Not only was Queen Elizabeth II the monarch to a nation and matriarch to the British royal family, but she was also a beloved dog mom.
Throughout her 70-year reign, the Queen—who died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96—lovingly cared for dozens of pups, including a gaggle of corgis. Her fondness for pooches began at a young age and, after she was gifted a corgi named Susan by her father King George VI on her 18th birthday, she was never far from from a four-legged friend again. Legend even has it that Her Majesty brought Susan along to her honeymoon with Prince Philip.
But the Queen's love of dogs extended far beyond the corgi breed. In fact, she had a hand in creating the dorgi, a cross-breed of dachshund and corgi, when her corgi Tiny mated with Princess Margaret's dachshund Pipkin in the 1970s. Since then, the Queen continued to be a pet parent to both corgis and corgi-mixes, as well as a number of cocker spaniels.
In celebration of her 90th birthday in 2016, the royal appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair with four of her furry companions: corgis Holly and Willow and dorgis Vulcan and Candy. Overall, the Queen owned more than 30 different pups—many of whom were descendants from her first dog Susan—since she ascended to the throne in 1952.
It's believed that the Queen had four dogs at the time of her death: Candy, corgis Muick and Sandy and a cocker spaniel nicknamed Lissy. Officials have not announced who will care for Her Majesty's surviving pups, though royal biographer Ingrid Seward told Newsweek that they'll most likely go to the monarch's children.
Keep scrolling to relive some of the Queen's sweetest moments with her beloved dogs.
The Queen's corgis play with Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. Her ex-husband Prince Andrew, Duke of York, had originally gifted the dogs to the monarch. After her death, he and Sarah, who live together, took them in.
Sandy and Muick, the Queen's surviving corgis, await the arrival of her coffin at Windsor Castle, her final resting place, following a state funeral Sept. 8, 2022.
The Queen pets her dorgi Candy while taking a break from observing a display of memorabilia from her Golden and Platinum Jubilees, in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle in February 2022.
The dog, one of four of her last pets, died months before the Queen passed away at age 96 on Sept. 8, 2022, according to multiple reports. She was survived by her corgis Muick and Sandy, who went to live with her son Prince Andrew and his ex-wife and roommate Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, as well as a cocker spaniel named Lissy.
Queen Elizabeth II is joined by her dog family at her Sandringham estate.
Her Majesty's pups ensemble by her feet as she meets with the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team at Buckingham Palace in 2002.
Queen Elizabeth II and her two dogs step out during a royal engagement in 1991.
Queen Elizabeth II takes a walk with her corgi on the 30th anniversary of her accession to the throne in 1982.
The Queen smiles as she poses with a corgi in 1970.
Queen Elizabeth II arrives at King's Cross station with her dogs on October 15, 1969.
Royal corgis join the Queen and Prince Andrew on the cover of Tatler in 1962.
A pup relaxes by Queen Elizabeth II.
Her Majesty visits Balmoral Castle with one of her dogs in 1952.
The Queen returns to London with two pups following a weekend in the country.
Queen Elizabeth II, then known as Princess Elizabeth, with two corgi dogs in 1936.
The future queen cuddles with a pup at her childhood home in 1936.