The Favorite Dogs of the British Royal Family, From Cocker Spaniels to Corgis

Barking news—Prince William and Kate Middleton got a new puppy. It’s a cocker spaniel, it’s a girl, and it’s said to be a gift from Kate’s brother, James, whose dog Luna welcomed a litter in May. We don’t know the cute canine’s name, but the Cambridges have fully cemented themselves as cocker spaniel people. It’s the second dog of the breed for William and Kate, whose first beloved pet, Lupo, passed away in 2020.

Although it might not seem like it, this is an important designation. Each branch of the royal family usually sticks with a distinct breed for decades. Queen Elizabeth, for example, has owned corgis since she was a child. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie of York posed with not one, not two, but four Norfolk terriers for British Vogue. As for Prince Charles? The guy’s got a soft spot for Jack Russell terriers.

Below, we break down the many (and very British) dog breeds of the royal family, from corgis to beagles to bull terriers.

Queen Elizabeth: Corgis (and Dorgis)

Queen Elizabeth relaxes at Sandringham with her corgis. Photo: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Queen Elizabeth and her corgis are an iconic duo: They posed together for Annie Leibovitz, starred in a video for the 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony, and were depicted on a commemorative coin together. The royal corgis even have their own in-depth Wikipedia page. The queen has owned more than 30 corgis in her lifetime, the first being a little fellow named Dookie. Another, Susan, even accompanied the queen on her honeymoon with Prince Philip. Later in life, she began to dabble in breeding dorgis (a dog that is half corgi, half dachshund).

Sadly, all of the corgis have passed away, but she still has one dorgi left: a dog named Candy.

Princess Margaret: Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

Princess Margaret and her then fiancé, Antony Armstrong-Jones, with their pet King Charles Spaniel, at the Royal Lodge in 1960.Photo Credit: Central Press / Stringer / Getty Images

As the breed name implies, Cavalier King Charles spaniels were historically bred for nobility. So it’s fitting that Princess Margaret, the royal who had no problem flaunting her divine privilege, owned a Cavalier King Charles spaniel named Rawley.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall: Jack Russell Terriers

The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall with Blue and Beth.Photo Credit: Courtesy Clarence House

Prince Charles is the longtime owner of Jack Russell terriers, a small yet fiery breed known for their wiry coats and fierce hunting skills. In 1994, it became an international news story when Charles lost one of his beloved pups, Pooh, in the Balmoral forest. Sadly, Pooh was never found.

One of his Jack Russells, Tigga, became somewhat of a canine celebrity in the ’90s, often posing with princes Harry and William in official family Christmas cards. He lived to be an astounding 18 years old.

Currently, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall own two Jack Russell terriers: Bluebell and Beth. In April, they shared a joyous shot with the fluffy companions to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary.

Princess Anne: Bull Terriers

Princess Anne walks her Bull Terrier dogs as she attends the Gatcombe Horse Trials in September 2013.Photo: Max Mumby/Indigo / Getty Images

Princess Anne has a penchant for bull terriers. However, hers aren’t particularly well behaved. In 2002, her dog Dotty attacked two children in Hyde Park, and a year later, her dog Florence fatally mauled the queen’s corgi Pharos.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: English Cocker Spaniels

Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge pose for a photograph with their newborn son, Prince George, and their cocker spaniel, Lupo, in 2013. (Tilly, Kate’s parent’s golden retriever, lounges behind them.)Photo Credit: Getty Images/Michael Middleton

Prince William and Kate Middleton adopted Lupo, an English cocker spaniel, in 2011. At the time, he became a trusty companion to Kate, as Prince William was spending weeks away from home due to his role in the royal air force.

Lupo’s beloved role in the family became apparent in 2013, when he posed with the couple and their newborn son, Prince George, for the first official portraits after his birth. A year later, he and George posed for another set of photographs. This time, Lupo stole a lick of the one-year-old’s ice cream.

He died in November 2020. William and Kate posted a touching tribute on social media: “Very sadly last weekend our dear dog, Lupo, passed away. He has been at the heart of our family for the past nine years and we will miss him so much,” they wrote.

However, a few months later, news broke that a new puppy had already joined the Cambridge clan.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Beagles and Black Labs

The Duchess of Sussex walking her two dogs.Photo: Splash News / BACKGRID

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are the proud owners of two dogs. The first is a beagle, Guy, who was originally owned by the duchess before she married Prince Harry. A few months after their wedding, the couple got a black Labrador named Pula. The name is a sweet nod to Botswana, where the couple vacationed early on in their courtship. In the national language, Setswana, pula means “rain” or “blessing.”

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie: Norfolk Terriers

Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, and their Norfolk terriers pose for British Vogue.Photo: Sean Thomas

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie love their Norfolk terriers so much that, in 2018, they posed with them for British Vogue. (Although they didn’t seem to realize the significance of the moment: “When one of the family’s five Norfolk terriers relieves himself on the ruffled hem of Beatrice’s cape, we break for tea,” writer Ellie Pithers recalled in the story.) In total, the York family has a pack of four: Jack, Cici, Teddy, and Ginger. A fifth, Orange, sadly died in 2019 after eating a poisonous plant in Windsor Great Park.