What happens to Queen Elizabeth’s corgis when Andrew leaves Royal Lodge

Queen Elizabeth II was famously fond of corgis. Specifically, Pembroke Welsh corgis which are known for being intelligent, loyal, and playful. What’s not to love?

The Queen’s love affair with corgis started in 1944 when she received a pup named Susan for her eighteenth birthday. According to the BBC, Susan became the matriarch of a line that accompanied the queen for decades, and nearly every corgi that lived at the palace carried her lineage.

The late monarch’s affection for her dogs was legendary. Although she could have delegated their care, former royal chef Darren McGrady said that the Queen preferred to feed the dogs herself after afternoon tea.

Only two corgis remained at the time of her death in September 2022. Muick and Sandy were gifts from Prince Andrew and his daughters and became her final canine companions. They accompanied her around Windsor in her final months and were photographed grieving near the courtyard the day her coffin arrived at the castle.

What happened to the corgis after the Queen’s death?

After the Queen passed, the corgis were taken in by her son, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, and housed at Royal Lodge in Windsor. Although Buckingham Palace issued a statement to The Independent at the time confirming that “the corgis will remain with the family,” new questions have arisen now that Andrew’s situation has drastically changed.

In the wake of recent controversies, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles has stripped Andrew of his title and ordered him to leave Royal Lodge. The prospect of relocation raises questions about where the corgis will live. Royal Lodge sits on nearly one hundred acres of wooded land and gardens, and the dogs had spent their entire lives in expansive outdoor spaces similar to the environment they enjoyed with the Queen.

Why did their future become less certain?

Earlier this year, Sarah Ferguson described how Muick spent nearly a year grieving after the monarch’s death during a conversation with dog trainer Graeme Hall on Channel 5’s Dogs Behaving Very Badly. Although disrupting their sense of normalcy isn’t ideal, that’s exactly what is happening.

The Economic Times reports that King Charles III is considering moving the corgis to a more stable environment. However, Buckingham Palace has not yet confirmed these reports. No formal announcement has been issued identifying a new guardian or confirming that the King intends to intervene. For now, the corgis have not been relocated.

What this means for the corgis now

The Queen’s corgis followed her through palace corridors, accompanied her on holiday at Balmoral, and traveled with her between estates. When she received Susan in the 1940s, she brought the dog on her honeymoon to Broadlands. The corgis accompanied Elizabeth II throughout nearly every chapter of her life.

The care of the Queen’s precious companions now rests with family members. For now, that appears to be Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, but this may change. If the royal family has taught us anything, it’s that circumstances are rarely permanent.