The Royal Corgis

There are two breeds of Welsh corgi, the Pembroke and the Cardigan, yet it is the Pembroke Welsh corgi that is associated with British royalty or to be more precise HRH Queen Elizabeth II. 

The Queen was first introduced to this breed when she and her sister, Margaret were both princesses in the 1933.  They had seen one belonging to the children of Viscount Weymouth and soon after, their father, who was then the Duke of York and later became King George VI, presented them with Rozavel Golden Eagle, a corgi puppy, that they nicknamed Dookie.  He was the first in a long succession of corgis. Next in line was a corgi called Jane, who had a litter from which two of puppies, Crackers and Carol, were kept.

On Princess Elizabeth’s eighteenth birthday in 1944 (she did not become Queen until 1952) she was given a corgi named Susan.  Most of the 30 corgis the queen has owned subsequently are descendants of this dog. Some of the corgis were mated with dachshunds (one being Pipkin who belonged to Princess Margaret) to create ‘Dorgis’. 

Currently the Queen owns four Corgis: Linnet, Monty, Willow and Holly and three Dorgis: Cider, Candy and Vulcan.

The Pembroke corgi has prick ears and a sharp interested expression.  It is known to be an outgoing and friendly dog.  Pembrokes were cattle herders and have all the stamina associated with working breed.  In the past they have gained an unfair reputation of being a little ‘nippy’. This dog with its thick coat and boundless energy is well adapted to an energetic outdoor life but equally will make an amiable and entertaining companion dog.