Queen Elizabeth Corgis Photos Showcase Her Family's Love

Queen Elizabeth's love for corgis is well-documented, with a collection of adorable photos showcasing her family's affection for these beloved dogs.

The Queen's first corgi, Susan, was a gift from her father, King George VI, in 1944. She went on to have many more corgis throughout her life.

From the Queen's favorite pastime of playing with her corgis to the special bond she shares with her furry friends, these photos capture the heartwarming moments of her family's love for these loyal companions.

The Queen's corgis have been a constant presence in her life, with many serving as loyal companions and others as cherished family pets.

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The Queen's Corgis have a rich history, and it all started with Susan, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi who became the foundation of the royal breeding program.

Susan was the first Pembroke Welsh Corgi to belong solely to Elizabeth II, and she was also the common ancestor of all the Queen's Pembrokes.

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In 1933, a breeder named Thelma Gray brought a litter of puppies to show the then-Duke of York, the future George VI, and his family, which included Elizabeth II.

The royal family chose a dog and named him Dookie, and a few years later, Gray gave them another Pembroke Welsh Corgi called Jane.

Dookie passed away at the start of World War II, but Jane gave birth to a puppy called Crackers, and there were two royal Pembrokes again.

The Queen personally oversaw a program of Pembroke Welsh Corgi breeding at Windsor Castle, where purebred puppies bred by Her Majesty incorporated the affix, or kennel name, of Windsor into their monikers.

The Queen's pets were treated like royalty, with at least two people caring for them, including Bill and Nancy Fenwick, who were the caretakers of the Pembrokes.

Nancy trained the dogs to walk upstairs, fed and looked after them, and assisted with finding matches to mate with the Queen's canines.

The Queen's corgis even had their own special corgi room at Buckingham Palace, where they slept in little wicker baskets.

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The Queen's love for her corgis was so strong that she attended Nancy Fenwick's memorial service, which is a rare exception to the royal tradition of not attending staff funerals.

The Queen's corgis have had a profound impact on the breed, making the Pembroke Welsh Corgi one of the most popular dogs in the world.

A different take: Queen's Corgis Names List

Queen Elizabeth's love for corgis started with a British nobleman named Thomas Henry Thynne, who had a pair of corgis as pets when the young princesses visited his home.

The princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret, fell in love with the dogs and soon after, their parents brought home Dookie, a corgi, in 1933. Dookie was the first of many Welsh Corgis owned by the royal family.

Dookie was officially named Rozavel Golden Eagle, but the staff nicknamed him Dookie, and it stuck. He was sent away to be trained, but only responded to his nickname.

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The royal family's fondness for dogs was well-documented, with a 1937 article reporting that the King and Queen and their children were all extremely fond of dogs, and much of the Princesses' leisure was taken up with their pets.

Dookie's favorite companion was Jane, another corgi who joined the family, and together they were the favorites of the royal children, who took it upon themselves to brush and exercise them.

With the start of World War II, the royal family was evacuated to Windsor Castle, and their dogs went with them, including Jane, who had a puppy named Crackers.

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The Queen's Pembrokes were more than just pets, they were beloved family members. Susan, the first Pembroke Welsh Corgi to belong solely to Elizabeth, was the foundation of a royal breeding program.

The Queen personally oversaw the breeding program at Windsor Castle, incorporating the affix "Windsor" into the monikers of the purebred puppies. She called on prominent breeders to help her continue her lines.

Susan's descendants lived a life of luxury, with a staff of at least two people to care for them. Bill Fenwick, Windsor's head gamekeeper, and his wife Nancy took on the responsibility of caring for the Pembrokes.

Nancy trained the dogs to walk upstairs, fed and looked after them, and assisted with finding matches to mate with the Queen's canines. The Queen and Prince Andrew attended Nancy's memorial service, an exception to royal protocol.

The Queen's corgis had their own special corgi room at Buckingham Palace, where they slept in little wicker baskets. Two footmen, called Doggie 1 and Doggie 2, looked after them.

Corgis have two layers of fur, which means they shed a lot. They also have two shedding seasons: spring and fall, when they shed even more.

Brushing your Corgi at least a few times a week during shedding seasons will help manage loose hair. You should also bathe your Corgi as needed, which is usually once every few weeks unless they get particularly dirty.

Corgis are relatively low-maintenance when it comes to grooming, but their nails will need to be trimmed on a regular basis.

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The Royal Family's love affair with Pembroke Welsh Corgis began long before Queen Elizabeth II's first Corgi, Susan, was born in 1944.

In 1933, breeder Thelma Gray brought a litter of puppies to show the then-Duke of York, the future George VI, and his family, including a young Princess Elizabeth. The family chose a dog and named him Dookie.

Princess Elizabeth's first exposure to the breed was not just with Dookie, but also with another Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Jane, who was given to the royal family by Gray a few years later.

Dookie passed away at the start of World War II, but Jane gave birth to a puppy called Crackers, and there were two royal Pembrokes again. Jane was accidentally run over and killed in 1944, leaving Susan as the first Pembroke Welsh Corgi to belong solely to Elizabeth.

The Queen owned more than 30 Corgis since then, and a good majority of them were descended from Susan. Susan's descendants were not the only ones to thrive in the royal family; Dookie's descendants also played a significant role.

Dookie, formally known as Rozavel Golden Eagle, was given his name when he was sent away to be trained, and it's a name that stuck with him throughout his life.

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