30 SIDELINES NOVEMBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Maria Wynne
Sidelines’ Writer from across the Pond
Q
ueen Elizabeth II has buried her beloved Corgi,
named Monty Roberts, in the Royal Pet Cemetery at
the Royal Scottish residence of Balmoral which was
opened by Queen Victoria when her beloved Collie, Noble died
in 1887. Prior to his death, Monty was involved in a fracas with
Princess Beatrice’s terrier Max; but this was not believed to be
a contributory factor to his death. The Palace has cited old age.
Even in his twilight years, it appears that Monty was more than
capable of looking after himself and his position in the pack. Max
was reported to have nearly lost an ear during the incident,
needing immediate veterinary assistance. It is believed that
Monty will receive his own headstone, which will be inscribed with
a personal tribute. The death of Monty follows closely on the heels
of the demise of Cider, a Dachshund and Corgi cross, known as
a Dorgi.
The canine Monty had become something of a media star at
the London 2012 Olympic Games, greeting actor Daniel Craig
as he arrived at the palace to accept a mission to open the
Games. He performed tummy rolls (who would dare not submit
to James Bond 007?) and then stood to attention as a helicopter
took off for the Games.
He was named after Monty Roberts - the cowboy from California
- with whom Her majesty has been friends for over 20 years. He
joined the Queen to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee with a starring
role in the pageant at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. The
human Monty and his equally human wife Pat were put up in Lady
Thatcher’s old chambers at Windsor and accompanied the Queen
and Duke of Edinburgh to several parties. His canine namesake
meanwhile slept in a raised wicker basket in a special boot room
near the Royal Apartments where he could wander freely.
The Queen now owns just four dogs: a pair of Corgis named
Willow and Holly and a pair of Dorgis named Candy and Vulcan.
Dorgis, a cross between the Dachshund and the Corgi, are quite
a snappy, feisty mix.
Royal Corgis do seem to cause quite a lot of trouble and have
met with some unwelcome ends. Fighting (sometimes to the
death) is not uncommon in the Royal Canine Household. Their
behavior can sometimes only be described as unseemly, perfectly
demonstrating that dogs really do not care who you are, just
The Queen and
The Cowboy:
Her majesty has
been friends with
Monty Roberts,
the cowboy from
California, for
over 20 years
and he joined
the Queen to
celebrate her
Diamond Jubilee.
Photo courtesy of
Satish Seemar, from
the Monty and Pat
Roberts Inc. archives
The Queen’s love of Corgi’s is immortalized in the “Queen
Elizabeth II” portrait hanging in the National Portrait Gallery in
London. Portrait by Michael Leonard, acrylic on cotton duck,
1985-1986. ©National Portrait Gallery, London
e
European Connection
how much they love you. It was during Christmas 2003 that the
Queen’s favorite Corgi of the time, Pharos, was savaged to death
by Princess Anne’s Bull Terrier (aptly named) Dotty within minutes
of arriving at Sandringham.
Pharos was so badly hurt in the attack that he had to be put
down. If Dotty was a human she would have an ASBO (Anti-
Social Behavior Order) and be tagged. She had previously landed
Princess Anne in court after biting two boys in Windsor Great Park,
making the Princess the frst member of the Royal Family to have
a criminal record. She was fned £500 after admitting letting the
dog run out of control. East Berkshire magistrates also ordered
that Dotty (short for Dorothy) be kept on a leash until she had
received the appropriate obedience training. Prior to this incident,
during the 90’s the Queen Mother’s Corgi, Ranger, attacked and
killed Chipper, another of the Queen’s Corgis.
The Queen’s love of the breed stems back to when her father
King George VI bought a Corgi named Dookie in 1933. Then on
her 18th birthday in 1944, the Queen was given a bitch called
Susan, from whom the majority of the subsequent royal Corgis
are descended.
The popularity of the Corgi has risen hugely thanks to the
devotion of the Queen to the breed, especially during 2012 and
the Jubilee celebrations. Searches online for the Pembroke
Welsh Corgis soared by 59 percent in the frst four months of
2012. However, if anyone is thinking of purchasing a Corgi as a
handbag dog, please don’t. They are independent, strong minded
and need plenty of distractions. They are originally working dogs
after all. If you buy one, get a leash at the same time.
Sad Goodbye to the Queen’s Corgi