From Queen Elizabeth’s corgis to King Charles’ terriers, the Royal Family is known for being huge dog lovers. So much so that Queen Elizabeth’s pups reportedly had seven staff members to prepare their food – plus, their own designated footmen!
Queen Elizabeth owned more than 30 corgis in her lifetime, making them an iconic symbol of her reign, but she wasn’t the only royal with a passion for pups.
Queen Camilla has adopted multiple dogs from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, Prince William has had multiple pooches, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has rescued dogs while actively advocating for the #AdoptDontShop movement.
Below, we take a closer look at the Royal Family’s dogs over the years, with insights from Jack Stooks, a royal commentator on behalf of Slingo.
1. Prince William and Princess Katherine
Back when the pair were dating, Katherine had a dog that used to visit Highgrove (the royal residence in Gloucestershire), while William had a shooting dog named Widgen, according to Jack. Widgen lived in Norfolk but would sometimes come to Highgrove and passed away in 2010.
Jack says: "They had a cocker spaniel named Lupo, who died a few years ago. Then they got another similar to Lupo, a black spaniel named Orlagh. I think both Lupo and Orlagh were gifts from Kate’s brother. William has also mentioned that their dogs always sleep on the bed with them."
2. Prince Harry and Meghan
In 2015, Meghan adopted a rescue beagle named Guy, who was destined for a kill shelter in Kentucky. After 10 years together, he sadly passed away in January 2025.
Meghan shared on Instagram: "Thank you for so many years of unconditional love, my sweet Guy. You filled my life in ways you’ll never know."
According to Jack, Prince Harry and Meghan currently have a beagle named Mia (short for Mamma Mia) and a black Labrador called Pula. They chose the name Pula after the currency of Botswana, the country where Harry took Meghan when they first started dating.
3. King Charles
King Charles recently welcomed a new dog to the palace, a Lagotto Romagnolo named Snuff. This rare breed originates from Ravenna, Italy, and is often used for truffle hunting thanks to its exceptional sense of smell. Since the news of his new dog, interest in Lagottos has increased by 53%.
Before Snuff, the King had two brown-and-white Jack Russells named Tigger and Rue. According to Jack, Rue went down a rabbit hole in Scotland and was never found again, while Tigger stayed at Highgrove until she died.
Jack says: "Tigger was buried just outside the walled garden in a little wooden coffin. There is a statue of her in the wall. She was placed outside the walled garden because she would often get lost and was always found in there, stuck.
“They liked the idea of putting her just outside the walled garden so she would never be stuck in there again. There is another sculpture of Tigger in the stumpery."
4. Queen Elizabeth II
On her 18th birthday, Queen Elizabeth was gifted a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Susan. The late Queen had more than 30 Corgis (and Dorgis, which are Corgi-Dachshund mixes) in her lifetime, and most dogs bred after Susan were her descendants.
When the Queen passed away in September 2022, her remaining dogs (Muick and Fergus) were inherited by her son Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Duchess of York.
Jack says: “The late Queen obviously had her famous corgis throughout her life and absolutely adored them."
5. Queen Camilla
Queen Camilla most recently adopted a rescue puppy from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home named Moley, given the name due to his resemblance to a mole. His mother is part Jack Russell Terrier, which is her favorite dog breed.
Camilla had two Jack Russells, Beth and Bluebell, who were also adopted from Battersea in 2011 and 2012. Beth sadly passed away in November 2024, and it’s believed she was euthanized due to an untreatable tumor.
Her dogs even featured on her coronation gown, with two gold motifs embroidered onto the bottom trim. Now that’s love!
6. Princess Anne
Princess Anne has had multiple bull terriers over the years, but they haven't always had the best reputation for their behavior.
In 2002, Anne was fined £500 after her dog Dotty attacked two children. The following year, Dotty also attacked one of Queen Elizabeth's corgis, who later died as a result.
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Edited by Georgia Guerin.
