The Royal Dogs of the British Monarchy
When remembering the late Queen Elizabeth II, most people imagine her standing alongside her beloved corgis. However, the Royal Family’s love for dogs didn’t start with Queen Elizabeth and is a long-standing tradition dating back centuries.
With the coronation approaching- we’re delving into the long history surrounding the Royal Family and their trusty companions!
King Charles II
King Charles II was so fond of dogs that one particular breed was named after him- the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel!
In line with his ‘Merry Monarch’ title and fun-loving reputation, records from the 17th century describe how he was rarely seen without two or three or more Spaniels at his heels, and how they were allowed to roam anywhere in Whitehall Palace, including during state occasions.
In one council meeting, a diary entry of an attendee from 1667 describes the following:
‘All I observed there was the silliness of the King, playing with his dog all the while and not minding the business.’
Heartbreakingly (but also adorably) it was even reported that there were over a dozen toy spaniels comforting him at his deathbed.
Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria was an avid dog-lover. At 13, she was given a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who soon became her closest childhood companion, keeping her company during her isolated upbringing.
According to the Royal Family’s website, among the many treasures of the Royal Photograph Collection at Windsor Castle is an album made for Queen Victoria and entitled ‘The Property of the Queen – Photographs of Dogs in the Royal Kennel, Windsor’. It was in the Royal Kennels that Queen Victoria also banned tail docking and ear cropping, at a time when this was standard practice.
Queen Victoria’s patronage gave the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) the name it is known by today, and in 1885 Queen Victoria became the first royal patron of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
Luckily, her husband Prince Albert shared her passion for dogs, with his greyhound Eos even joining them on their honeymoon!
Queen Victoria had a penchant for the smooth-haired Collie – she owned 88 in her lifetime and was photographed multiple times alongside her favourite… meet Sharp!
Queen Elizabeth II
How could we write an article on royal dogs and not give the deserved appreciation for the late Queen Elizabeth II and her royal corgis?
Queen Elizabeth loved Pembroke Welsh Corgis since childhood and owned her first corgi at 7 years old. On Elizabeth’s 18th birthday, she was given Susan, from whom all of Queen Elizabeth’s 10 generations of future dorgis and corgis are descended.
Like Queen Victoria with Eos, Susan joined Queen Elizabeth II on her honeymoon.
The corgis became such an iconic symbol of the late Queen’s reign that there are numerous sculptures and other artworks dedicated to them… and an image of a corgi was even projected into the sky above Buckingham Palace during the jubilee celebrations!
In total, Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis over the duration of her reign until her death in 2022.
Elizabeth was the royal patron of 40 animal charities and supported Battersea Dogs and Cats Home for over six decades.
King Charles III
Dog lovers around the nation will be relieved to know that the tradition of keeping dogs in the royal family is continuing with King Charles III’s reign!
King Charles’ favourite dog breed is the Jack Russell terrier, and he has previously owned two; Tigga and Pooh. Tigga became such a loved member of the family that he even took pride of place posing for the family Christmas card in 1990!
King Charles and his Queen Consort Camilla currently own two Jack Russells, Bluebell and Beth, who were both rescued by Battersea Cats and Dogs home.
Bluebell was rescued while wandering the woods, and Beth had been moved around her whole life. They will make history as the first rescue dogs moving into Buckingham Palace!
At Stafftax we think all animals deserve to be treated like royalty! In celebration of the coronation, we’re giving away a hamper packed full of luxury goodies to one lucky Stafftax subscriber and their pet!
Whether you have a hamster or a horse, all you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is send us your most regal pet pictures! Take a look at our Instagram post for more details.