Sarah Ferguson’s attempt at a heartfelt tribute to her late mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, didn’t land as she intended — at least not with Prince William, a new report has claimed.
In May 2025, the former Duchess of York spoke about the monarch’s beloved corgis, Muick and Sandy, while appearing on stage at the Creative Woman Platform Forum in London.
“I have her dogs. I have her corgis, so every morning they come in and go, ‘Woof, woof,’ and all that and I’m sure it’s her talking to me,” Ferguson shared.
“The real thing is that I had the greatest honor to be her daughter-in-law. You know, that’s really huge,” she added. “When I was driving here, I saw the Elizabeth [train] line. … I want everyone to remember what an amazing lady she was.”
But instead of finding the anecdote touching, the Prince of Wales was allegedly left incensed. He was “apparently ‘furious’ that she used this anecdote,” royal expert Emily Andrews wrote in Woman magazine, as reported by Britain’s Daily Mirror.
William under scrutiny
As the outlet pointed out, news of William’s alleged frustration comes at a time when scrutiny around the heir to the throne is intensifying, with growing public interest in what kind of monarch he will eventually become when he succeeds his father, King Charles III.
Speaking to journalist Rob Shuter, who writes the Naughty But Nice column on Substack, a source described William as a leader focused less on emotion and more on long-term strategy.
“William is not afraid to make hard calls. And right now, that’s exactly what the royal family needs. Charles leads with his heart. William leads with strategy,” the source said.
Drawing a line
Prince William is focused on protecting the monarchy, with insiders describing him as strategic and unafraid to make tough calls. By: James Whatling / MEGA
He’s not big on second chances, the source added — a likely reference to Mountbatten-Windsor and Ferguson’s recent fall from grace following the release of troubling new information about their ties to predator Jeffrey Epstein.
“He doesn’t forget, and he doesn’t forgive easily,” the source said of William. “If you cross the line, that’s it.”
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams recently praised William to Daily Mail for having a “ruthless streak,” something Shuter’s source sees as a strength, not a weakness.
“Andrew is a problem. [Prince] Harry is a problem,” the source told Shuter. “William knows that — and he acts accordingly.”
According to the source, William is “not trying to be liked. He’s trying to protect the monarchy,” which is “under more pressure than ever. You need someone who can make tough, unpopular decisions. He understands the stakes. This isn’t just family — it’s a business.”
What happened to the queen’s corgis?
The late Queen Elizabeth II, who owned more than 30 corgis and dorgis — dachshund-corgi mixes — over her lifetime, was rarely seen without one of the dogs by her side. By: Vlad D on Unsplash
News of William’s alleged reaction to Ferguson’s comments about the late queen and her corgis has left some royal watchers wondering what happened to the dogs.
After the queen’s death, the pets moved in with the former Duke and Duchess of York at Royal Lodge. The arrangement made sense, as Andrew had originally gifted the dogs to his mother in 2021.
After the former couple was forced out of Royal Lodge in early 2026 by Charles — reportedly at William’s urging — Andrew relocated to a smaller residence on the king’s privately owned Sandringham estate, where the corgis appear to now reside with him. In recent months, Mountbatten-Windsor’s protection officers have been spotted walking the dogs on the grounds.