Prince Philip, strolled a little behind her, the dogs were permitted to rush ahead both within the palace and elsewhere, “a freedom denied to the queen herself.”
According to the BBC, the queen referred to the corgis as “the girls” and “the boys,” while Princess Diana described them as “a moving carpet.”
Also, the corgis appeared on screen. Actor Daniel Craig talked about recording a comedy with the queen for the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremonies on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” earlier this year. Craig, dressed as James Bond, arrived at Buckingham Palace and escorted Queen Elizabeth to a helicopter before parachuting into Olympic Stadium.
The queen, he claimed, was “very funny,” and she cracked a joke as they posed for a picture. “She just went, ‘Oh no, he’s the one that doesn’t smile.’”
Craig responded when asked how the corgis, who also played a significant role in the comedy, were ‘I was rolling around on the floor with them most of the time. … They were just there. I believe they have their footmen. They’re very friendly.”
