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Corgi royal history: how the breed became linked to the British crown

See the real story – guest starring your dog.

You may be picturing a dog trotting beside Queen Elizabeth II, and that image has real history behind it. Her corgi story began in 1944, when she was given a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Susan for her 18th birthday. But corgis had a working life in Wales long before they ever saw a palace, as cattle-herding dogs bred for a very different job.

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The story in 6 parts

A short version first. The full story, with every detail, is further down.

Part 1

Before the palace: corgis as Welsh herding dogs

Their job was to herd cattle, nipping at the animals' heels to keep them moving.

Part 2

How corgis entered the royal household

The royal connection began in 1933, when the Duke of York, later King George VI, brought home a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Dookie.

Part 3

Queen Elizabeth II and her corgis

Susan, given to Elizabeth for her 18th birthday in 1944, became the common ancestor of all the Pembrokes she would later own.

Part 4

Dorgis and other royal crossbreeds

The first dorgi appeared after one of Elizabeth's corgis mated with Pipkin, a dachshund belonging to Princess Margaret.

Part 5

The royal effect on the breed's popularity

Royal ownership raised the Pembroke Welsh Corgi's profile for more than seventy years.

Part 6

Corgis in royal life today

After Elizabeth II died in September 2022, her two corgis, Muick and Sandy, went to live with Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, who had originally chosen the puppies as gifts for the Queen.

Read the full story

Part 1

Before the palace: corgis as Welsh herding dogs

Their job was to herd cattle, nipping at the animals' heels to keep them moving. Their low, long build let them dodge the kicks of the cattle they herded. Some trace the breed's origins back as far as the 10th century. If you have ever watched your own dog try to herd a ball or a child across a room, you have seen a trace of that old job.

Part 2

How corgis entered the royal household

The royal connection began in 1933, when the Duke of York, later King George VI, brought home a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Dookie. The breeder, Thelma Gray, had shown a litter of puppies to the family, and they chose Dookie. A young Princess Elizabeth grew up feeding Dookie by hand from a dish held by a footman. The family later added a second corgi named Jane, and Elizabeth's mother set a strict routine for the dogs, with raised wicker baskets and meals approved by veterinary experts. If you have ever fed your own dog from a special bowl, you can picture how the young princess bonded with Dookie.

Part 3

Queen Elizabeth II and her corgis

Susan, given to Elizabeth for her 18th birthday in 1944, became the common ancestor of all the Pembrokes she would later own. Over her reign, Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis, many of them descended from Susan through generations that included Sugar, Heather, Willow, and Holly. She ran a breeding program at Windsor Castle and personally chose the sires for litters, and her purebred puppies carried the Windsor kennel name. In 2012 she told her equine advisor that she no longer wanted to breed corgis, because she did not want to leave a young dog behind. If you have ever bred a litter from your own dog, you will understand the careful choices that went into pairing each generation.

Part 4

Dorgis and other royal crossbreeds

The first dorgi appeared after one of Elizabeth's corgis mated with Pipkin, a dachshund belonging to Princess Margaret. The two breeds' crossbred puppies became known as dorgis, and the Queen went on to keep several, including Cider, Berry, Vulcan, and Candy.

Part 5

The royal effect on the breed's popularity

Royal ownership raised the Pembroke Welsh Corgi's profile for more than seventy years. In the United States, American Kennel Club registrations rose from 50th place among recognized breeds in 1968 to 11th by 2023. In the United Kingdom, though, the breed's popularity declined enough that the Kennel Club added it to its vulnerable native breeds list in 2013, when only 241 puppies were registered that year. The UK Kennel Club has pointed to television productions such as The King's Speech and The Crown as sparking new interest in the breed.

Part 6

Corgis in royal life today

After Elizabeth II died in September 2022, her two corgis, Muick and Sandy, went to live with Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, who had originally chosen the puppies as gifts for the Queen. The corgis have been remembered in public tributes too, including a bronze memorial on The Mall showing the Queen Mother with two corgis. A Golden Jubilee commemorative coin also pictured Elizabeth II with one of her corgis. If you walk your own dog past a statue or portrait of a corgi, you are seeing part of that same legacy.

Things you might not know

  • But corgis had a working life in Wales long before they ever saw a palace, as cattle-herding dogs bred for a very different job.
  • The first dorgi appeared after one of Elizabeth's corgis mated with Pipkin, a dachshund belonging to Princess Margaret.
  • Royal ownership raised the Pembroke Welsh Corgi's profile for more than seventy years.

Year by year

  1. 1933The royal connection began in 1933, when the Duke of York, later King George VI, brought home a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Dookie.
  2. 1944Her corgi story began in 1944, when she was given a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Susan for her 18th birthday.
  3. 1968In the United States, American Kennel Club registrations rose from 50th place among recognized breeds in 1968 to 11th by 2023.
  4. 2012In 2012 she told her equine advisor that she no longer wanted to breed corgis, because she did not want to leave a young dog behind.
  5. 2013In the United Kingdom, though, the breed's popularity declined enough that the Kennel Club added it to its vulnerable native breeds list in 2013, when only 241 puppies were registered that year.
  6. September 2022After Elizabeth II died in September 2022, her two corgis, Muick and Sandy, went to live with Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, who had originally chosen the puppies as gifts for the Queen.

Questions people ask

Why do corgis have a royal reputation?

Corgis have been part of the British royal family since 1933, and Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 of them across her seventy-year reign.

How many corgis did Queen Elizabeth II own?

She owned more than 30 corgis over her lifetime, most of them descended from her first personal corgi, Susan.

What is a dorgi?

A dorgi is a cross between a corgi and a dachshund. The first one appeared after one of Elizabeth's corgis mated with Pipkin, a dachshund belonging to Princess Margaret.

When did the royal family first get a corgi?

The future King George VI brought home a corgi named Dookie in 1933.

Are corgis still kept by the royal family today?

After Elizabeth II died in 2022, her corgis Muick and Sandy went to live with Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York.

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Sources

  1. Pembroke Welsh Corgi History: From Centuries-Old Cattle Herder to Family Pet. American Kennel Club.
  2. Royal corgis - Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org.
  3. Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Pembroke Welsh Corgis. American Kennel Club.
  4. All You Need To Know About The Queen's Corgis. Print Our Pet.
  5. Queen Elizabeth II’s Corgi Family Tree. Yahoo Life.
  6. Welsh Corgi - Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org.
  7. Pembroke Welsh Corgi - Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org.
  8. Corgi Island - About breed. corgipembroke.mozello.com.
  9. Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America - Brief History. pwcca.org.

Written by TimeWalkies EditorialLast updated How we research