PALACE PETS

Four-legged friends have been part of the royal story for over a century. Meet the modern-day menagerie

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When it comes to love and loyalty, the Royal Family know you can't beat a furry friend. For generations, palace life has been filled with wagging tails, galloping hooves and even the occasional cluck, each animal holding a special place in their hearts. It all began in 1882, when Queen Victoria's son Prince Leopold became the first British royal to rehome a rescue pup, adopting a fox terrier named Skippy from Battersea Dogs Home.

No one embodied that bond more than Queen Elizabeth II. Her first corgi, Susan – an 18th birthday gift from her father, King George VI, in 1944 - ignited a lifelong love affair with the breed, so much so that the dogs became as much a part of her image as pearls and handbags. The pampered pup even joined her honeymoon with Prince Philip in 1947. That devotion endured until her final days. After her passing in September 2022, the pooches found a new home at Royal Lodge with her son the Duke of York and his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, both 65, who continue to care for them on the Windsor Great Park estate.

A PASSION PASSED DOWN