Queen Elizabeth II’s death: What will happen to her corgis? How many are left and what are they called?

Queen Elizabeth II, who died peacefully at Balmoral on Thursday 8 September, had a great adoration for corgis and she leaves behind a few of her pets.

Her Majesty’s obsession with corgis was no secret, as over the years the breed of dog became synonymous with the sovereign.

It all started in 1933 when then-Princess Elizabeth, aged seven, fell in love with her father bought a corgi, which was named Dookie.

After that they welcomed a second corgi, called Lady Jane, and from there a family tradition of breeding the dogs began.

Ever since, Elizabeth - both as Princess and Queen - had corgis throughout her entire life, right up until her death on September 8.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Queen’s corgis after her passing, including what will happen to them, what the remaining corgis were called, and how many corgis the Queen had throughout her life.

What will happen to the Queen’s corgis after her death?

Upon her death, the Queen left behind at least four dogs – two corgis, one dorgi (cross-breed of a Welsh corgi and dachshund), and one cocker spaniel.

Royal experts, including journalist Claudia Joseph, have speculated that Elizabeth’s dogs will be given to various family members.

“Andrew has cocker spaniels so he might take back the one he gave her. William and Kate also love dogs so they could have them,” Claudia Joseph told the New York Post.

What were the Queen’s corgis called?

Queen Elizabeth II’s two corgis that remain are called Muick and Sandy.

Her cocker spaniel is named Lissy, and her dorgi goes by the name of Candy.

How many corgis did the Queen have during her 70-year reign?

In total, the Queen owned more than 30 corgis throughout her 70-year reign. Many of them were part of the same bloodline.

Her Majesty was devastated in April 2018 when the final corgi of this direct family, Willow, died. At that point, she said she wasn’t going to have any more corgis as she was worried about leaving some behind.

But in 2021, the Queen was given two new puppies - a corgi and a dorgi - as a gift from the Duke of York. They kept her entertained in lockdown while her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, was hospitalised.