5 fun facts about the Queen and her corgis

In February 2022, Queen Elizabeth II became the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee after 70 years of service. The celebration of this historic event takes place the 2nd-5th of June, and to celebrate we wanted to put the spotlight on her as a dog-lover. Her corgis have been and continue to be national treasures and even feature in their very own animated comedy film, The Queen’s Corgi. 

She has owned more than 30 corgis since she became Queen and they have helped her through some challenging times, as dogs so often do. Although the last corgi (Willow) bred from the Queen’s original pet Susan passed away in 2018, she still has two corgis, one dorgi (dachshund-corgi mix) and a cocker spaniel to keep her company.

The corgi dynasty was no ordinary troop of dogs and her Majesty is no ordinary dog-owner! Here are 5 fun facts about the monarch and her many corgis to celebrate her birthday.

They ate gourmet meals at 5pm every day

Apparently, the corgis dined promptly at 5pm every day and their meals were prepared by a Royal chef. The Queen was also known to have poured gravy over their delicious meals of fillet steak, rabbit, chicken, liver or salmon before they ate. A fine meal deserves a fine receptacle too — they reportedly ate out of sterling silver bowls too. Fancy!

Her first corgi came on honeymoon with her and Prince Philip

Her Majesty’s first corgi of her own was called Susan and she adored her. Inseparable, the young Elizabeth smuggled her onto the train and took her on honeymoon with the prince after the wedding. Susan was to become the matriarch of a long line of corgis that the monarch would breed over the years. Willow was the last in that line and died in 2018 and the Queen has proclaimed that she’ll no longer breed them. 

Princess Diana had a fun nickname for them

Princess Diana had a pet name for the corgis: “The moving carpet”. The Queen’s devotion to them, and theirs to her, meant that she was always surrounded by them, hence the nickname. In fact, this moving carpet even became a trip hazard when Paul Burrell, who at the time was Elizabeth II’s personal footman, was knocked unconscious after falling over the unleashed corgis in the palace. 

They loved Meghan Markle

When Prince Harry first took Meghan to meet his grandmother, the corgis took to her right away. Prince Harry remarked that he had suffered 33 years of being barked at but they cosied up to Meghan immediately and he took this as a good sign. Meghan has dogs of her own so it was perhaps not a huge surprise that they pegged her for a dog lover.

The corgis had a spy adventure with Daniel Craig

In 2012, for the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, Daniel Craig filmed a funny sketch with her Majesty which included the famous furries. Monty, Willow and Holly starred alongside the Queen and 007 to the delight of the nation. Daniel Craig said recently that the Queen was very funny in private and he rolled around the floor with the corgis. 

The Queen has loved her dogs unfailingly for most of her life, and continues to do so. Her latest corgi was gifted to her to cheer her up after the loss of Prince Philip on 10th June last year — the centenary of her late husband’s birth. Although she decided to give up breeding, the corgis just keep on coming into her life and seem to bring her both solace and joy.