The Corgis
Amongst the degrees of negative emotions displayed by the British is the term “miffed” Generally associated with events over which they have no control.
A prime example would be “I am seriously miffed that my new bride has decided to bring her dog with her on our honeymoon.”
The passing of our beloved Queen Elizabeth II generated discussions of all sorts. People reminisced, the sadness was palpable, total strangers from foreign lands consoled us, the world mourned with us, but as soon as folks discovered my former profession, the discussion always appeared to lead to the same inevitable question.
What did I think of the Queen’s corgis?
For anyone unaware, Queen Elizabeth not only had a love of horses and racing but also was equally passionate about her corgi dogs and their breeding.
It should be noted that there are two types of corgi. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi.
The Pembroke is slightly smaller than the Cardigan, but to most people, there appears to be little difference. They were originally bred to herd cattle but are rarely used for the purpose these days.
A gift
Her first corgi was a gift on her 18th birthday in 1944 called Susan and led to a breeding program which resulted in Her Majesty owning some 30 corgis plus dorgis and cocker spaniels. The others in the litter were given to friends.
The royal canines had their own quarters known as the Corgi Room. It provided elevated baskets, comfortable bedding and a gourmet diet. Her Majesty supervised the regime personally and even arranged for Christmas stockings to be made and filled with treats and toys. According to a former chef who worked at Buckingham Palace, the pampered pooches were served fresh food daily and were looked after by two footmen with the nicknames Doggie 1 and Doggie 2. Her Majesty walked her dogs twice daily until the task was too much, and this is believed to be a contributory factor in the Queen’s longevity and good health.
For any of you old enough to remember the time of the Queen Mother, you may know that she also was a dog lover, so it is hardly surprising that her daughter was also committed to animals and their welfare. The only difference between mother and daughter is that the Queen Mother insisted on a very disciplined approach to having dogs around.
The Queen was introduced to the corgi breed by the children of the Marquees of Bath when she was still Princess Elizabeth, and her father George VI, brought one home. That first one was called Dookie.
For those who are interested in large wild animals, the ancestral home of the Marquees of Bath is Longleat House, and in its grounds is The Longleat Safari Park.
The Dorgi
The introduction of a dachshund into the mix created the Dorgi. and there is a general consensus that The Queen was responsible for this particular hybrid. The original dachshund responsible for this cross was Pipkin, who belonged to The Queen’s sister Princess Margaret. The Sovereign, when asked about the disparity in height between the two breeds and how did the dachshund reach. Her Majesty smiled and, with a twinkle in her eye, replied:
“We have a large brick!!!”
It was common knowledge that the Queen’s husband, Prince Phillip the Duke of Edinburgh, was not the greatest fan of the corgis and was decidedly miffed to find one of them hidden under a blanket accompanying them on their honeymoon!! I guess us fellas have a degree of sympathy for the Duke or, as we affectionately but irreverently knew him, Phil the Greek. Let’s be honest the last thing you want on your honeymoon is the distraction of a canine, particularly a possessive one.
It is reported that in 2015 The Queen stopped her breeding programme as she didn’t want to leave a lot of young dogs behind in the event of her death. She leaves behind four dogs – two corgis, one dorgi and one cocker spaniel.
The two corgis are Sandy and Muick (pronounced Mick). The dorgi is called Candy, and finally, the cocker spaniel goes by the very apt name of Lissy.
Upon the Queen’s death, it was announced that the surviving dogs would either be looked after by Prince Andrew and Sara Ferguson, Duchess of York, their daughters and Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie or a member of the royal household.
Over the years, there were many reports of incidents surrounding the corgis, and it must be said that the royal canines were not very discriminating about who they bit!!
Those on the receiving end included the palace clock winder, a policeman, a postman, a chauffeur, various members of the staff, several members of the royal family and also the Queen herself, who was obliged to have stitches in her hand as a result of attempting to break up a fight between a number of the corgis. While they were at it, the corgis themselves needed the attention of veterinary surgeons to treat injuries received over the decades.
It is well documented that the services of Roger Mugford, a renowned canine behaviourist, were sought but it was quite obvious that in a building the size of Buckingham Palace that contains 775 rooms, a pack of dogs with the minimum of discipline would create a degree of mayhem.
Finally, a little known footnote
In 1968 Peter Muir Doig MP, the member of parliament for Dundee West in Scotland, proposed that the royal staff at Balmoral Castle, the Queens Scottish residence, erect a sign saying BEWARE OF THE DOG.
As far as I am aware, no such sign was erected, and in the famous words of her illustrious, paternal, great-great-grand mother Queen Victoria, I have no doubt that the response of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth would have been…….
WE ARE NOT AMUSED!!
“I am not short, I am fun sized. Short is a matter of perspective.”
Corgi Quotes