Queen Elizabeth II’s Pembroke Welsh Corgis enjoyed lives filled with affection, charm, and regal pampering that contributed to their global enchantment.

Their daily routine was steeped in royal tradition, with meals prepared by the palace kitchens featuring finely diced lamb, beef, or chicken served with a special gravy recipe personally created by the Queen.

The feeding ritual was formal and orderly, conducted in a semi-circle by seniority, with a butler presenting the meals on fine silver and porcelain dishes, while the Queen often personally fed them.

The corgis had their own luxurious quarters in Buckingham Palace furnished with spacious wicker beds that were freshly sheeted daily, continuing a tradition dating back to the Queen Mother.

These dogs traveled in style, frequently seen riding on the Queen’s lap during car rides or accompanying her to royal estates such as Balmoral, highlighting their esteemed status.

Despite this pampered life, the corgis retained a playful and cheeky personality.

The Queen carried unwrapped dog biscuits in her handbag and could command her corgis to perform tricks like rolling over with simple gestures, illustrating their strong bond.

These dogs sometimes caused mischief around the palace, playfully teasing servants or making unwanted marks—earning them the affectionate label of “hooligans” in a setting where they nonetheless received firm and loving training from the Queen.

The royal corgis’ endearing and whimsical image has made a significant mark on popular culture, most notably inspiring the 2019 animated film “Royal Corgi.”

This film humorously depicts a royal corgi named Rex navigating his privileged yet mischievous life at the palace, reflecting the real-life exuberance and affection of the Queen’s dogs.

Together, these details paint a vivid picture of the royal corgis’ enchanting lives: pampered yet playful companions who shared daily routines marked by love, ritual, and personality.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Pembroke Welsh Corgis enjoyed lives filled with affection, charm, and regal pampering that contributed to their global enchantment.

Title:

Content: Give a paw: 20 photo proofs that dogs are the best friends of monarchs
26.01.2022, 0: 14, Misc
Subscribe to Telegram channel
Subscribe to Google News
Dogs in the role of pets of the royal families are a very long time, and especially they are loved by the British royal family.
The main lover of dogs, and it is Corgi, is Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.
The first dog of this breed was presented to her by her father, King George VI, and 7-year-old Princess Elizabeth named the puppy Dookie.
Since then, and especially since the coronation of Elizabeth, Corgi have become residents of Buckingham Palace.
Most of the pets that later lived in the palace are the descendants of this dog.
At the court of Elizabeth II lived a total of more than 30 corgis.
And they became the only living creatures that are allowed to enter the room ahead of the Queen.
At some point, the Queen brought out a new breed – the Dorgi: this happened after one of her corgis had an affair with Princess Margaret ’ s Pipkin Dachshund.
So were born dogs named Vulcan and Candy.
The last corgi of Elizabeth II – 15-year-old Willow – died in 2018.
And in 2015, it was announced that the Queen will no longer breed them, since she has no idea who will take care of the corgi when she is gone.
At the end of 2020, one of her favorite dogs passed away - Dorgi Volcano, who posed with her mistress for Vanity Fair magazine in 2018.
After that, Her Majesty of Great Britain left only one dog, also a breed of Dorgy – Candy.
The coronavirus pandemic made its changes to the Queen ’ s plans: during the lockdown, she was presented with two Dorgy puppies – Fergus and Muick, and the gift was presented by her youngest son, Prince Andrew.
Unfortunately, Fergus died in May 2021.
But in June, in honor of the 100th anniversary of Prince Philip, Andrew bought his mother another puppy.
The future Queen of Great Britain, Princess Elizabeth
Warm feelings for the four-legged were adopted by Prince William and Harry, who got along with dogs since childhood.
In the family of William and Kate Middleton lived cocker spaniel Lupo, which they in 2011 for the wedding gave brother Kate – James, who is engaged in breeding dogs.
In November 2020, the dog was gone, and Middleton Jr. gave them a new puppy, whose name and even sex were unknown.
Probably, the baby, born by the sister of the same Lupo, the couple are very fond – during the last release last week, Kate and William, having met a puppy therapist in a hospital in Lancashire, told reporters that they are glad that their dog (yes, this is “she ”) does not see how they cute communicate with this charming puppy.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana with their sons William and Harriet Middleton and Prince William
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also have their own history of relationships with dogs: now with the spouses in Montecito live beagle Guy and black Labrador retriever Pula.
Dog Guy is a real traveler: the dog moved with Megan to London in 2017 (her second dog she could not take because of the venerable age of the dog), and in 2019, he returned to the United States with his mistress.
The level of attachment of British monarchs to dogs (and not only) was reflected in art: in the summer of 2020, the theme of the annual photo exhibition at Buckingham Palace, which is held when Elizabeth II goes on vacation to Balmoral, was the theme of the love of members of the British royal family for animals.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry with the President and First Lady of Ireland and their dogs, 2018
There are other relatives of Elizabeth II: her son, Prince Edward, and daughter-in-law, Countess Sophie, have two dogs – a black Labrador and a Cocker Spaniel – and even a turtle.
Princess Anne ’ s daughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike are the lucky owners of boxer Sway and two black labradors Storm and Pepper.
And, it seems, they are most loved by the couple ’ s daughters: once in the paparazzi captured the scene of Mia and Lena walking the dogs themselves.
However, due to the fact that the girls were very little, it is difficult to understand who was walking whom at that time.
And the eldest son of the Queen, Prince Charles, and Duchess Camilla live two dogs – Beth and Bluebell, and the second Duchess found on the street.
However, British monarchs are not the only ones who get along well with dogs.
In the Danish royal family (Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Marie) until 2021, there was only one dog – Border Collie Grace.
But in December she gave birth to two puppies.
In the royal family of the Netherlands (King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima), Labrador named Luna, Skipper and Nala live for several years, and in October they had a Mambo puppy.
In Norway, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit have their own pets – Labradoodle Muffin and Millie Cocoa.
This dog once greatly battered the nerves of its owners: in 2017, during a trip to the mountains, where the family was skiing, the dog escaped, but soon found him.
King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustav and Queen Silvia are avid dog owners no less than their “colleague ” Elizabeth: many years ago they had a dog Bingo, and in recent years they see a mongrel Brandi next to them.
Their daughter, Crown Princess Victoria, started the Rio Cavudla in the spring of 2020, which is a cross between a cavalier and a poodle.
We offer you to see a selection of the most interesting, cute, funny, touching photos with the participation of dogs and representatives of monarchies from around the world.
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Maxima with their daughters, 2015 Duchess Camilla and Queen Letizia of Spain in Madrid, 2011 Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Crown Princess Mette-Marit with children, 2018 Kate Middleton at St. Patrick ’ s Day Parade, 2019 Duchess of CamillaPrince Charles Daughters of Zara and Mike Princess Anne and Countess Sophie of WessekPrince EdwardCarolina, Princess of Monaco and Hanover - the eldest daughter of Prince Rainier III of Monaco and Grace Kelly
View commentsNo comments
Privacy Policy - GDPR
Site map →
For information cooperation, advertising and publication of ads, write to the address: [email protected]
Support the project:
Yandex.Money - 410011013132383
WebMoney – P761907515662, R402690739280, Z399334682366, E296477880853, X100503068090
18 + © 2002-2021 RYBINSKonLine: All you wanted to know...

Their daily routine was steeped in royal tradition, with meals prepared by the palace kitchens featuring finely diced lamb, beef, or chicken served with a special gravy recipe personally created by the Queen.

Title:

Content: This website uses relevant technologies to provide a better reading experience, while respecting the privacy of users. Click here to understand the privacy statement of the Central News Agency. When you close this window, you agree to the above regulations.
Your browser does not appear to support Traditional Chinese.
Would you like to go to CNA ’ s English website, “Focus Taiwan ”?
Koko Koko Koko Koko Koko Koko
"日本語版「フィーカス」について" (in Japanese).
The Queen of England has raised more than 30 dogs for her loyal Corgi fans who have appeared in the Olympic Games and 007 in the same frame [shadow]
2022 / 9 / 9 17: 33 (Updated on 9 / 9 18: 16)
Please agree to our privacy policy in order to enable news listening.
Queen Elizabeth II loved dogs, but she stopped keeping them in her 90s because she didn ’ t want them to become orphans after she died.
A photo of the Wang family in 2016. (AP)
Please agree to our privacy policy in order to enable news listening.
The most loyal public servant of Queen Elizabeth II should belong to her Corgi.
These puppies have been at the Queen ’ s feet for generations, accompanying her for nearly a century, and the Queen has raised more than 30 Corgi in her lifetime.
The combination of the Queen and the Corgi is as natural as the British drink tea and cake, making the little-known breed known around the world.
This brown puppy with pointy ears bustled around the Buckingham Palace, following the Queen from room to room and appearing in official photographs.
In the 2012 London Olympics opening video, the puppies even performed as part of the show.
In the film, the Queen of England leaves Buckingham Palace accompanied by Daniel Craig's 007 agent and climbs into a helicopter, leaving behind her Corgi dogs Holly, Monty and Willow.
Image source: Olympics
As a child, the Queen loved the Corgi.
When she was seven years old in 1933, little Elizabeth visited the home of a friend who had a dog and wanted to have one. Her father, George VI, gave her her first dog, Dookie.
However, the royal Corgi family, which has been with the Queen for more than 70 years, originated in 1944 when King George VI gave her her Corgi, Susan, on the Queen ’ s 18th birthday.
Even as the Queen went on her honeymoon and ascended to the throne at the age of 25, Susan accompanied her.
She loves Susan so much, and the Corky dogs she keeps are all descendants of Susan.
The Queen stopped keeping Corgi in her 90s because she didn ’ t want the puppy to become an orphan after her death. In 2018, her last Corgi dog, Vero, died.
Despite this, in the last moments of her life, the Queen was accompanied by two "Dachshund" dogs, mixed with the Koki.
One of the puppies, Vulcan, died in 2020.
But in March 2021, it was rumored that the Queen had two more Corgi puppies.
The royal family was battling a series of crises, including the Queen ’ s husband, Prince Philip, who was in declining health at the time.
The two Corgi are said to have been with the Queen when she moved to quarantine at Windsor Castle in the western suburbs of London during the outbreak.
Royal writer Penny Junor told The Sun that the dogs loved the Queen very much and never disappointed her.
She said, “Of course, the Corgi won ’ t go to Los Angeles for an interview. ”
She was referring to Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who spat bitterly during an interview with the famous Oprah Winfrey, accusing the royal family of racism and not supporting them.
According to Brian Hoey, author of Pets by Royal Appointment, the Queen loves her Corgi so much that she prepares her own food for them.
Every day at 5 p.m., the servant prepares the dog ’ s filet steak and chicken breast for dinner, and the Queen personally waters the gravy.
However, not everyone in the royal family loves dogs.
According to Hoy, the Queen ’ s husband reportedly doesn ’ t like the stumbling, short-legged puppies because they bark too much.
(Translator: Dai Yazhen / Authored by: Chen Zhengjian) 1110909
Central News Agency "First-hand News" app
The text, pictures and audio and video of this website shall not be reproduced, broadcast or transmitted or used without authorization.
Please continue reading.
40 years ago, the Queen visited the United States in a storm: Bringing the British rain tradition to California

The feeding ritual was formal and orderly, conducted in a semi-circle by seniority, with a butler presenting the meals on fine silver and porcelain dishes, while the Queen often personally fed them.

Title:

Content: It's no secret that Queen Elizabeth is a huge dog lover, so it comes as no surprise that her pet pooches live very lavish lifestyles.

Her Majesty, 95, has taken care of numerous dogs throughout her 70-year reign, and she is currently the owner of two corgis, a dorgi called Candy, and a cocker spaniel named Lissy.

The Queen's pet corgis have been a constant throughout her time on the throne, and it's believed that she's had around 30 dogs throughout her lifetime.

Like any other dog owner, the Queen wants the very best for her pet pooches and that includes a tailored menu, special travel arrangements, and a specific feeding ritual.

Here we take a peek into the lives of Her Majesty's pampered pooches...

Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter

Tailored menu

It's no secret that members of the royal household have their own weekly menus and that also includes the Queen's pet dogs, too.

Her Majesty is very particular about what her pet dogs eat and she reportedly insists that they have their own personal menus.

Former royal chef Darren McGrady revealed what the pooches' diet entails, saying: "The corgis have their own menu. One day they'll have lamb, one day beef and then another, chicken."

He also added: "We had to make sure that all the meat was cut very finely and diced so there were no bones because we couldn't have them choking."

The Queen has also created her own special gravy recipe, specifically for her beloved pups.

In the book All The Queen's Corgis, author Penny Junor explained the dogs' diets consists of a "variety of fresh, cooked meat, vegetables and rice, prepared specially for them in the royal kitchens, topped with a little biscuit, homoeopathic and herbal remedies when required, and a special gravy that, legend has it, is the Queen's own recipe".

Feeding routine

It's not just their meals which are specially prepared, as the dogs also have a strict feeding ritual.

Animal psychologist Dr Roger Mugford previously worked for Her Majesty, and has opened up about the pooches meal times at Buckingham Palace.

Speaking to Town and Country magazine, he said: "Their food was served by a butler in an eclectic collection of battered silver and porcelain dishes.

"As I watched, the Queen got the corgis to sit in a semi-circle around her, and then fed them one by one, in order of seniority. The others just sat and patiently waited their turn."

Author Penny Junor also wrote in her book, All The Queen's Corgis: "Whenever possible, she [the Queen] feeds them herself and it is an afternoon ritual; but not an unruly frantic free-for-all.

"A footman brings the food and bowls on a silver tray and lays out a plastic sheet to protect the carpet.

"The Queen then sits them in a semi-circle around her and does the rest."

Travelling

The Queen regularly has to travel, but her beloved pooches are never left behind.

She ensures they also travel in style, with previous photographs showing her pets sitting on her lap while travelling in the car.

Her dogs have also been spotted at airports with her, and were once seen at Aberdeen Airport preparing to head off to the Balmoral estate, located in the Scottish Highlands.

Sleeping arrangements

As well as tailored menus and lavish travel arrangements, the Queen's pet dogs also have their very own quarters at the palace.

The dogs reportedly have their own spacious room where they sleep in luxurious raised wicker beds.

And that's not all, as their beds also have fresh sheets put on them daily – a tradition which was first started by the Queen Mother.

For all the latest celebrity gossip, sign up to our daily newsletter here .

The corgis had their own luxurious quarters in Buckingham Palace furnished with spacious wicker beds that were freshly sheeted daily, continuing a tradition dating back to the Queen Mother.

These dogs traveled in style, frequently seen riding on the Queen’s lap during car rides or accompanying her to royal estates such as Balmoral, highlighting their esteemed status.

Title:

Content: Queen Elizabeth II "10 Cool Knowledge"
Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband. (Photo / CFP)
Journalist Wu Mei-yi / Comprehensive Report
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom died on the 8th local time, at the age of 96, becoming the longest-reigning monarch in British history.
Foreign media have compiled 10 cold facts about her for the world to remember this beloved head of state.
Queen Elizabeth II. (Photo / CFP)
The Queen does not have a university degree.
Despite her knowledge of diplomacy, religion, constitutional law and the law, the Queen never went to school and did not have a university degree.
In fact, from childhood, she and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, received the best tutoring in England and learned fluent French. One of her mentors was Henry Marten, the dean of Eton College, an aristocratic school.
▲ The Queen served in the army during World War II. (Photo / Dazhi Images / Associated Press)
The Queen is a soldier and repairs cars.
In 1944, at the age of 18, Princess Elizabeth insisted on enlisting in World War II, so she joined the British Army Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) as a mechanic, learning how to change tyres, drive trucks and repair car engines.
The Queen shot her own rifle in 1993.
(Photo / Twitter)
The Queen learned to shoot at the age of 14.
In 1993, while visiting the National Shooting Center, she saw an L85 combat rifle that appeared to tickle her hand and was test-fired on the spot.
The king always loves to drive.
(Photo / Dazhi Imaging / Associated Press)
The Queen doesn ’ t have a driver ’ s license but loves driving.
Despite the royal chauffeur service, the Queen loves to go for a ride in her Jaguar Range Rover, wearing sunglasses and a Hermès silk headscarf.
But she doesn ’ t need a driver ’ s license, and the car doesn ’ t need a license.
In addition, although the Queen often travels around the world, she does not have a passport.
According to the official website of the British royal family, "because the British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty the Queen, the Queen does not need to hold a passport". In addition to her, other members of the royal family, including her son Prince Charles, need to use a passport.
The Queen married Prince Philip in 1947 and was crowned in June 1953.
(Photo / Dazhi Imaging / Associated Press)
The Queen ’ s wedding dress was purchased by herself.
As Britain was still in financial crisis in the years after the war, ration coupons were issued to ensure that every citizen received a “fair share ” of food, supplies and supplies. On 20 November 1947, the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, were engaged at Westminster Abbey and used ration coupons to buy dresses.
It is said that women across the UK gave their ration vouchers to the Queen in the hope of helping Her Majesty buy the dress of her dreams, but this was illegal and all were returned.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
(Photo / Instagram @ theroyalfamily)
6, the Queen's lovely nickname
In 1947, the Queen married Prince Philip, a cousin of the Greek royal family, until her husband died last year at the age of 99.
Robert Lacey, a British biographer and consultant on the Netflix series The Crown, has confirmed that Prince Philip privately called his wife “Cabbage. ”
Although it is not clear why, some speculate that it may have originated from the French phrase mon petit chou, which translates roughly to "my little cabbage" or "my little sweetheart."
The Queen loves to drink.
The Queen loves to drink both day and night.
Darren McGrady, a former royal chef, revealed in 2017 that the Queen would drink a Dopolis cocktail set every morning, red wine or champagne for lunch, and a dry martini and a small glass of champagne before going to bed after a busy day.
British Queen Elizabeth II fell in love with Koki as a child. (Photo / CFP)
Queen Elizabeth II and 007 at the London Olympics.
(Photo from YouTube / Olympics)
The Queen loves dogs.
The Queen, who has raised more than 30 dogs in her lifetime, not only takes care of them every day, but also takes her children to various occasions, including a photo on the cover of the magazine Vanity Fair and a photo shoot with Daniel Craig, who played British agent 007 at the opening of the 2012 London Olympics.
In 1933, the Queen ’ s father, George VI, was given the royal family ’ s first “Dookie ”, which made her fall in love with the short-legged dog ever since she was only eight years old. At the age of 18, the Queen received a birthday gift from her parents and the first“ Susan ” of her own. Raising the Children of Susan.
In 2005, at the age of 80, the Queen decided not to give birth to a baby because she did not want her dogs to be left alone and unaccompanied. In 2018, the last two of the royal family, Willow and Whisper, passed away.
The Queen attended the opening ceremonies of the House of Lords in 1966 and 2006.
(Photo / Dazhi Imaging / Associated Press)
▲ Queen Elizabeth is loved by the people. (Photo / Reuters)
The Queen has dolphins.
Since the 12th century, the British royal family has claimed to have all the mute swans in the country because the bird is “highly valued as a delicacy at banquets, ” according to the US monthly Reader ’ s Digest.
Another law, dating from 1324, allowed British rulers to own all the whales, sturgeons and dolphins in their territory, which are also known as “fishes royal ”.
The Queen almost never takes money.
Although the Queen carried her handbag with her, there was reportedly no cash inside.
The Queen rarely takes money when she goes out, only carrying an ironed and folded banknote that she can donate after church service.
"Mourning the crowds with tears and flowers" outside the Buckingham Palace sing the national anthem taxi drivers
Share with friends:
※ This article is copyrighted and cannot be reproduced without permission. [ETtoday Copyright Notice]
Related News
Hot News
The best video
And more.
Hot News
Back to the top.

Despite this pampered life, the corgis retained a playful and cheeky personality.

Title:

Content: Prince William reassures fan that Queen Elizabeth II’s beloved corgis are ‘fine’

As Prince William surprised mourners waiting outside Westminster Hall to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II on Saturday, one had a pressing question on her mind: How are the late Queen’s beloved corgis faring?

“I saw them the other day,” the recently anointed Prince of Wales, 40, said in response.

“They’re being looked after fine. They’re two very friendly corgis. They’ve got a good home, they’re being looked after very well.”

The woman looked rather relieved to hear this, offering her condolences to William before he continued down the line.

It’s widely known that Queen Elizabeth harbored a lifelong adoration for the dog breed.

When she died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96, she left two of them behind: Muick and Sandy, along with a cocker spaniel named Lissy. Another one of her much-loved pups, an elderly dachshund-corgi mix named Candy, reportedly passed away just months before the Queen‘s death.

As Prince William alluded, Muick and Sandy have already safely moved in with Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson – with whom he still cohabitates – at their shared residence in Windsor. Meanwhile, Lissy is reportedly staying with her trainer, per E!.

As previously reported, it was back in 1933 when Queen Elizabeth II received her first corgi, Dookie. The pooch was gifted to the then-7-year-old by her father, George VI.

The late Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis throughout her life, getting her first one in 1933 at age 7.

Getty Images

The late Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis throughout her life, getting her first one in 1933 at age 7.

Getty Images

The late Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis throughout her life, getting her first one in 1933 at age 7.

Getty Images

The late Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis throughout her life, getting her first one in 1933 at age 7.

Bettmann Archive

The late Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis throughout her life, getting her first one in 1933 at age 7.

Bettmann Archive

The late Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis throughout her life, getting her first one in 1933 at age 7.

Getty Images

The late Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis throughout her life, getting her first one in 1933 at age 7.

Getty Images

Ad
Up Next
7

View Slideshow

Then, on the Queen’s 18th birthday in 1944, her parents gave her another corgi-pup, this one named Susan.

It’s been reported that, of the more than 30 corgis Queen Elizabeth was said to have owned over her lifetime, many were Susan’s descendants. The lineage sadly ended in 2015, however, when her last living progeny, Willow, died at the age of 15.

The Duke and Duchess of York brought Muick – along with another pooch named Fergus who tragically succumbed to a congenital heart defect very shortly thereafter – into the Queen’s life in March of 2021 to cheer her up in light of her late husband Prince Philip’s declining health. The late Duke of Edinburgh died at the age of 99 that April.

From there, Sandy found her way to Buckingham Palace on the occasion of the Queen’s 95th birthday.

She seemed to have no problem fitting right into the royal lifestyle, easily making her way into the monarch’s heart after the loss of her husband.

The Queen carried unwrapped dog biscuits in her handbag and could command her corgis to perform tricks like rolling over with simple gestures, illustrating their strong bond.

Title:

Content: Skip to main contentSkip to navigation

‘I love writing for children’: Emma Thompson and Axel Scheffler on their amazing shaggy dog story

The Oscar-winning actor and the Gruffalo illustrator have teamed up to create a tale about a scruffy hound. They discuss corgis, comic books and how their friendship began

Axel Scheffler was an unknown illustrator, working largely for Good Housekeeping magazine, when he received a letter in response to a small exhibition of his work. It was from Emma Thompson, a young actor who had begun to attract attention with TV series such as Fortunes of War and Tutti Frutti. Neatly written in fountain pen, it inquired whether he would accept a commission. “Ken Branagh, my chap, runs his own theatre company,” it explained. He was playing Hamlet to her sister Sophie’s Ophelia and she wanted something to commemorate a moment in time. “I have a vague notion of what you charge for your work, which doesn’t seem to me to be enough,” it went on. “I enclose a picture of Ken and Sophie in case it’s of use.”

Scheffler still has the letter and has brought it along 34 years later to an interview to mark their first literary collaboration, on a children’s picture book, Jim’s Spectacular Christmas. “That’s amazing,” says Thompson of the letter, which predates her six-year marriage to Branagh and was written from the flat they shared in 1988. Then she trumps it, by announcing that she still has the envelope in which Scheffler sent the two pictures. It was decorated with a picture of Hamlet sitting on a skull “looking really depressed” and it sits framed above a loo in her home to this day.

So began a correspondence that continued over the years with requests to Scheffler to design letterheads for both Thompson and her actor mother, Phyllida Law. Though they never actually met in person, they exchanged gifts on the birth of their first children; hers to him was a food hamper; his to her was a picture of a pig wheeling a pram. A pig? Yes, she explains, a pig is her letterhead emblem. When she later became a dame he drew her a picture of a pig wearing a dame badge. “So, without ever meeting, Axel has been part of the illustration of my la-i-ife.” She draws the vowel out into a camp diphthong as part of a running joke with Scheffler as to which of them will seem most exciting to the children for whom their new book is intended: the actor who starred as Nanny McPhee and now as Mrs Trunchbull in the film of Matilda the Musical or the illustrator of the mega-selling Gruffalo books.

We’re sitting in a grand upstairs room at the V&A museum, having skittered along corridors, through porticos and galleries just like the protagonist of their book. He’s a small scruff of a dog named Jim, with a “gamey whiff” and a “rheumy eye”. He’s based on a terrier that was, in real life, the faithful companion of the V&A’s founder and first director, Sir Henry Cole, who left a handy sketch of him and commemorated him with a plaque in the museum. In Thompson’s telling, Jim is rescued from life as a canine chimney brush after tumbling down a flue in a cloud of soot into a gathering of museum worthies. From that inglorious beginning he goes on to become part of the 19th-century invention of Christmas, presenting Queen Victoria with the world’s first commercial Christmas card.

The card, drawn to Cole’s design by his artist friend John Horsley, still exists and copying it has given Scheffler an unprecedented opportunity to depict a child drinking wine: “That’s really not allowed in children’s books,” he points out. Other historical details include the small printing press on which the cards were produced for Cole, an innovator who was also instrumental in introducing the world’s first postage stamp, the penny black. Humorously told and drawn though it is, this is a history book as well as a shaggy dog story – a delicate balancing act that became clear when it came to the portrayal of Queen Victoria, whose chest is being dabbed by her solicitous husband, Albert, to rid it of a tea stain when Jim catches his first glimpse of the royal family. “I thought she was still very young but you describe her as round, so I made her a little bit more – well – round,” says Scheffler.

Thompson, who has always taken her historical research seriously, points out that Victoria would indeed have still been young by 21st-century standards – she was only 42 when Prince Albert died and he is still very much alive in the story – but by that time she was somewhat altered by having given birth to nine children in 17 years. Underpinning Jim’s story is the bigger history of the creation of Albertopolis, the west London museum quarter that was dreamed up by the prince as part of a vision of culture for the masses and is now the home to the Science and National History museums as well as the V&A. “When you start reading about Albert you realise what an incredible bloke he was,” says Thompson. “He was so much more cultured and sophisticated really than our lot are. It was a great tragedy that he died so young, because I think he would have made lots of changes.”

Royal corgis do not come out of it so well: Thompson depicts a stoutly entitled one chasing poor Jim out of the palace. “I just feel as though the corgis might be a bit spoilt,” she says. “But I think actually it’s very likely that the Queen [Elizabeth] was quite fierce with them and that they were very well trained.” This isn’t entirely a matter of conjecture. “I did actually see her do this once. She opened her handbag, in which she had an unwrapped dog biscuit, and when she drew three circles over the head of three corgis they all rolled over. It was like a circus trick, but the thing I really loved was that she had an unwrapped dog biscuit in her handbag. I thought, well, that’s got to make your hankie smell a bit.” This prompts a bit of banter between the duo as to what else she might have kept in her omnipresent bag: carrots for the royal horses, perhaps.

Thompson writes like she talks: irreverent, refreshingly un-grand and with a comic timing that is accentuated in the book by Scheffler’s deployment of mini-tableaux: Jim having a bath, reading a book or slurping up a bowl of custard. The actor was an early connoisseur of comic-book humour, who once wrote a fan letter to the creators of Asterix and received the reply that they were delighted to have made a small English girl laugh. Scheffler, growing up in Germany at around the same time, was a devotee of a comic-strip bear called Petzi, by the Danish husband and wife team Vilhelm and Carla Hansen.

It was Thompson who brought Scheffler in on Jim’s Spectacular Christmas, having already written the story, complete with character sketches, and folded them up into a little book. Though an award-winning screenwriter, she had no ambition to diversify into picture books, she says. But she agreed to this one because it was pitched to her as an invitation from Henry Cole himself, just as the three Peter Rabbit books she has previously written were pitched as invitations from Peter: “There’s still a little bit of me that thinks it was Peter Rabbit himself who asked me,” she says. “I love writing for children. I think it’s perhaps a legacy from dad.” Her sister, Sophie, also now writes books for children. Their father, Eric Thompson, presented the children’s TV programme Play School and went on to create and narrate The Magic Roundabout.

The question is not if, but when, Thompson and Scheffler will collaborate again – they circle around the idea during the interview as if neither can quite believe that the other would actually stoop to it. When time’s up we’re ushered out along the corridors to a staircase that museum staff have identified as the exact one that Scheffler has depicted, where an excited gaggle of east London schoolchildren awaits.

Settling herself on the steps in their midst, beside a large cardboard cut-out of Jim, Thompson asks who has heard of the Gruffalo and a rafter-rattling cheer goes up. Scheffler lurks in the shadows as she starts to read from the book. “Now what,” she asks, “do you think ‘a gamey whiff’ means?”

Jim’s Spectacular Christmas, written by Emma Thompson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, is published by Puffin (£14.99). To support the Guardian and Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply

Most viewed

Most viewed

These dogs sometimes caused mischief around the palace, playfully teasing servants or making unwanted marks—earning them the affectionate label of “hooligans” in a setting where they nonetheless received firm and loving training from the Queen.

The royal corgis’ endearing and whimsical image has made a significant mark on popular culture, most notably inspiring the 2019 animated film “Royal Corgi.”

Title:

Content: Sunday, Sep 11, 2022

Annual ‘Tour de Corgi’ event to include new ‘Queen Elizabeth’ costume category to honour the monarch

“We all have a very strong affection for her as a fellow corgi lover," Tour de Corgi founder Tracy Stewart was quoted as saying

Queen Elizabeth II is seen walking in the private grounds of Windsor Castle, in England, on steps at the rear of the East Terrace and East Garden with four of her dogs: clockwise from top left Willow (corgi), Vulcan (dorgie), Candy (dorgie) and Holly (AP/PTI)

As a tribute to the late UK monarch Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away at the age of 96 at her Balmoral estate in Scotland on September 8, after reigning for 70 long years, the Tour de Corgi parade — an annual event that celebrates the dog breed corgi — will include a new element this year that is likely to make fans of the British royal family and corgi lovers happy.

Buy Now | Our best subscription plan now has a special price

It is no secret that the queen was extremely fond of dogs, especially corgis, from a very early age, and that she had been breeding them until 2018, when she finally realised that she may have to leave some of them behind after her death.

According to Country Living, the queen had four dogs at the time of her death: two Pembroke Welsh Corgis, a Dorgi (Corgi-Dachshund mix), and a Cocker Spaniel named Lissy, who joined the family only this year, in January 2022.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)

In her lifetime, she reportedly bred 14 generations of corgis, and even famously declared: “My corgis are family.”

According to an Independent report, Queen Elizabeth‘s love for her four-legged friends was well-documented during this year’s platinum jubilee celebrations in the UK, when the sky above Buckingham Palace was lit up with images of the dog breed.

The publication mentioned that the Tour de Corgi parade this year — which has been taking place in Fort Collins, Colorado since 2014 — will include a “Queen Elizabeth and her corgis” costume competition, in “memorium and to honour her”, quoting the event’s organisers who shared this with a local newspaper ‘The Coloradoan‘.

This is a May 12, 1973 file photo of Queen Elizabeth II sitting with her corgis, at Virginia Water to watch competitors, including Prince Philip in the Marathon of the European Driving Championship, part of the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Tour de Corgi founder Tracy Stewart was quoted as saying, “We all have a very strong affection for her as a fellow corgi lover. I think it is just, you know, our dogs are such a big part of our hearts that it creates a very heartfelt connection.”

Advertisement

The aforementioned event will take place on October 1, 2022, and will conclude with a corgi parade through the town.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @bronskiandfriends

According to a Reader’s Digest report, the queen was fond of corgis because of their “energy and untamed spirit”, and the fact that her parents welcomed the family’s first corgi, Dookie, in 1933. Eleven years later, in 1944, the queen’s father gifted her a corgi named Susan for her 18th birthday. The pupper even accompanied her on her honeymoon, and gave birth to a pair of puppies in 1949, which reportedly marked the beginning of the royal line of corgis.

📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!

First published on: 11-09-2022 at 07:10:45 pm
Next Story

Bombay High Court says judicial system answerable to accused, fair and speedy trial expected

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

This film humorously depicts a royal corgi named Rex navigating his privileged yet mischievous life at the palace, reflecting the real-life exuberance and affection of the Queen’s dogs.

Title:

Content: Watch movies for $1
Alerts from Kinoafisha
Soon at the box office "Hold a Kick" 1
We remind you about the release of your favorite premieres and main news directly in the browser!
Menus
Your tickets in your personal account
"Royal Corgi": Review of the Movie poster
Ksenia Reutova about the cartoon, which forgot to make children 's
For the first few minutes, the characters of the “Royal Corgi ” do not say a word – and these are the best minutes of the film.
The childhood of the protagonist really does not need dialogue.
Prince Philip gives his wife a charming puppy of her favorite breed.
Queen Elizabeth is delighted.
And although three adult dogs already live in the palace, the newcomer quickly becomes the mistress ’ favorite.
He shamelessly enjoys a privileged position: a hooligan, leaves his marks in the wrong places, mocks the servants and rips slippers on the British flag.
A few months later, Prince Philip discovers that the nightstand, once filled with family photos, no longer has his joint portraits with Elizabeth - only the portraits of the corgi remain.
Things are not going so smoothly.
The laws of modern commercial animation require that the characters speak, so immediately after the credits, the grown-up Rex ’ s voice cuts through.
It turns out that brought up at the court of the Corgi turned into a brazen and arrogant proud man.
He calls himself “Her Majesty ’ s first dog ” and collects mugs and T-shirts with his image.
Of course, fate will teach him a lesson.
As a result of the betrayal by one of the inhabitants of the palace, Rex will be on the street, and from there he will get to a dog shelter, where he will find real friends and great love.
Vulgarity is the last thing you can expect from a family movie about blue bloods, but it is the word that perfectly characterizes many episodes of the “Royal Corgi ”.
Before the British monarchy, the authors, however, are quite sincerely reverent and do not dare to touch it: the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh appear slightly grumpy and absent-minded, but generally cute and charming old men.
But when the frame appears American President Donald, a master of inappropriate wittiness and a lover of selfies, the creators of the picture give vent to the most daring fantasies.
The leader of the United States also turns out to be a connoisseur of corgi and tries to match Rex with his pet Mitzi.
In the original, he makes it a command of "Grab some puppy" - an obvious reference to the scandalous "Grab them by the pussy".
Donald ’ s dog, adopted the most disgusting habits of the owner, brazenly harassit a British relative.
There is a remark about sympathies for “thoroughbred males ”, which are allegedly adored by“ all girls ”.
How much this will appeal to young children, far from geopolitical battles, is a big question.
Even when the American president leaves home, the jokes for the parents continue.
The Rex shelter is surrounded not only by dogs of other breeds, but also by a variety of allusions to the world cinema and animation classics.
Here ’ s Rocky ’ s training, here ’ s Shrek ’ s cat ’ s eyes, here ’ s the secret dog fight club, and here ’ s the comparison with Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games.
The beloved of the hero Wanda and did get into the picture straight from the Disney masterpiece “Lady and the Tramp ”.
Carried away by content for adults, the authors completely forget that the film moms and dads actually come not alone.
The younger audience of the "Royal Corgi" from their side gets much less attention.
For children, there is a cute hairy muzzle of the main character (at the same time, which is characteristic, the rest of the court corgis look far from handsome), a couple of optional and completely unmemorable songs (yes, imagine, they also sing here!) and several really funny gags.
The process of turning Rex from an arrogant impudent to a team player and a real leader - and this is exactly what the script promises at first - is completely undisclosed: the character simply and without any explanation in the middle of the film changes behavior.
The most offensive thing is that scenes without words, from jogging in the drum of the washing machine to flying on fire hoses, are invariably good: the animators did their part of the work in good faith, but the screenwriters for some reason were lazy.
It seems that it was not necessary to re-educate a dog here at all.
Related video
“Turned not in her favor ”: disgraced Uspenskaya brought to clean water
“I want to borrow my clothes ”: came on stage Lolita caused a dash
“Traces of operations are evident ”: the state of Pugacheva was explained
I could not go abroad: here is what is known about the state of Yudashkin
The test of Soviet cinema, which is only possible for those who grew up in the USSR
“It ’ s been a difficult year ”: leaving the country Tsiskaridze made a statement
“To the theater survived ”: the director of Lenkom shed light on the future of the role deprived Zakharova
“I am grateful to him ”: Akinshina did not remain silent about the role of Kozlovsky in her life
“The transformation was good ”: the people gasped at the sight of Prigozhin
The truth about the state of Vaikule was revealed by a famous journalist: this is what happened
“It is better to go to another theater ”: Karachentsov ’ s widow opened her eyes to the future in Lenkom
“Why are you doing this? ”: another lie Razin about Shatunov debunked

Together, these details paint a vivid picture of the royal corgis’ enchanting lives: pampered yet playful companions who shared daily routines marked by love, ritual, and personality.