The Queen’s corgis have been strongly associated with Britain's longest-reigning monarch over the years and they were even honored in the Jubilee celebrations.
In the wake of the sad news that Queen Elizabeth II has died, many are remembering her reign with great affection. Animal lovers also mourn the loss of one of their own, as the late monarch was known as a keen horsewoman and synonymous with her beloved dogs - especially her corgis.
Throughout her 70 years on the throne, Her Majesty owned a huge number of corgis and was often pictured out and about walking them herself. Some of the Queen's corgis even delighted fans by appearing in everything from official photos to videos.
But how many did she have in 2022, what were the Queen’s corgis called and how many did she have overall? We reveal what you need to know about her dogs as the world remembers her seven-decade-long reign with great affection.
How many corgis did the Queen have in 2022?
With plenty of space for her canine companions to enjoy at her royal residences, from Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace, the Queen is understood to have two corgis and one dorgi at the time of her death. A dorgi is a mix between a corgi and dachshund and is every bit as cute as you’d expect!
She’s understood to have received both her corgis in 2021 making the overall number of the Queen's corgis/dorgis, at the time of her death, three.
Though they’re not the only dogs she had, as reports claimed earlier this year that the Queen welcomed a new addition to the family in the form of a cocker spaniel.
This breed is known to be a firm favorite with other members of the extended Royal Family, notably Prince William and Duchess Catherine, though throughout her reign the Queen’s heart certainly seems to have been captured most by the adorable corgi.
What were the Queen's corgis called?
The eldest of the late Queen’s corgis, Candy, is a dorgi and she’s been a firm favorite at the palace for quite some time. Back in 2016 Candy had the honor of being one of the loyal dogs featured alongside her for her official 90th birthday photos taken by Annie Leibovitz at Windsor Castle.
Previously, the Queen defended her dog Candy after hearing that she growled protectively at guests and supposedly expressed surprise as the dorgi “doesn’t usually” do that.
When it comes to the youngest of the Queen’s corgis they are believed to have been welcomed into the Royal Family by the monarch in the year before she died, at age 96. Back in spring 2021 reports suggested that the Queen had two new puppies, a dorgi and a corgi. She apparently named the new arrivals Fergus, like her uncle Fergus Bowes-Lyon, and Muick (pronounced Mick) after Loch Muick near Balmoral which is thought to have been a special place for her.
The Queen’s beloved dogs were said to be a great comfort to her after Prince Philip’s passing in April 2021. However, very sadly, it was later claimed that Fergus had passed away not long afterward, reportedly leaving Her Majesty 'devastated.'
It was a few months later that the third of the Queen’s children, Prince Andrew, and his daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice are said to have given her a new corgi puppy.
This came as a surprise to many as her close friend and horse trainer Monty Roberts said after the sad loss of her corgi Monty, named after Roberts, she didn't want any more. He told Vanity Fair, “She didn’t want to have any more young dogs. She didn’t want to leave any young dog behind. She wanted to put an end to it.”
According to The Sun, however, this all changed when the Yorks bought the corgi for the monarch as a 95th birthday present on her official birthday in June 2021 and it’s reportedly male.
The moniker chosen for this sweet corgi hasn't been revealed, though given the wide variety of traditional and tree-themed names the Queen’s corgis have had over the years it’s likely got a name that perfectly suits him.
Other much-loved royal corgis the Queen has owned over the years have been called Susan, Willow, Holly, Vulcan (yes, like the Roman God of Fire!), Dookie, Monty, Honey, Berry, Emma, and Linnet.
How many corgis did Queen have in her lifetime?
Unfortunately, it’s not known exactly how many corgis or dorgis the Queen had in her lifetime, however it’s thought that she owned over 30. Many of these were believed to have been descended from her first ever corgi, received as a birthday gift in 1944.
On her 18th birthday, Princess Elizabeth was given her very own Corgi named Susan, and has owned more than 30 corgis and dorgis since. pic.twitter.com/8p5Z43hk5LApril 17, 2020
Who was the Queen's first corgi?
For many animal lovers their first pet will forever hold a special place in their heart and the same could well be said for the Queen and her first corgi, Susan. She was the birthday gift that sparked the Queen’s most iconic hobby and is understood to have been given to the then-Princess Elizabeth by her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, later the Queen Mother, when she turned 18 years old in 1944.
Of all the late Queen’s corgis she owned over the years, Susan is perhaps one of the most prominent and well-known dogs. It’s been claimed Her Majesty even brought her on her honeymoon with Prince Philip, though it didn’t seem to go down quite so well with her new husband. The late Duke of Edinburgh was said to not have been particularly fond of the 'yappy' animals, unlike his beloved wife.
As revealed by Express.co.uk, after many happy years Susan reportedly died at Sandringham House in January 1959. It’s said that she was laid to rest and commemorated with a headstone designed personally by the monarch.
Despite her passing, however, Susan’s genes lived on long afterwards as the Queen has bred many corgis over the years. Her Majesty is understood to have decided against breeding more corgis after a final litter descended from Susan was born in 2003. Holly and Willow were two of these puppies and they both featured alongside Candy in the Queen’s 90th birthday portraits.
Why does the Queen love corgis so much?
Whilst the late Queen never publicly declared the exact reason behind her love of corgis, it could be significant that she got her first, Susan, as a gift from her parents. As reported by Metro.co.uk, the Queen and her late sister Princess Margaret were supposedly enamored with the corgis owned by the Marquess of Bath during their childhood. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth then owned their own corgi, Dookie, who was brought home when Princess Elizabeth was just seven years old.
Meet PJ the corgi, our Jubilee emoji!PJ will appear whenever you use #PlatinumJubilee #HM70 #PlatinumPartyatthePalace ⁰#PlatinumJubileePageant ⁰or #TheBigJubileeLunch and we’re hoping that as many of you as possible will use PJ to help celebrate the Jubilee here on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/UyNVwCN9n9May 26, 2022
They then gave her Susan years later and it could simply be that the breed of Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a favorite of the Queen due to their nostalgic connection with her late parents and her own childhood. Either way, Her Majesty has remained closely linked with these cute dogs throughout her life.
Corgis even featured in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022 celebrations, with their image featuring in floral arrangements and puppets in the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.
