Queen Elizabeth Mourns Corgi's Death, No Longer Wants Young Dogs For Replacement

Queen Elizabeth II is very fond of her pets, especially the corgis.

The monarch is popular for her love for animals. Thus, it's not surprising that she owns a number of dogs and horses. Unfortunately, just like anyone, Her Majesty also experiences the loss of her beloved pets.

On Sunday, Willow, the last surviving corgis bred by Queen Elizabeth, herself, died just a few weeks of its 15th birthday. According to Richard Kay, the queen is "not just mourning Willow, but also the end of an era and of a royal dynasty that began in her childhood."

In Queen Elizabeth II's biography in 1983, it was revealed that "1933 was the year of the corgi." The queen was only 7 when she fell in love with a corgi she had played with in Hyde Park. In fact, she and sister Princess Margaret had to plead with their parents to own one.

Their parents eventually gave in and had Thelma Gray, a breeder of the Weymouths' dog, gave them their first royal corgi - Dookie. The Queen received Susan in 1944 and they were inseparable. Willow is the last of the line descendants of Susan.

In 2012, the queen also lost Monty, one of the corgis that appeared in James Bond spoof she made with Daniel Craig for the London Olympics. She named the pet after Monty Roberts, a Californian cowboy who inspired the Hollywood film "The Horse Whisperer."

Roberts served as the queen's adviser when it comes to her horses and dogs for over 25 years. He offered a young puppy replacement, but the royal declined.

"But she didn't want to have any more young dogs. She didn't want to leave any young dog behind. I understood we would discuss it further at a later date," Roberts said. "Well, we never did, and I have no right to try to force her into continuing to bring on young puppies if she doesn't want to."

According to Kay, Queen Elizabeth II used to breed dogs, but she stopped in 2009. "It was perhaps the first public sign that our monarch was growing old," he noted.

The queen has cemeteries for her pets in a secluded spot. Willow's remains are expected to be interred close to Frogmore House where the queen likes to walk with her pets.

Queen Elizabeth II is turning 92 on April 21. She usually celebrates the event privately but the Commonwealth chief reportedly booked the Royal Albert Hall to celebrate the monarch's special day with a world music concert.