How British Royal Family Have Owned Michael Jackson-Style Menagerie of Exotic Pets

The British royal family‘s long fascination with animals has extended far beyond their well-known love of dogs, with a history that at times resembles a Michael Jackson-style menagerie of exotic creatures – ranging from pygmy hippos to crocodiles.

OK! can reveal for centuries, Britain’s monarchy has cultivated a deep association with animals, particularly dogs, with every English and British monarch since Henry VIII said to have favored them over cats.

That preference continues today under King Charles, who is widely regarded as a devoted dog owner.

According to royal author Brian Hoey, the King has a strong aversion to cats dating back to childhood.

Hoey wrote Charles “cannot bear” to touch them, adding a kitten gifted by his sister Princess Margaret at her death was rejected “on sight.”

While dogs remain central to royal life, insiders say the family’s broader history with animals reflects a more unusual pattern of ownership.

One source familiar with royal traditions said: “There has always been a sense that the royal household’s relationship with animals goes far beyond typical pet ownership – at various points it has bordered on the kind of eclectic collection more often associated with private menageries than domestic life.”

Another insider added: “From exotic gifts received during state visits to animals kept for companionship or curiosity, the variety is striking – it speaks to a longstanding tradition of accepting and accommodating creatures that most households would never encounter.”

Today’s senior royals continue the canine tradition. Charles owns a lagotto romagnolo named Snuff, while Queen Camilla keeps two Jack Russells – Bluebell Moley.

Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, have an English cocker spaniel, Orla, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle keep a beagle and a black Labrador.

Princess Anne has owned English bull terriers, while Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor keeps Norfolk terriers and inherited corgis from Queen Elizabeth II, who died at age 96.

The late Queen’s affection for animals extended well beyond dogs. During her reign, she accepted a number of unusual gifts from world leaders, including a pair of pygmy hippos from Liberia in 1961 and a baby crocodile named Mansa during a visit to the Gambia. Both animals were later housed in London Zoo.

In 1968, she was also given two sloths while visiting Brazil, followed by an elephant named Jumbo from Cameroon in 1972, further cementing the monarchy’s association with exotic wildlife.

Other members of the royal family have shared similar experiences. As children, Elizabeth and Margaret reportedly cared for a chameleon gifted by Lord Louis Mountbatten at his death.

Meanwhile, smaller pets such as rabbits, hamsters and birds have also featured in royal households, reflecting a broader culture of animal companionship.

Despite this diversity, cats have remained largely absent from royal residences in modern times. While Queen Victoria, who died at age 81, was known to keep Persian cats, and Prince Michael of Kent and his wife favor Burmese and Siamese breeds, feline ownership is otherwise rare among senior royals.

The royal family’s relationship with animals also carries controversy. In 2002, Anne became the first senior royal to receive a criminal conviction after one of her bull terriers attacked two children.

Beyond pets, Elizabeth’s passion for horses and racing pigeons further illustrated the breadth of royal animal interests, blending tradition with personal enthusiasm in a way that has defined the monarchy’s enduring connection to the animal world.

A source said palace insiders have jokingly compared the royals’ history with animals to Michael Jackson’s obsession with keeping a zoo-like menagerie of beasts.

The late King of Pop had a wide variety of exotic animals, largely housed at his Neverland Ranch private zoo.

His most famous pet was Bubbles the chimpanzee, alongside tigers Thriller and Sabu, as well as giraffes, elephants, snakes, llamas and various primates. His collection also included more common pets such as cats and dogs, and he had pet rats.

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