Poignant names for Queen’s new dorgis
THE Queen has named one of her new puppies after her uncle in a touching tribute to the fondly remembered First World War hero.
She has named the young dorgi – a cross between a corgi and a dachshund – Fergus, after the Queen Mother’s oldest brother.
Fergus Bowes-Lyon died at the Battle of Loos in 1915 – 11 years before the Queen was born – on his first day back from leave. He was leading an attack on the German lines when his leg was blown off by enemy artillery. As he fell back into his sergeant’s arms, bullets struck him and he died on the field.
The Queen named her other new arrival Muick – pronounced Mick – after one of her favourite beauty spots, Loch Muick on her Balmoral estate.
As a lifelong animal lover, the Queen had reportedly vowed not to adopt another dog because she didn’t want her pets to outlive her.
But the 94-year-old acquired the two puppies last month, which have cheered and comforted her during 99-yearold Prince Philip’s heart surgery and Harry and Meghan’s devastating TV interview with Oprah Winfrey. A source said: ‘Both name choices are extremely poignant and dear to the Queen.
‘Loch Muick is one of her favourite places on the Balmoral estate and the loss of Uncle Fergus in the First World War is still honoured by the family.’
Commenting on the new arrivals, an insider said that they were ‘bringing a lot of noise and energy’ to an otherwise sombre Windsor Castle. The Queen reportedly bought Fergus and Muick from the Pets4Home website, paying up to £2,650 for one of them.
Over the years, the Royal household has been home to at least 30 corgis.
Prince Philip has referred to the Queen’s insistence on feeding and walking them herself as her ‘dog mechanism’ – her personal form of therapy.