But while every detail of what would happen after her death was carefully planned, little is known about what the future holds for her beloved pups, who will now be looking for new homes.
At the time of her death, Queen Elizabeth reportedly had four dogs. According to the American Kennel Club, she had two Pembroke Welsh corgis, Muick and Sandy, as well as an older, mixed-breed “dorgi” named Candy. A cocker spaniel, Lisi, reportedly joined the gang in January this year.
The Queen is often credited with creating the dorgi breed when her corgi was mated to a dachshund owned by her sister, Princess Margaret.
Joe Little, royal biographer and managing editor of Majesty magazine, told CNN he believes the dogs will be cared for by royal staff before being adopted by Princess Anne and Prince Andrew.
“Princess Anne has had corgis of her own in the past,” he explained. “The two most recent additions came from the Duke of York and his daughters, so perhaps they could go to him. They are unlikely to be separated.”
The Queen’s passion for corgis dates back to her childhood, when she fell in love with her father, King George VI’s dog, Dukie. In 1944, on her 18th birthday, she was given a Pembroke Welsh corgi puppy named Susan. Such was her attachment to Susan that she reportedly took her on their honeymoon in 1947. Susan died in January 1959.
The monarch went on to own dozens of corgis during her lifetime. One, Willow, famously appeared alongside her in the James Bond sketch he recorded for the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.
When Willow fell asleep at the age of 14, the queen lost the last offspring of her original corgi, Susan. According to Reader’s Digest, the Queen loved corgis because of their “energy and loose spirit.” To get updates about the British Royal Family delivered to your inbox, sign up for CNN’s Royal News newsletter.
