Queen Elizabeth’s Corgis ‘Thriving’ on First Anniversary of Her Death

Friday, Sept. 8 was the one-year anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and everyone in the royal family paid tribute to her, including her pet corgis. Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, posted a photo of herself with the dogs Sandy and Muick, who previously belonged to the queen. She assured royal admirers that the dogs are “thriving” one year after losing the queen.

“As we mourn a year on, we also celebrate the wonderful times we shared with Her Late Majesty the Queen,” Ferguson wrote. “She entrusted me with the care of her corgis Sandy and Muick and I am delighted to say they are thriving.” The attached photo showed Ferguson and the dogs huddled close together outdoors on a sunny day. Ferguson explained on a recent podcast that she gave the dogs to the late queen as a gift, so it makes sense that they came back to her when the queen passed away.

Ferguson – better known to some as “Fergie” – is the former wife of Prince Andrew, the king’s younger brother. She is the mother to Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and although she separated from Prince Andrew in 1992, she has remained in the royal orbit ever since. She was also entangled in the prince’s scandalous association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Ferguson’s relationship with the royal family has been difficult to pin down in the years since her divorce. Her inclusion in group photos and official lists of active members has fluctuated, while her invitations to high-profile events have been extremely inconsistent. For example, she was not invited to the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999, nor the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. She was invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding ceremony in 2018, though not to the reception afterward. Most recently, she was invited to the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September of 2022 and seated beside her daughters, but was then not invited to the coronation of King Charles III in May.

However, Ferguson’s relationships with today’s royals look, it’s clear that she was on good terms with the late queen since she now has care of the corgis. Many commenters are hoping for more frequent updates on Sandy and Muick going forward.