Who Is the Maybe-Corgi in Queen Elizabeth's Backseat: An Investigation
Who is this very good boy?!

Sometimes, all you need is for a dog to snuggle up to you and lick the tears from your face. When you've been dumped. When you're homesick. When your rebellious grandson and his wife defy your orders and upend the billion-dollar institution to which you've dedicated your entire life. On Friday, the Queen was photographed driving outside Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, and while it's the first time she's been seen in public since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry released that statement and all hell broke loose, I want to draw your attention to something more important: The dog in her backseat.
You see, the Queen, who famously owned and bred corgis her entire life, is no longer a corgi owner. In fact, it caused quite a stir in 2018 when her final corgi, Whisper, passed away: "8 Decades of British Royal Corgis Reportedly at an End," blared the New York Times. In 2015, the Queen had stopped taking on new corgis because she didn't want to leave any behind when she passed away. So when this coy corgi lookalike was spotted in her backseat, fans of both dogs and royalty (me) took notice. We (I) wondered: Could the stress of the past week have driven the Queen to renounce her no-corgis pledge?
Here's the Queen on Friday:
I took the liberty of zooming in.
Here's what else is interesting: The Queen is wearing a cream silk scarf with dogs on it. Could the Queen, who has been known to strategically communicate via brooches in the past, be sending a message through her styling choices?
Further deepening the mystery, the headscarf appears to be a print of...beagles. At this point, I broke from my investigation to try to find a similar scarf that I could buy, because investigating issues of international importance can be tiring and self-care is paramount. The one the Queen is wearing is by Hermès and is vintage and is called the MONARCH scarf, which is actually perfection. There are a few available on eBay if you're so inclined!
Anyway. Beagles.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
You know which member of the royal family owns a beagle?
Guy the beagle, who Meghan rescued in 2015, in a now-deleted shot from her old Instagram.
Meghan's beagle is such a big deal, in fact, that Guy the Beagle even has his own book.
So, uh, yeah. I see what you did there, Liz.
But back to the dog in the backseat. I would understand if the Queen had panic-adopted a corgi to get her through the trying times ahead, a.k.a. the "days, not weeks" of four-way calls and people being "incandescent with rage." If I were the head of a historic institution that was being sapped of its very lifeblood, its two most popular members, and I had no dogs, well. I wouldn't make it!
However. It emerges that the Queen quietly holds on to two "dorgis," which are corgi mixes considered basically inferior but fine. Vulcan and Candy aren't often photographed, probably because of said inferiority complex, but they did make a cameo on the Queen's 2016 Vanity Fair cover. You can tell which ones are the dorgis because they look sad about not being considered "real" corgis.
A post shared by Vanity Fair (@vanityfair)
A photo posted by on
And following further investigation, I have determined an uncanny similarity between this dog, which is either Vulcan or Candy but, either way, is my forever mood:
And this dog, who still looks sad about being considered a second-class citizen five years later:
Plus, the Queen has also had several hunting dogs over the years, which are bred at Sandringham Estate. And since this was a hunting expedition, it's also possible that this very good boy is Turnip or Tom or whatever these very nice pups that don't appear on Vanity Fair covers are called.
This concludes my investigation. Thank you for joining me on this journey.
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
RELATED STORIES
Jenny is the Digital Director at Marie Claire. A graduate of Leeds University, and a native of London, she moved to New York in 2012 to attend the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She was the first intern at Bustle when it launched in 2013 and spent five years building out its news and politics department. In 2018 she joined Marie Claire, where she held the roles of Deputy Digital Editor and Director of Content Strategy before becoming Digital Director. Working closely with Marie Claire's exceptional editorial, audience, commercial, and e-commerce teams, Jenny oversees the brand's digital arm, with an emphasis on driving readership. When she isn't editing or knee-deep in Google Analytics, you can find Jenny writing about television, celebrities, her lifelong hate of umbrellas, or (most likely) her dog, Captain. In her spare time, she writes fiction: her first novel, the thriller EVERYONE WHO CAN FORGIVE ME IS DEAD, was published with Minotaur Books (UK) and Little, Brown (US) in February 2024 and became a USA Today bestseller. She has also written extensively about developmental coordination disorder, or dyspraxia, which she was diagnosed with when she was nine.
-
Queen Mary Forced to Cancel Engagements Due to Illness
"Her Majesty The Queen, like many others right now, has become ill."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Why Princess Kate and Prince William "May Need a Referee"
Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis could get caught in the middle, according to one royal expert.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Kate Middleton Pairs a Sleek Navy Coat With $100 Earrings
The Princess of Wales debuted the brand new pair of hoop earrings at the sporting event.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
7 Times the Royal Family Broke Queen Elizabeth's More Understated "Rule"
These royal women are doing it their way.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Queen Elizabeth Reportedly Did an Incredible Impression of Melania Trump
The late monarch was a hilariously skilled mimic.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
The Queen Mother Loved Male Company at Events: "The Bigger the Rogue, the Better"
"She loved all the reprobates in racing," horse trainer Nicky Henderson revealed.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Duchess Sophie Shows Her "Deep Connection" to Second Mom Queen Elizabeth With $30,000 Tribute
The royal duo shared a loving bond.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Queen Elizabeth's "True Favorite" Is Taking Over One of the Late Monarch's Beloved Roles
It's a position steeped in history.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
This British Royal Led a Secret Double Life With Queen Elizabeth's Blessing
The Kensington Palace resident came up with an unusual idea that the late Queen "supported."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Queen Elizabeth Kept This Genius Item Inside Her Famous Handbags
You'll never guess what she did before using it.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
King Charles Was Forced to Quit a Favorite Hobby He Once Shared With Queen Elizabeth Following "Too Many Injuries"
"I can't do much now," he explained.
By Amy Mackelden Published