All the Queen's corgis: From Christmas stockings at Sandringham to steak dinners, inside the royally wonderful life of Queen Elizabeth II's many dogs
From Dookie and Susan to Willow to Holly, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has had plenty of pups, specifically corgis throughout her lifetime. Besides being the longest-reigning British monarch ever, mother to four children, grandmother to eight and great-grandmother to seven (so far), the Queen is also a devoted dog mom known for spoiling her pups. From steak dinners to Christmas stockings, here's what life is like for the Royal canines...
Queen Elizabeth II's love of corgis started when her father, King George VII, gifted Elizabeth and her sister Margaret with their first corgi pup, Dookie, in 1933. It was reported at the time Elizabeth chose Dookie out of three corgi puppies because his tail was slightly longer and she could see 'whether he is pleased or not'.
Long before Dookie, Queen Victoria started the tradition of allowing dogs to run around the Royal residences — she had over a hundred pet dogs of varying breeds in her lifetime. Queen Elizabeth, on the other hand, has had more than 30 corgis. She's pictured here with the Queen Mother and two of their pups in July 1936.
Elizabeth was given her own corgi, Susan, on her eighteenth birthday. Despite Her Majesty's undying love for her canine companions, they've been rumored to nip and bite. According to Pets By Royal Appointment by royals expert Brian Hoey, on one occasion Princess Michael of Kent complained about the Royal tail-waggers to which the Queen allegedly replied: 'They're better behaved than she is.'
It's rumored that the Queen used to have a daily menu drawn up for her precious pets ranging from steak fillets to boiled chicken, and that they were never fed food out of a can. Loyal to a tee, the Sunday Times once reported that the corgis don't eat until the Queen has given the command for them to start their meals. Pictured here, Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Aberdeen Airport with her corgis in 1974.
According to Hello magazine, the Queen walked the corgis herself around the ground of Buckingham Palace at least once a day, usually after they received their lunch. Here, Elizabeth greets members of the public with two patriotic corgis in southwest England in 2012.
Here, Queen Elizabeth greets Ken Mansfield and his dog Rocky as she meets prize winning corgis and their handlers while on tour in Australia in 2002.
Princess Diana once referred to the Queen's corgis as 'a moving carpet' that followed Her Majesty wherever she went. Pictured here, the Queen and her corgis at King's Cross railway station in London on October 1969, just before welcoming the astronauts of Apollo 11 who walked on the Moon to Buckingham Palace.
Pictured here, Queen Elizabeth II is seen with two of her corgis on the Windsor Castle grounds.
Never forgetting her furry friends, the Queen is also known to prepare Christmas stockings for the corgis at Sandringham. Each pup gets its own stocking full of food and sweets, but no squeaky toys (they were said to drive the Queen crazy).
In fact, when her dogs got a little too riled up by visitors, Queen Elizabeth has been said to feed the corgis biscuits that she keeps in her pocket to quiet them. She's pictured here alongside her pups and the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team at Buckingham Palace in November 2002.
According to Dr. Roger Mugford who helped to train Queen Elizabeth II's corgi squad, the pups are responsive to many members of the Royal household as the Queen travels so often and can't always bring her canine companions along.
Another antidote shared by Hoey claimed Prince Philip 'loathes' the corgis because they are 'too yappy', but her faithful companion Susan still accompanied the Royal couple on their honeymoon in 1947. Sorry, Philip!
The Queen's many corgis have stolen the show on various occasions — from their James Bond Olympic cameo to their stint on magazine covers. In fact, Her Majesty, Holly and Willow (the final corgis from the Queen's legendary dynasty) and Vulcan and Candy (the 'dorgis' that came to be when one of the Queen's corgis mated with Princess Margaret's dachshund) landed the 2016 cover of Vanity Fair. Pictured here, the Queen stops to greet a large group of corgi dogs after visiting the Alberta Legislature in 2005.
Despite her sometimes stern demeanor, the Queen is known to have a major soft spot for her pups, generally letting them do as they like around the palace. A hands on dog mom, Elizabeth has also treated her corgis to luxurious gifts through the years including special rubber-soled booties to protect their paws from uncomfortable gravel.
When the Queen used to go to dress fittings, she reportedly carried a magnet with her to pick up any stray pins on the floor that might prick her corgi's paws. Pictured here, the Queen talks with members of the Manitoba Corgi Association during a visit to Winnipeg in 2002.
Pictured here, Queen Elizabeth II's corgis are taken for a walk as they pass then-US President Barack Obama's car while he had an audience with the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2009.
Unfortunately, the Queen's last corgi passed away in 2018. The death brought an end to a remarkable history between the Queen and her corgis, but Her Majesty has passed on her love of dogs to her family, many of whom now have their own canine families.