The Queen has been gifted with two new corgi puppies to help her through the royal crisis with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Prince Philip’s hospital treatment, it has been reported.
The new dogs have joined Her Majesty, 96, at Windsor Castle as Prince Philip, 99, remains at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in the City of London following a ‘successful procedure for a pre-existing heart condition’.
The new additions to the royal household come as Buckingham Palace prepares itself for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s two-hour CBS interview with Oprah Winfrey next Monday.
It also comes just months after the monarch was said to be mourning the loss of her loyal companion Vulcan, a dachshund-corgi cross who had been the Queen’s pet since at least 2007, after he died a few weeks before Christmas.
The Queen (pictured with one of her corgis last year) has been gifted with two new corgi puppies to help her through the royal crisis
It comes after Her Majesty’s loyal companion Vulcan, a dachshund-corgi cross, died a few weeks before Christmas last year
A source told The Sun: ‘The Queen is delighted. It’s unthinkable that the Queen wouldn’t have any corgis.
‘It’s like the Tower of London not having any ravens. They have only been there a couple of weeks but are said to be adorable and made the castle their home.
‘Both are said to be bringing in a lot of noise and energy into the castle while Philip is in hospital.’
While the names and the genders of the dogs are unknown, it is believed the canines were a gift.
They are also the first corgis Her Majesty has owned that are not direct descendents of her very first corgi Susan – which she was given in 1944 for her 18th birthday.
The Queen has always been synonymous with pets, particularly her Corgis, and has owned more than 30 during her reign.
In 2018, her corgi Willow, who was the 14th generation descended from Susan, was put down after suffering from cancer.
Meanwhile in 2012, the Queen’s corgi Monty was seen in a segment for the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games alongside James Bond star Daniel Craig.
The latest arrivals come as it was revealed yesterday that the Duke of Edinburgh would remain in hospital for ‘treatment, rest and recuperation’ after undergoing a ‘successful procedure for a pre-existing heart condition’.
In 2012 her dog Monty appeared alongside James Bond’s Daniel Craig in a clip for the opening ceremony of the London Olympics
The Queen with some of her corgis at the Windsor Horse Trials (left) and walking with two of the dogs in the the grounds of Windsor Castle (right)
The royal has always been synonymous with pets and has owned more than 30 during her reign. Pictured: The Queen with her dog Monty
The Sussexes have been urged to postpone their tell-all interview with Oprah on Sunday night after Prince Philip had major surgery after more than a fortnight in hospital.
Harry’s grandfather had the operation at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in the City of London – Britain’s top heart hospital – after being transferred there on Monday from the private King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone where he was being treated for an infection.
Yesterday, Philip’s daughter-in-law Camilla revealed while visiting a vaccination centre in Croydon that the Duke was ‘slightly improving’ and that everyone in the Royal Family was ‘keeping our fingers crossed’
Giving an update on his condition yesterday, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: ‘The Duke of Edinburgh yesterday underwent a successful procedure for a pre-existing heart condition at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.
‘His Royal Highness will remain in hospital for treatment, rest and recuperation for a number of days.’
The royal’s treatment comes amid a growing backlash against the Sussexes after sources close to the couple said that the Oprah interview would go ahead regardless, claiming it was down to the broadcasters not them.
Prince Philip, 99, remains at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in the City of London following a ‘successful procedure for a pre-existing heart condition’
It comes as Buckingham Palace prepares itself for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s two-hour interview with Oprah Winfrey
It came as a new clip released ahead of Harry and Meghan’s interview showed the Duchess of Sussex accusing The Firm of ‘perpetuating falsehoods about us.’
She said: ‘I don’t know how they could expect that after all of this time we would still just be silent if there is an active role that The Firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us.’
The Duchess added: ‘And, if that comes with risk of losing things, there is a lot that has been lost already.’
This week the Queen launched an unprecedented inquiry into allegations that Meghan and Harry bullied their staff – leaving royal employees ‘shaken’ by ‘unhappy memories’ being brought up about a ‘toxic period’ before the couple emigrated.
Buckingham Palace said claims that the Duchess of Sussex inflicted ’emotional cruelty’ on underlings and ‘drove them out’ were ‘very’ concerning.