A Brief History Of The Queen’s Corgis

Queen Elizabeth II was given her first corgi – a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Dookie – when she was just 7 years old, according to Vanity Fair.

On her 18th birthday, The Queen was gifted a corgi called Susan by her father, King George VI. Susan went on to start a doggy dynasty of her own, breeding more than 10 generations of corgis.

According to the Mirror, the Queen was given a new pup in 2021 by Prince Andrew on what would have been Prince Philip’s 100th birthday.

The Queen has owned more than 30 corgis during her reign, per the Guardian. Willow, the last of Susan’s descendants, passed away in 2018.

Corgis aren’t the only breed the Queen has kept, though. “Dorgis” were literally born when Princess Margaret’s dachshund Pipkin mated with one of the Queen’s corgis.

The royal corgis (and ‘dorgis’) are cover stars. In 2016, to mark her 90th birthday, the Queen was photographed by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair with her family, but it was the dogs that shared the cover with Her Majesty.

They’ve had a variety of entertaining names: Carol, Crackers, Ranger, Sugar, Smoky, Monty, and Holly among the corgis. Dorgis include Tinker, Pickles, Chipper, Piper, Harris, Brandy, Berry, Cider, Candy, and Vulcan.

The Queen’s pets are treated like royalty. They have a personal menu, designed by Palace chefs. On the menu: chicken and rice, filet steak, and even scones crumbled up into their porcelain bowls.