Queen Elizabeth II’s beloved corgis will have a new home with the Duke and Duchess of York.
The late monarch, who died Thursday at the age of 96, leaves behind four dogs, including two corgis, one dorgi named Candy and a cocker spaniel called Lissy.
Queen Elizabeth is believed to have “bonded” with ex-daughter-in-law Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson on dog walks over the years, The Telegraph reports.
Last March, Prince Andrew gave his mother two puppies, Muick and Fergus, in an attempt to cheer her up after her husband, Prince Philip, was in the hospital. He died a month later at the age of 99.
The dogs had been found by Ferguson, who lives at Royal Lodge with her ex, despite their divorce over 20 years ago in 1996.
Sadly, Fergus – a dachshund-corgi mix who was named after the Queen’s uncle, who was killed in action during World War I – died at five months from a heart defect. The Queen was said to be devastated by the canine’s death, especially coming just one month after her husband’s passing.
Fergus was replaced with another corgi named Sandy, who was present for her 95th birthday. The two pups reportedly brought “constant joy” to the royal prior to her death.
The Queen took her dogs for regular walks in the gardens at Frogmore House on the Windsor Estate and was often joined by Ferguson.
“The Duchess bonded with Her Majesty over dog walking and riding horses, and even after her divorce, she would continue her great friendship with Her Majesty, by walking the dogs in Frogmore and chatting,” a source told The Telegraph.
Last summer, Ferguson was invited to spend time at Balmoral Castle after many years of banishment. The Duchess had been staying at Balmoral Castle when photos of her having her toes sucked by businessman John Bryan in 1992 were splashed in the tabloids.
Prince Philip was reportedly livid and decreed that he would never stay under the same roof as his ex-daughter-in-law again.
When the Queen died, Ferguson tweeted that she would miss her ex-mother-in-law “more than words” could express.
“She has given her whole life selflessly to the people of the UK & the Commonwealth,” she wrote. “To me, she was the most incredible mother-in-law and friend. I will always be grateful to her for the generosity she showed me in remaining close to me even after my divorce.”
The Queen has had a lifelong love affair with the scrappy breed of dog.
In 1933, when she was just 7, her father – then the Duke of York – bought a corgi named Dookie for her and sister Margaret. A second corgi, named Jane, later joined the family.
The Queen owned more than 30 over the years, many of whom descended from a corgi named Susan, who was given to her as an 18th birthday present by her parents in 1944.
Generations of Susan’s descendants lived with the Queen until 2015, when Willow, who lived nearly 15 years, died. According to reports, the Queen was hit particularly hard by Willow’s death, as it was the end of Susan’s lineage.
A pack of corgis seemingly always followed the Queen around the palace, which Princess Diana referred to as a “moving carpet.”
Naturally, the dogs lived a life of luxury, residing in their own room in the palace, which came to be known as the Corgi Room. They slept on elevated wicker baskets, with sheets changed daily. Their menu included fresh rabbit and beef, served by a chef. And at Christmas time, the Queen made sure the dogs got stockings stuffed with toys and treats.
In 2015, it was reported that the Queen had no plans to add any more dogs to her brood. She told horse trainer Monty Roberts that she didn’t want any more young dogs because “she didn’t want to leave any young dogs behind. She wanted to put an end to it.”
However, the new puppies brought her much happiness.
Her dresser, Angela Kelly, recently revealed that her new puppies proved a “constant joy” for the monarch and “always brought a smile to everyone’s faces.”
