Queen Elizabeth II was defined by her stalwart dedication to her country as the UK’s longest-reigning monarch. And while she was famous for her stoicism and duty-first approach to leadership, one thing that she couldn’t deny was her love for her pet corgis, Muik and Sandy, and dorgi, Candy.

In a heartwarming moment you may have forgotten, the Queen, while sorting through letters from royal fans during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, was captured tending to Candy in Buckingham Palace. See the moment in the video above.

The corgis were honoured during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee© PA Images via Getty ImagesThe corgis were honoured during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Elizabeth’s pups did not leave her side during her Jubilee celebrations, and the Jubilee concert featured a giant corgi that lit up the sky, made from drones.

The Queen’s love of corgis

The late Queen’s love of corgis began when she was a child, when her father, King George VI, brought home a corgi named Dookie.

a young girl holding a pet corgi © Getty ImagesQueen Elizabeth’s love for the breed began when she was young

Elizabeth’s most significant pup was Susan, who was a beautiful corgi given to Elizabeth as an 18th birthday present in 1944. Susan was so beloved that she even accompanied the Queen and Prince Philip on their honeymoon.

Other much-loved royal corgis the Queen has owned over the years include Willow, Holly, Vulcan, Monty, Honey, Berry, Emma, and Linnet.

Queen Elizabeth II photographing her corgis at Windsor Park in 1960 in Windsor, England.© GettyQueen Elizabeth II considered her corgis to be like family
Royal pups

Although they were royal by family, they were also treated as such by the Queen. According to Brian Hoey in the 2013 book “Pets by Royal Appointment,” the Queen’s Corgis were fed promptly at 5 p.m. each night and dined on a filet of steak and chicken breast that a chef had expertly prepared. 

queen corgisThe pups were treated like royalty too!

The menu, reportedly created from scratch with fresh ingredients, was typed up daily and placed in the kitchen. Their meals were also hand-delivered to the lucky pups by a footman, while the Queen would sometimes pour gravy over their feast before they began eating.