Queen Elizabeth II with one of her corgis at Sandringham, 1970. Photo / Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth II with one of her corgis at Sandringham, 1970. Photo / Getty Images
The Queen's last corgi has died - ending Her Majesty's close association with the breed dating back eight decades.
Whisper, a 12-year-old corgi, had become a loyal companion to the royals after the Queen adopted him in 2016 following the death of his owner - a former Sandringham gamekeeper.
Her Majesty had become fond of the dog, who would follow her from room to room at Buckingham Palace, according to the Daily Telegraph UK.
But it is understood Whisper died on Saturday, of meaning the Queen no longer owns any corgis.
In April, it was revealed that Willow, a 14th-generation descendant of the Queen's first dog Susan, was put down having suffered from a cancer-related illness.
It is understood The Queen did not want Willow, who was almost 15, to suffer any further. Insiders said at the time she was hit "extremely hard" by the loss of Willow, who had become her most devoted companion.
Whisper had filled the void over the past few months, but now the last remaining corgi has passed away.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh are seen with 'Tinker', a cross between a corgi and long haired dachshund. Photo / Getty Images
The Queen still has Vulcan and Candy, two dorgis - corgi-dachshund crosses, but Willow was the only dog left with a link to the Queen's original family of royal corgis.
As a teenager, The Queen fell in love with her father's dog Dookie, a Pembrokeshire corgi, and wanted one of her own.
She was subsequently given Susan and during her reign she has owned more than 30 corgis, many of them direct descendants of her first dog.
Susan was so loved that she accompanied Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh on on their honeymoon.
Her descendant Willow appeared in the 2012 James Bond sketch which the Queen recorded with Daniel Craig for the London Olympics opening ceremony.
The dog and two other corgis, Monty and Holly, greeted the secret agent, played by Daniel Craig, as he arrived at the palace to accept a mission from the Queen.
The dogs ran down the stairs, performed tummy rolls and then stood as a helicopter took off for the Olympic stadium, carrying Bond and a stunt double of the Queen.
Monty, who was 13, died a couple of months later and Holly was put down in October 2016 after suffering from an illness.
Yet during her time looking after them, she has had more than 30 corgis stemming from Susan's puppies Sugar and Honey, who were born in 1949.
The Duke of Sussex revealed last year how his then fiancee the Duchess of Sussex had managed to charm the Queen's dogs.
The prince said in his engagement interview: "And the corgis took to you straightaway. I've spent the last 33 years being barked at - this one walks in, absolutely nothing."
Describing the moment, the duchess said: "Just laying on my feet during tea, it was very sweet."
QUEEN ELIZABETH II'S LONG-STANDING LOVE OF CORGIS
The Queen is synonymous with her love of corgis.
The snappy little dogs had a penchant for nipping servants' ankles, but the Queen has always been devoted to them.
She has owned more than 30 of the breed, as well as dorgis, black Labradors and cocker spaniels.
Her first corgi, Susan, was given to her as an 18th birthday present by her parents in 1944.
During weekends at Windsor, the corgis went too and lived in her private apartments.
She fed them herself, whenever her busy schedule permitted. She mixed their feed with a spoon and fork, from ingredients brought on a tray by a footman.
She also enjoyed walking her corgis and they knew when it was time for their exercise.
If the Queen came in wearing a tiara, they laid glumly on the carpet; if she was in a headscarf, they knew it was time for walkies.
The Duke of York said his mother's love of her corgis has helped to keep her fit.
"She is just amazing at her age and she walks a long way, the dogs keep her active," Andrew said.
Corgis are liable to bite people's legs because their forebears rounded up sheep by snapping at their feet.
One footman at the Palace found a novel way of getting his own back.
He spiked the dogs' food and water with whisky and gin, then watched in amusement as the tipsy animals staggered around. But he was discovered and demoted.
At one stage, the Queen was forced to call in a dog psychiatrist when her corgis kept setting upon each other.
Corgis have played a massive role in Her Majesty's life. Photo / Getty Images
The worst incident was when Ranger, who belonged to the Queen Mother, killed the Queen's dorgi Chipper in 1989.
Two years later the Queen was bitten on the left hand while trying to break up a fight between six of her corgis and two of the Queen Mother's at Windsor.
The Queen was devastated at the death of one of her favourite pets.
Dottie, an English bull terrier owned by the Princess Royal, was blamed. The year before, Anne had been fined £500 when the same dog attacked two children in Windsor Great Park.
But some days later, an announcement from the Palace revealed it was a case of mistaken identity. The real killer of Pharos was Florence, another of Anne's dogs.
Pharos was buried in the Sandringham grounds, joining Susan and some of the other corgis with gravestones there.
In 2012, the Queen's remaining corgis had a starring role in the James Bond sketch the Queen recorded for the London Olympics opening ceremony.
Monty, Willow and Holly greeted the secret agent, played by Daniel Craig, as he arrived at the Palace to accept a mission from the Queen.
