LONDON, UK — It’s no secret that Queen Elizabeth II absolutely loved her dogs and had four in her care at the time of her death. Over her lifetime, she owned more than 30 Welsh corgis.
“She loves animals and she absolutely adores dogs. She always has done, they were her first love and they will be her last,” royal biographer, Ingrid Seward, told Newsweek.
According to the article, the Queen had two corgis named Sandy and Muick, two Cocker Spaniels, and a dorgi named Candy. A dorgi is a cross between a dachshund and a corgi.
In the 2018 book, "All the Queen’s Corgis," author Penny Junor says the dogs are extremely well cared for, receiving expertly cooked meals, turn down service for their beds, and their own “Corgi Room.”
Over the years, some of her dogs even achieved fame of their own — one even appeared in a James Bond sketch at the London Olympics in 2012, according to England’s Daily News.
While the Queen had a great love for her dogs, she made the difficult decision in 2015 to stop breeding corgis so that none would be left behind when she passed away. All of the corgis and dorgis the Queen has owned share ancestry with her original corgi, Susan.
However, in 2021, Prince Andrew gifted the Queen two corgi puppies to comfort her after the passing of her husband, Prince Philip. One of the puppies passed away, so several months later Prince Andrew and his daughters gave the Queen another corgi named Sandy.
While it is unclear what exactly will happen to the Queen’s beloved pets, the biographer speculated that members of the royal family will continue to care for them.
No official plan for the Queen’s dogs has been made public.