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Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen has adopted a new corgi

The Queen has reportedly adopted a new nine-year-old corgi called Whisper.

Her Majesty has been looking after the dog after its owner, Bill Fenwick, died earlier this year.

Bill had been a gamekeeper on the Sandringham Estate for over twenty years, and his wife Nancy used to be.Keeper of the Queen’s Corgis. They had retired to a grace and favour cottage in Windsor Great Park, before Nancy’s death in 2015.

Before his death a few months ago, Bill had been suffering from ill health. As a result, Her Majesty has been personally walking both dogs on a Sunday.

The Queen had originally bought Mr Fenwick the corgi as a present, but following the sad news of Mr Fenwick’s death, it appears the 91-year-old Monarch has now taken in the corgi on a full-time basis.

Speaking to The Sun, a royal insider said: “The Queen has always had Corgis, but she made the decision four years ago not to breed anymore because she didn’t want to have a bad fall.

“She was also concerned dogs might be left without an owner if anything happened to her.

“But she couldn’t resist Whisper, and now she has asked Bill’s family if she can keep him.”

Whisper joins Her Majesty’s one remaining corgi, Willow, and her two corgi-dachshund crosses (dorgis), Vulcan and Candy.

All of her dogs posed with the Queen for an official portrait for her 90th birthday this year. It was revealed last year that the Queen had stopped breeding her beloved Pembroke Welsh corgis. The Queen was afraid that she’d trip over the younger dogs and injure herself and she no longer wished to replace the pets who had died.

Monty Roberts, a California cowboy has served as an informal adviser to Her Majesty for over 25 years, said she didn’t want to leave any pets behind when she died.

It was thought the Queen had 13 corgis at one time. The little dogs got underfoot of staff and guests alike. On average, these dogs only live 12 to 13 years. However, Kelpie, a favourite of Her Majesty’s lived to the ripe old age of 17. Some of her dogs didn’t have long lives.

Some of her dogs didn’t live long lives. Pharos was attacked by Princess Anne’s bull terrier, Dotty and was put to sleep back in 2003. And in 1989, the Queen Mother’s dog, Ranger, led a pack of corgis that attacked and killed the Queen’s beloved dorgi, Chipper.

Additional reporting by Peter Anderson and Kelli Finger

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