What Will Happen to the Queen’s Corgis?

The passing of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday led to a number of questions about the line of succession to the throne, and what this might mean for the future of both the British monarchy and government. However, something which many people are eager to know is what will become of her beloved corgis, which have become as much a symbol of her reign as the crown and scepter.

The Queen first began keeping the diminutive breed of dog as pets at the age of seven, when the Royal Family got their first corgi, Dookie. She was then gifted a corgi named Susan for her 18th birthday. Susan became a royal mainstay, reportedly even accompanying Elizabeth and Prince Philip on their honeymoon, and she went on to have puppies, leading to a multi-generational dynasty of more than 30 corgis within the walls of Buckingham Palace that lasted throughout Queen Elizabeth’s reign.

However, while the Queen was extremely fond of her canine friends, they were rumored to make life very difficult for palace staff, biting the ankles of several attendants and even causing Prince Philip to refer to them as those “bloody dogs.” Princess Diana

in 2012, Vanity Fair reported that the Queen had made the decision not to acquire any new pets following the death of her corgi Monty, as “she didn’t want to leave any young dog behind.” At present, three dogs are believed to still be in residence in the palace, including a corgi named Muick and a dorgi (corgi and dachsund cross) named Candy.

Royal expert Victoria Arbiter recently told the Independent that the future of Her Majesty’s corgis is currently unclear, but that they are expected to remain in the family.

“We can only speculate on plans for the corgis—nothing is left to chance with the royal family,” she said. “The royal family is a family of dog lovers, though none are particularly fond of corgis. The queen was definitely the lord and master and had a wonderful way with them. They were known to nip ankles of the royal family.”