Where The Queen's Beloved Dogs Will Live After Her Death
Those dogs were like family to her.
Twitter There are many decisions to be made after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, but one of the most important is deciding the fate of her four dogs.
The Queen was especially close to her beloved pets, referring to them as her family.
“She loves animals and she absolutely adores dogs. She always has done, they were her first love and they will be her last,” said Ingrid Seward, a royal biographer following her passing last week.
Where will Queen Elizabeth's dogs go after her death?
Prince Andrew and ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson will be taking Queen Elizabeth II's corgis.
The Duke of York, Prince Andrew, and his ex-wife, Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson will reportedly take in the Queen’s two dogs, Sandy and Muick.
It is not yet known who will be taking the other two dogs the Queen owned, a dorgi (dachshund and corgi mix) named Candy and a cocker spaniel named Lissy.
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Prince Andrew and Ferguson reside together at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, despite divorcing in 1996.
The Duchess and the Queen remained close after the divorce and bonded over their love of dogs.
“The Duchess bonded with Her Majesty over dog walking and riding horses,” a source close to the Royal family told The Telegraph. “Even after her divorce, she would continue her great friendship with Her Majesty, by walking the dogs in Frogmore and chatting.”
Two dogs, Muick and Fergus, were gifted to the Queen by the Duke and Duchess of York during the pandemic lockdown while the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, was being treated in the hospital for an infection.
Fergus sadly passed away in May 2021 due to a heart defect and was replaced by Sandy — he was a birthday gift to the Queen from Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
According to the Queen’s personal assistant, the two dogs were “a constant joy” and “always brought a smile to everyone’s faces.”
The Queen owned nearly 30 dogs throughout her time on the throne.
The Queen’s love for corgis developed early in her childhood.
She adored her father, King George VI’s dog, Dookie, and was gifted her first corgi on her 18th birthday by her father.
The dog’s name was Susan, and she was a steadfast companion of the Queen, even joining her on her honeymoon!
As the decades went on, the Queen owned nearly 30 dogs, many of them being descendants of Susan.
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The Queen’s corgi, Willow, who died in 2018, was the last of Susan’s descendants.
After Willow’s death, the Queen reportedly would not be getting any more dogs.
However, that changed after her husband’s hospital admittance and she needed company, which she sought from her new pets.
The Queen’s corgis were often photographed right by her side as she walked through the palace and embarked on official tours.
Two of them appeared alongside her and James Bond in a sketch made for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics.
All of the dogs were reportedly well cared for and beloved members of the royal family. In a 2018 biography, “All The Queen’s Corgis,” author Penny Juror noted that the Queen was concerned about the fate of her dogs when she was no longer around.
We can only hope that the Duke and Duchess of York live up to the late Queen’s expectations and provide them with the love and attention their owner can longer give them.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.