Princess Elizabeth and her dogs.Photo: Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth’s lifelong love of dogs has been well-documented, but not everyone realizes she’s actually credited with inventing an entire breed.
So the story goes, the dorgi hybrid was created when Princess Margaret’s dachsund Pipkin got a moment alone with one of the Queen’s corgis.
The royals love the squat little furballs so much, they continued to breed them and have a had a veritable pooch parade over the years, with names including Cider, Rum, Berry, Candy, Brandy, Chipper, Harris, Pickles, Piper, Tinker and Vulcan. (Sadly,Vulcan diedin December 2020, and the next dorgi the Queen welcomed to her pack,Fergus, also died this past May.)
The Queen, 95, also carries her love of dogs over into her official capacity as monarch. She is the Patron of the Dogs Trust dog welfare organization in the U.K., and she has passed down that love of animals to her children and grandchildren.
Anwar Hussein/Getty Images
Prince CharlesandCamilla, Duchess of Cornwallenjoyrescue pups, andPrince WilliamandKate Middletonhave shown afondness for cocker spaniels.
And whilePrince HarryandMeghan Markledon’t personally own any of the Queen’s beloved corgis, the Queen’s pack famouslyadoredthe soon-to-be-Duchess of Sussex when she was first introduced to the monarch.
“The corgis took to her straight away,” Harry revealed during the couple’s engagement interview in 2018. “I’ve spent the last 33 years being barked at — [Meghan] walks in, absolutely nothing.”
Added Meghan, “They were laying on my feet during tea!”
Harry confirmed, ‘Just wagging tails — and I was just like, argh."
Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images
Can’t get enough ofPEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates onKate Middleton,Meghan Markleand more!
Over the years, the royal companion became quite the sensation, setting off a corgi boom in the U.K. Today, corgis have fallen off the list ofmost popular dog breeds for Britons— though dachsunds made the list at No. 6.
source: people.com
