New puppies will keep the Queen company now Prince Philip has gone

The Queen has owned more than 30 dogs over the years
The Queen has owned more than 30 dogs over the years

She vowed not to breed any more dogs, fearing she might trip over them in her advancing years, or worse still – leave them behind when the time came.

Yet the Queen’s unexpected decision to take on two new puppies last month at the age of 94 will help her to cope with the loss of Prince Philip, according to royal insiders.

The dog-loving monarch surprised palace staff when she requested that they begin searching for a pair of pets to replace her beloved pooches.

The move followed the death of Her Majesty’s dorgi (a cross between a corgi and a dachshund) Vulcan, last November leaving her with one dorgi, called Candy.

Having owned more than 30 dogs over the years, she resolved to expand the kennel and in March, she welcomed the two puppies to Windsor Castle. The dogs are the first the Queen has owned that are not direct descendants from a corgi called Susan that she received for her 18th birthday in 1944.

The first, Fergus, a dorgi, is named after her uncle Fergus Bowes-Lyon, who was killed in action during the First World War. The second dog, Muick, pronounced Mick, is a pure-bred corgi and named after Loch Muick on the Balmoral estate, a favourite picnic spot for the Royals during their summer holiday.

According to a royal insider: “Everyone knows she is a lifelong dog lover and that dogs bring her so much joy.

“Like most people, I think lockdown helped her to realise how important it is to be surrounded by the things you love in life. These puppies are very much a part of that but now Prince Philip has gone they will take on even greater significance. As well as acting as a welcome distraction they will keep her company.”

Earlier this month it emerged that the Queen sent hard-written notes on behalf of her dogs to the dogs belonging to her former equerry.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip love story - read more
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip love story - read more

Revealing her “wicked sense of humour”, TV presenter Alexander Armstrong discovered the canine correspondence between the monarch and the late Sir Blair Stewart-Wilson, whose daughter Belinda was married to Ben Miller, his former comedy partner.

“He would write these letters from their Jack Russell to the corgis and the Queen would write these letters back,” Mr Armstrong told The Telegraph.