The Queen has been left devastated as one of her new puppies has died just one month after Prince Philip’s death.
Fergus, a five-month-old Dorgi, was given to the monarch, 95, by her son Prince Andrew to keep her company while the Duke of Edinburgh was in hospital in February.
He and another puppy, a corgi named Muick, then became ‘distractions’ for the Queen after Philip’s death on April 9.
Fergus is reported to have died over the weekend, leaving the Queen ‘absolutely devastated’. His cause of death currently remains unclear.
A source told The Sun: ‘The puppies were brought in to cheer her up during a very difficult period. Everyone concerned is upset as this comes so soon after she lost her husband.’
The Queen was given her first dog, Susan, a corgi, on her 18th birthday. Since then she has had more than 30 corgis, with many of them direct descendants of Susan.
Fergus may have been named after the Queen’s uncle, Captain Fergus Bowes-Lyon, who died during the First World War in 1915, aged 26.
Before the puppies, it was thought the Queen may give up owning any more dogs, as palace insiders have expressed concerns about them being a trip hazard.
Her corgi Vulcan, died of old age in October last year, having lived with royals for around 13 years.
Joe Little, a royal expert and managing editor of Majesty Magazine, said: ‘The thinking was enough was enough, and that she was getting too old for new dogs and who would look after them when she was gone.
‘But clearly that decision was reversed and, as it turned out, it probably is very fortuitous. I think it’s useful to have these puppies in her life now as way of a distraction.’
Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page
from metro.co.uk
Post a Comment