Queen Elizabeth II’s deep affection for corgis began in her early years and continued throughout her life.
Over the years, she became the proud owner of more than 30 of these beloved dogs. While they were treated to a luxurious lifestyle as royal pets, their behaviour wasn’t always as refined as their royal status might suggest.
Her first corgi, named Dookie, was a special gift from her father, King George VI, to her and her sister, Princess Margaret. The gift came after the two sisters developed a strong fondness for the breed, sparked by their admiration for the corgis owned by the children of the Marquess of Bath.
In his book A Voyage Around the Queen, author Craig Brown humorously describes the late Queen’s corgis as “unpredictable and temperamental,” likening them to the “Corleones of the dog world.”
He shares how these dogs, known for their affectionate moments, could just as easily turn aggressive, with one of the Queen’s early corgis, Dookie, even attacking the furniture at Royal Lodge, the family residence in Windsor Great Park.
Prince Andrew, who has called Royal Lodge home since 2003, now cares for two of the Queen’s corgis with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. Despite their sometimes feisty behavior, the Queen herself was not immune to her dogs’ temperament.
The Queen’s relationship with corgis began with her first dog, Susan, gifted to her for her 18th birthday in 1944. Their bond was so strong that she took Susan with her on her honeymoon to Prince Philip in 1947.
Princess Diana famously described the pack of corgis that followed the Queen around as a “moving carpet,” while the Queen affectionately referred to them as “the girls” and “the boys.”
Throughout her life, she never sold any of her corgi puppies, keeping them within the royal circle or giving them to trusted breeders and friends.
