Royal Expert Says This Is What Will Happen To The Queen's Corgis

When chef Darren McGrady began working for the royal family, he envisioned cooking for a who's-who of the global elite. "I thought that when I started at the palace I'd be cooking for the Queen, and different presidents from around the world," he told Insider. "But there I was, chopping rabbit for the royal corgis. In fact, the royal corgis had their own menu." McGrady added that "It was almost like an a la carte restaurant for the royal corgis." It's no secret that Queen Elizabeth's corgis were adored and indulged by the late monarch, who had more than 30 dogs in her lifetime. 

According to the BBC, the queen received Susan, a Pembroke Welsh corgi, as a present on her 18th birthday, and "14 generations" of Susan's offspring followed. In the graveyard for royal pets at the Sandringham estate, Susan's tombstone reads: "For almost 15 years the faithful companion of the queen." As Her Majesty famously said before, "My corgis are family," per Vanity Fair. Ever since Queen Elizabeth II's heartbreaking death on Thursday, September 8, though, animal lovers around the world have been wondering who will take care of her beloved pets now.

Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will care for Queen Elizabeth II's two remaining corgis, who are named Sandy and Muick (per The New York Times). The Duke and Duchess of York still live together in Windsor, at Royal Lodge, on the estate's grounds, despite separating in 1992 and divorcing in 1996 (via Town & Country).

"The corgis will return to live at Royal Lodge with the duke and duchess. It was the duchess who found the puppies which were gifted to Her Majesty by the duke," a royal insider close to Prince Andrew revealed to the BBC. "The duchess bonded with Her Majesty over dog walking and riding horses, and even after her divorce, she would continue her great friendship with Her Majesty, by walking the dogs in Frogmore and chatting."

The Duke of York and his two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, reportedly gave Muick to the queen to cheer up the monarch during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. He then gave her Sandy as a gift for the queen's 95th birthday.

Though Queen Elizabeth II is most closely associated with corgis, she owned other breeds of dog throughout her lifetime as well. At the time of her death, in addition to her pair of corgis, she had a cocker spaniel named Lissy and a dorgi — a cross between a corgi and a dachshund — named Candy (per The New York Times). At this point, it's not known who will be caring for Lissy and Candy.

Her Majesty and her sister, Princess Margaret, are credited with accidentally inventing the dorgi (per People), though the American Kennel Club does not officially recognize the dorgi as a breed. According to the BBC, in the 1970s, the queen owned a corgi called Tiny. Queen Elizabeth's younger sister, Princess Margaret, the Countess of Snowdon, had a dachshund named Pipkin. When Pipkin and Tiny were left alone, sparks must have flown — and the duo's offspring were so cute that the sisters let the dogs have several more puppies together over the years.