The whole world knows how much Queen Elizabeth II loved her corgis. And in honor of the unique connection that Her Majesty had with dogs, owning over 30 of them during her 70-year reign, The Wallace Collection in London will be hosting a special one-room exhibition of photographs titled 'The Queen and her Corgis'.
This collection will map each decade of The Queen's life alongside her corgis, with a singular image for each era that captures Her Majesty and her love of the fearless breed of herding dog. The collection is open now and the images will remain on display until June 25 2023.
• If you love your pups as much as Her Majesty, find out how to shoot pet portraits at home
Elizabeth owned her very first corgi when she was just seven years old, when two dogs were gifted to herself and her sister, Princess Margaret, by their father, the future King George VI, in 1933. The corgis were named Jane and Dookie.
Since then, Queen Elizabeth II always had a corgi in her company. And this special breed of dog became an immortalized staple not only in the legacy of Her Majesty and how she was photographed in the press, but in some ways also as a mascot of London tourism – alongside the traditional British bulldog, of course.
The display will also coincide with another of the Wallace Collection’s major new exhibitions, Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney which will be opening on March 29, and running until October 15, 2023.
This exhibition aims to explore our devotion to dogs spanning across centuries, and through carefully selected paintings, drawings, sculptures, (and even taxidermy), will highlight the unique bond that humans have with their canine companions.
One of the key images from the exhibition is of Elizabeth holding a puppy, Susan, on the grounds at Windsor Castle. Susan was a corgi she was gifted as an 18th birthday present, from which many of the dogs she would then own throughout her reign were directly descended.
Another famous photograph from the display had been taken on October 15 1969, and shows Queen Elizabeth II with 4 corgis in tow, while returning from Balmoral to King’s Cross in order to meet the astronauts of Apollo 11 at Buckingham Palace.
Interestingly, The Queen also kept another breed of dog and had several dorgis – an accidental cross between corgi and dachshund, after an encounter with one of Elizabeth's dogs and Princess Margaret’s dachshund, Pipkin.
"We are honored to pay tribute to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth with this display," said Dr Xavier Bray, director of the Wallace Collection.
"The Queen devoted her entire life to serving the British people, but we hope that this display will show a more personal side of her life – her deep love of animals and her abiding passion for her corgis. The display has been designed to complement our major exhibition opening in March on dog portraiture, 'Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney.'"
• You may also be interested in these 8 tips to pose for photos like the Royal Family, as well as the best pet cameras such as the Enabot EBO Air for keeping an eye on your woofers, and take a look at these 10 pet photography tips for amazing pet portraits at home.
