Although 2022 is dedicated to celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, it’s hard to say whether or not things are looking up for the Queen following her recent health setbacks.
Last October, the Queen spent the night in the hospital, and not too long after, she sprained her back. If that wasn’t enough, in February she caught COVID-19.
Not only has the Queen had to stop drinking alcohol and stop riding horses due to her health, but now she is too weak to walk her corgis at Windsor Castle.
Queen Elizabeth too ‘frail’ to walk corgis, may not be able to ever again
According to The Sun, Queen Elizabeth hasn’t taken her corgis out herself at Windsor Castle for six months. Some fear that she herself may never be able to take them out again due to her health.
Her health issues prevented her from attending the Commonwealth Day service as staff was worried about her being uncomfortable traveling to London and having to spend up to an hour at the service.
While it has almost become common to see the Queen pull out of events due to her health, it’s uncommon to see the Queen spend less time with her corgis.
The Queen has owned over 30 corgis during her life and they have been a great comfort to her, especially following the death of Prince Philip.
A source said that she “usually turns to her beloved corgis in time of crisis and stress and took them out almost every day after Philip fell ill and then died last year.” However, the Queen hasn’t spent time with them outside since her hospital visit last October.
The source advised it’s a “real shame” that she cannot spend more time with them as “they are an enormous source of solace.”
Not only are the Queen’s corgis a source of comfort, but her dogs are considered family.
A history of Queen Elizabeth’s corgis
In 2015, Vanity Fair gave an inside look at the many corgis of Windsor, how they came to be, and their benefits to the Queen.
The Queen reportedly said, “My corgis are family.” Not only that, but many believe they offered social benefits as well. While the Queen may be isolated due to her serious position, her corgis were a way to connect with strangers as well as receive the unconditional love that dogs can provide— without the knowledge that she’s the Queen.
It can be said that Thelma Evans was the start of the Queen’s love of corgis. Thelma grew up to be a great dog breeder in Britain, but how she got there is a sad and touching story.
When she was a child, the Duke of York, later King George VI, accidentally ran over her dog. He felt so badly about the accident that he reached out to Thelma’s parents about giving them a new dog, but her parents politely declined.
After Thelma recovered from the loss of her dog, she wrote a letter to the Duke herself inquiring about a dog, but he advised her that he needed her parents’ permission.
During her time as a dog breeder, she bred many dogs but had a fondness for corgis. In 1933, she was able to meet George VI face to face when she was “summoned” to bring corgi puppies to “show the family.”
King George VI never knew that she was the little girl who wrote to him, as the story was only uncovered after his death.
That was the beginning of Queen Elizabeth’s love of corgis. She was always fond of the dogs, and even polite in matters of great loss. One of their dogs was accidentally run over by an employee of Windsor Great Park, but she wrote a letter to the employee to let him know it wasn’t his fault.
For many years, corgis were bred on the grounds of Windsor Castle, though the Queen’s weren’t allowed to compete at dog shows and the corgis were never sold, but many were gifted to other people.
Reportedly the Queen put an end to the breeding at Windsor so that none of the puppies would be left behind after she passes away. However, after they stopped breeding puppies, the Queen did acquire two new corgis to keep her company.