Life
26 Vintage Photos Of Queen Elizabeth II With Her Corgis
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Can you even picture the Queen of England without her attending crowd of corgis? The stout little dogs are absolutely a part of her fascinating legacy. And as these vintage photos of Queen Elizabeth II with her corgis show, these dogs served as her constant companions for decades on end. Whether she was resting on holiday or meeting illustrious individuals, the Queen was never been far from these clever little dogs for most of her life.
Probably the most famous owner and breeder of Pembroke Welsh Corgis ever, the Queen has owned over 30 of the medium-sized dogs during her lifetime, according to the American Kennel Club. As the vintage family photos show, her history with corgis dates back to her childhood in the '30s, continuing through decades. Meetings with other high-profile individuals, travel, and even sporting events often found Queen Elizabeth II with one (or many more) of the loyal royal dogs by her side. The dogs, of course, are simply going about the business of being corgis, which makes all of these important and historical photos so much better. Sadly, the Queen's final corgi Willow died in 2018, following Queen Elizabeth's decision to stop breeding the dogs in 2015, according to The Telegraph.
Although they're forever associated with the Queen, Pembroke Welsh Corgis began life as sturdy, short-legged cattle dogs for farmers in southwestern Wales, per the AKC. One of the most popular herding dogs, they're known for their friendly attitude and big smile. And as someone who had the fortune to grow up with a Pembroke Welsh Corgi as a kid, I will forever love these happy-go-lucky little creatures, and I'd 100% go though life totally surrounded by corgis if I were queen, too. So in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's longstanding devotion to corgis, here's a whole collection of vintage photos of Her Majesty with these adorable dogs.
1. Susan
Here Princess Elizabeth embraces her beloved Susan, her 18th birthday present. Susan eventually became the ancestor to all of the Queen's thirty-plus corgis, which is something of a feat. "The Queen is the only breeder who still has bred from her foundation bitch," said Diana King, the chairman of the Welsh Corgi League, in Vanity Fair.
2. The Original Corgis
A young Royal Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) poses with her mother and some of the family's first corgis, Dookie and Jane, in this 1936 photo. These were the dogs that helped inspire her lifelong love of Pembroke Welsh Corgis.
3. Knitting And Corgis
Princess Elizabeth knits while one of the corgis looks on.
4. Puppy Hugs
Even Royals need a doggie hug every now and then. "My corgis are family," the Queen has said.
5. Corgi In The Castle
In this photo from 1952, Queen Elizabeth II and one of her corgis pose at Balmoral Castle. This corgi knew how to smile for the camera.
6. The Original Corgis
In this 1930s photo, young Princess Elizabeth cuddles one of the corgis like a baby, who appears quite happy with this embrace.
7. Family Photo Corgis
Here Dookie and Jane the corgis relax with some of the family's other dogs in a family photo with the Royal Princesses Margaret (left) and Elizabeth (right), as well as their mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and father Albert, Duke of York.
8. The Royal Corgis Board The Royal Train
Corgis accompanied Queen Elizabeth all over the place. Here are at least three of them stepping off The Royal Train in 1970.
9. Prepping For Christmas
Here's another '70s shot of Queen Elizabeth walking three dogs at once while dressed like an icon. Two of the dogs are corgis, while that little dude in the back looks more like a dachshund.
10. Corgi With Visiting World Leaders
It looks like the corgis were right in the middle of the action for many of Queen Elizabeth II's official duties. In this pic, the West German Chancellor Willy Brandt and his wife Rut had to crack up at the corgi's shenanigans.
11. Polo-Watching Corgis
Here's another pic of the royal corgis attending a polo match. How did Queen Elizabeth manage to get three different corgis to walk in the same direction, though?
12. Four Corgis
Here Queen Elizabeth walks four corgis all at once, showing off her dog handling skills. The poor dog in the lower left of the frame appears a bit bothered by the camera's bright flash.
13. Corgis At Heathrow Airport
Queen Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, try to herd four corgis into the Royal plane while wearing a similar ensembles with a matching hat, coat, and heels. They make walking the dogs look downright fashionable.
14. Business Corgi
Queen Elizabeth II and her corgi are all business in this 1961 photograph.
15. Sugar At Windsor Castle
In one of the most British images of all time, Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh pose with the corgi Sugar at Windsor Castle.
16. Family Photo
The Royal Family pose in the gardens for a photo in 1962. Like any family trying to take a photo, almost everyone is looking in a different direction (adorable corgi included).
17. Dorgi
Here Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh are seen with their dorgi Tinker, who is a cross between a corgi and a long-haired dachshund. In an interesting note, Queen Elizabeth II helped create this breed, and dorgis have been in the Royal Family for decades, as noted in Bustle.
18. Corgis On A Break
A pack of corgis go for a swim while the family looks on. Another dog (perhaps a dorgi?) is in the mix as well.
19. My Queen
A corgi gazes lovingly up at Queen Elizabeth during a 1970 photo session.
20. Icon
It looks like yet another pic of Queen Elizabeth casually walking four corgis while rocking elbow-length gloves (AKA being an icon), but the context matters here. It was October 1969, and she was headed to Buckingham Palace to receive the US astronauts of Apollo 11 who walked on the Moon three months prior. Hopefully, the astronauts got a chance to meet the dogs as well.
21. Sugar Needs A Nap
Sugar the corgi takes a break during another family photo shoot in 1959.
22. Pet Me
The corgis Crackers and Carol are all over King George VI in this pic from the 1940s, while Princess Margaret holds on to another family dog named Ching. Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth's matching outfits are beyond precious, too.
23. Game Day
In this candid pic from 1973, Queen Elizabeth tends to her herd of corgis (and maybe some dorgis) at the European Driving Championships. It's always more fun to watch sports with your dog, right?
24. Picnic Day
Tiny baby Prince Andrew sits on Prince Philip's lap during a family picnic, which also includes Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and Princess Anne, as well as one of the corgis.
25. Royal Corgi Attends Polo Match
Accompanied by one of the royal corgis, Queen Elizabeth II meets with the polo-playing Prince Philip in 1976. The corgi does not seem all that interested in who's winning the game.
26. Dookie
Beloved corgi Dookie looks up at 13-year-old Princess Elizabeth.
