Corgi owners say community has ‘lost part of our world’ with Queen’s death

‘Everywhere the Queen went, there were always corgis’

Friday 09 September 2022 09:44 EDT

Buckingham Palace: Public react to Queen Elizabeth II's death

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The corgi community has “lost part of our world” following the death of the Queen, a spokesperson has said.

During her reign, the late monarch owned more than 30 corgis and dorgis – a corgi-dachshund cross – to whom she was famously devoted.

Throughout her life, she looked after her own dogs as much as possible, feeding and walking them when her schedule permitted.

During weekends spent at Windsor, the corgis joined her and lived in her private apartments.

Kay Hogg, secretary of the Welsh Corgi League Scottish sector, said the corgi community was saddened at the Queen's death.

“We are very, very sad,” she told the PA news agency.

“Everywhere the Queen went, there were always corgis. She grew up with corgis and everybody associated corgis with the Queen.

“We feel as though, although there is a corgi league and a society, we've actually lost part of our world. She did so much for the breed, always had corgis by her side all her life.”

The Queen, sitting on a grassy bank with the corgis, at Virginia Water to watch competitors in the marathon of the European Driving Championship (PA) (PA Archive)

As a child, the Queen fell in love with her father’s dog, Dookie, a Pembrokeshire corgi, and wanted one of her own.

Her wish came true on her 18th birthday, when she was gifted a corgi puppy named Susan by her parents.

Like her royal owner, Susan’s legacy was impressive. As the foundation bitch, every corgi the Queen owned thereafter was a descendent of Susan.

Despite a penchant for nipping servants legs, Susan was utterly beloved by the Queen, who even joined her and Prince Philip on their honeymoon.

Following her death in 1959, the Queen designed a bespoke headstone for Susan’s’ grave, which is located in an official pet cemetery at the Sandringham Estate, the resting place for all royal pets.

In recognition of her fondness for the breed, a gathering of 70 corgis took place at Balmoral Castle in June as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Organised by the Corgi Society of Scotland and the UK Corgi Club, the event brought together dozens of Cardigan Welsh and Pembroke Welsh corgis.

A corgi derby also took place at Musselburgh racecourse in East Lothian.

The trophy was won by Georgie, whose owner Alison Rumbles said it now feels even more special to have taken part in the event.

“I'm just glad we decided to do it, it was so much fun and I just hope that the Queen watched it and laughed and laughed at the silliness of it all,” she said.

A corgi derby took place in June (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

Mrs Rumbles, a wool fibre artist from Haddington, East Lothian, added: “It's just so sad that she has died. She was hugely admired and respected, just a wonderful, wonderful woman.

“We probably would never have got a corgi had it not been for her and her love of the dogs.”

The Queen leaves behind three dogs whose care is likely to have been arranged in advance.

“We can only speculate on plans for the corgis – nothing is left to chance with the royal family,” royal correspondent, Victoria Arbiter, told The Independent.

“All of the Queen’s children would welcome them with open arms,” she added.