Queen left heartbroken by the death of her last remaining corgi

All the wealth in the world can’t shield a person from the loss of a beloved pet, so it’s no surprise that Queen Elizabeth is reportedly heartbroken after her last corgi, Willow.

The 15-year-old corgi was suffering from a cancer-related illness and was put to sleep at Windsor Castle on Sunday, Daily Mail reported.  According to the popular tabloid, the Queen had been hit “extremely hard” by the loss of Willow, who was her most devoted companion, and was even included in the portrait marking the Queen’s 90th birthday in 2016. It is believed that she was still caring for Willow until the weekend, when the dog’s conditions worsened. 

The Daily Mail had a statement from a Buckingham Palace source, who said the monarch, who mourned the death of ever single on of her many corgis, was “more upset about Willow’s death than any of them”. “It is probably because Willow was the last link to her parents and a pastime that goes back to her own childhood. It really does feel like the end of an era,” the unnamed source added. Starts at 60 wasn’t able to verify the statement. 

Willow’s  death does mark the end of a remarkable history between the 91-year-old royal and the corgi breed dating back more than eight decades. The Queen is famously known for her love of corgis and has had over 30 of the dogs throughout her lifetime. 

Willow was the 14th generation descended from Susan, who was given as a gift to the then-Princess Elizabeth on her 18th birthday. But Willow’s heritage reportedly dates back even further, to 1933, when the Queen’s father George VI (then Duke of York) introduced a corgi, Dookie, into the royal family for the first time.

Queen Elizabeth still does have two dachshund/corgi crosses – Vulcan and Candy, who are known as dorgis – and last year she agreed to adopt a corgi, Whisper, after the death of his owner, a former Sandringham gamekeeper.

Willow’s death comes 18 months after the loss of 13-year-old Holly, who was suffering from illness relating to old age. Holly was one of the most well-known to the public, having appeared in the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony with the Queen and Bond actor Daniel Craig,  and on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine in 2016.

It is understood Willow has been buried in the castle grounds.

In 2015, it emerged that the Queen had stopped breeding Pembroke Welsh corgis because of fears she might trip over and hurt herself.

Willow’s passing came ahead of a busy week for the Queen, who will be celebrating her 92nd birthday on Sunday. The Queen is set to celebrate her birthday with a star-studded concert, and she has quite the line-up of performers ready to make it a special night.

Have you experienced the death of a beloved pet? Is it ever possible to truly replace a particularly lovely animal companion?