Queen Elizabeth II and Her Corgis May Be the Greatest Love Story of All Time

The royal family may have gained Prince Louis in April of 2018, but it also lost a very important member. When Queen Elizabeth's beloved corgi Willow died at the age of 14, it marked the last in a long line of royal short-legged pooches. For more than 80 years, the Queen could be found surrounded by a pack of tubby Pembroke Welsh Corgis, having owned more than 30 corgi pups since 1944. Though anyone can see that corgis are incontestably adorable, what is it about the breed that has Queen Elizabeth so smitten?

The Queen's first corgi dates back to 1933, when her father George VI introduced royal canine Dookie into the family. Then, on her 18th birthday, the Queen received a corgi of her own named Susan, who helped Queen Elizabeth create her corgi dynasty. Willow was the 14th generation to have descended from Susan, and many of her other pups are also direct descendants of Susan, whose first puppies, Sugar and Honey, helped begin a new furry dynasty.

In 2015, the Queen made the difficult decision to stop breeding corgis with the fear that she might trip over one of them and hurt herself. This decision also stemmed from the desire to not leave any behind when she dies. With a relationship that has lasted longer than her marriage to Philip, the Queen has even referred to her pups as "family." The daily walks and feedings also provided a comforting therapy for the Queen, and she cared for Willow herself up until the dog's death shortly before her 92nd birthday.

In memory of the Queen's eight generations of precious puppies, check out the gallery ahead for some of the best shots of the Queen celebrating her favorite breed. And yes, fans regularly take their pups to meet Her Royal Highness.