Matthew Moore
The Queen and new Queen Consort enjoyed a close relationship, and Her Majesty even gave Camilla a gift during her first marriage
Queen
During her life, the Queen enjoyed a close relationship with the new Queen Consort, and she even gave her and her first husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, a sweet gift during their marriage.
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Writing in The Spectator, Andrew revealed that Her Majesty had gifted the happy couple with a corgi, called Windsor Flame, which he revealed was “wonderful, intelligent and brave”. The late monarch later gave them another corgi, named Danny, who was the opposite of these qualities and Andrew even wrote that the Queen wasn’t happy to get the dog back when Andrew and Camilla split.
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Andrew also shared how close the late royal was with her dogs, and revealed the time that animal psychologist Dr Roger Mugford once quipped: “There is barely anyone on the planet who could achieve that control over their dogs.”
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He also spoke about the Queen’s love of horses and knowledge of horse racing, explaining: “Her knowledge of breeding was second to none and the wellbeing of her horses was very important to her.”
He ended his sweet piece by posting: “Our late beloved sovereign, as always, got it right. We will not see her like again. May she rest in peace, ideally surrounded by dogs and horses.”
It wasn’t just the Queen Consort who had a close bond with Her Majesty, but so did Andrew as he served as a page boy at the Queen’s wedding. Meanwhile, his father was a close friend of the Queen Mother.
Her Majesty enjoyed the company of animals
Since ascending the throne in 1952, the Queen had owned more than 30 Corgis in her lifetime. At any given point, she had up to ten — and tolerated no less than the royal treatment for them.
The Queen’s father, King George VI, arguably sparked Elizabeth’s obsession with Corgis after she was gifted her first pup Susan on her milestone 18th birthday in 1944. Their bond proved so strong that Her Majesty even snuck her four-legged friend on her honeymoon in 1947!
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Meanwhile, the Queen was given her first pony, a Shetland mare, by her grandfather King George V when she turned four.
Beyond the saddle, the monarch has moreover established herself as a veritable racehorse breeder. Numbering around 180, the Queen’s horses and ponies are kept at various royal residences and stables, with many sharing a base at Balmoral and Sandringham.
Many of her thoroughbreds have gone on to win impressive titles, and in 2013 she even made sporting history when she became the first reigning monarch to win Royal Ascot’s Gold Cup with her thoroughbred, Estimate.
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