Photos: Queen Elizabeth’s Corgis and Pony Were Part of Her Funeral
As Queen Elizabeth‘s funeral procession traveled to St. George’s Chapel for her committal service, observers noticed her beloved pets were among the royal family members in attendance to honor her. Her corgis, Sandy and Muick, and her pony, Emma, faithfully waited as the procession escorted the late monarch to her final resting place.
Queen Elizabeth’s corgis and pony took part in her funeral
Queen Elizabeth’s funeral procession traveled about two and a half miles through Windsor, England, to St. George’s Chapel for her committal service. And her pony, Emma, stood loyally by, donning one of her owner’s scarves in tribute (per People).
The four horses that led the procession also belonged to the queen. George, Elizabeth, Darby, and Sir John led her coffin from Westminster Abbey to Windsor Castle.
They were among horses gifted to her by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, whose members rode them during the procession.
Outside Windsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth’s beloved corgis, Sandy and Muick, also waited for the procession to pass. They were her last two in a line of dozens she owned throughout her lifetime.
Queen Elizabeth’s love for corgis began with a birthday present
The American Kennel Club describes Queen Elizabeth as “perhaps the most famous Pembroke Welsh Corgi owner in history.”
And her love for the breed started early as her family had them as pets in her childhood. Then, she received a pup named Susan on her 18th birthday. And she was a once-in-a-lifetime companion, even accompanying the monarch on her honeymoon with Prince Philip.
As it would turn out, Susan was the first of the queen’s furry friends in an impressive line. According to ABC News, Queen Elizabeth owned up to 30 corgis and corgi mixes descending from Susan over her long lifetime.
Though she stopped adopting dogs to avoid leaving any behind, Muick and Sandy came to her when Philip died in 2021. Her son, Prince Andrew, gave her the dogs and will now care for them along with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
Queen Elizabeth’s love for horses
Queen Elizabeth supposedly loved the feel of a horse so much the first time she touched one that she didn’t wash her hands for the rest of the day (per CNN). As with corgis, it was a love that began early in her life and endured until the end.
The queen liked riding and breeding horses on the grounds of her palaces, but she also enjoyed attending the races with her horses. Raising one from birth, then seeing it become a champion racehorse, delighted her. But they also remained in her care once they retired.
So, it’s poignantly appropriate that those beloved animals were there to see her off. The royal family announced Queen Elizabeth was buried alongside Philip in a private service on Sept. 19, 2022.
