The Queen’s corgis took to Meghan Markle “straight away” during a meeting with the late monarch, as revealed by Prince Harry during the couple’s engagement interview.
- Prince Harry once declared that his grandmother’s corgis “took to [Meghan] straight away” when she met them.
- The Duchess of Sussex added that they had lain on her feet during tea with the Queen.
- This royal news (opens in new tab) comes as James Middleton shares a poignant puppy-themed tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II. (opens in new tab)
The Queen’s corgis (opens in new tab) have won the hearts of fans over the years and this particular breed has long been associated with the late monarch. Queen Elizabeth received her first corgi, Susan, as a special 18th birthday present and continued to own them ever since. Two of her dogs, Sandy and Muick, even stood outside Windsor Castle (opens in new tab) as the Queen’s coffin passed ahead of her committal ceremony on September 19th.
And whilst the corgis apparently haven’t always taken to everyone in the same way, according to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle forged a sweet bond with them. Opening up to the BBC after her and Harry’s engagement was announced in 2017, Meghan discussed meeting the Queen and how “incredible” she was.
It was then that the Duke of Sussex revealed how his now-wife got quite a different reaction from the corgis than he always had!
As reported by People (opens in new tab) at the time, the Duchess of Sussex expressed joy at being able to meet the Queen through the “lens” of Prince Harry perceiving her as both a monarch and a grandmother.
“It’s incredible,” Meghan declared. “To be able to meet her through his lens, not just with his honor and respect for her as the monarch, but the love that he has for her as his grandmother - all of those layers have been so important for me so that when I met her I had such a deep understanding and of course incredible respect for being able to have that time with her. She’s an incredible woman.”
Prince Harry then interjected to reveal just how comfortable Her Majesty’s pets felt in Meghan’s presence, reflecting that they’d always simply “barked” at him.
“The corgis took to you straight away,” he said to her. “I’ve spent the last 33 years being barked at — this one walks in, absolutely nothing.”
Meghan explained that the dogs had been “laying on [her] feet during tea”, with Prince Harry adding, “Just wagging tails — and I was just like, argh.”
An animal-lover just like Her Majesty, Meghan Markle was a patron of animal welfare organization Mayhew during her and Prince Harry's time as working members of The Firm (opens in new tab). It was Mayhew who shared her and Harry’s Christmas card photo in 2020 featuring both of their dogs alongside them and their then-one-year-old son Archie.
The revelation that the Queen's corgis took to Meghan Markle so quickly gives a lovely insight into her bond with animals and in particular the pets that meant so much to Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
Since Queen Elizabeth's passing, it's been suggested that Prince Andrew and his former wife Sarah Ferguson will be giving Sandy and Muick homes. Throughout her remarkable life the monarch is reported to have owned over 30 corgis it seems they also made quite an impression on her nearest and dearest.