Do sit still darlings! Queen poses with her pets
FOr more than seven decades they have been her most faithful – and mischievous – companions.
So it is entirely fitting that the Queen should share the cover of Vanity Fair with her lively corgis and dorgis.
in the latest portrait of Her Majesty, by renowned american photographer annie leibovitz, the Queen sits in a corner of the grounds of Windsor castle against a backdrop of vibrant pink roses.
Wearing a blue coat and skirt, she looks relaxed as her loyal pets – corgis Willow and Holly and dorgis candy and Vulcan – nestle around her.
The intimate photograph is part of a series to mark her 90th birthday, in which the Queen has posed with her grandchildren and walking with the dogs in Windsor’s gardens.
Miss leibovitz, 66, told Vanity Fair how Her Majesty was clear about being pictured with those closest to her: ‘The most moving, important thing about this shoot is that these were all her ideas.
‘She wanted to be photographed with her grandchildren and great-grandchil-
The pictures were all her ideas’
dren; her husband, Prince Philip, the duke of edinburgh; her daughter, anne, the Princess royal; and her corgis.’
She added: ‘i was told how relaxed she was at Windsor, and it was really true. You get the sense of how at peace she was with herself, and very much enthralled with her family.’
it is not the first time Her Majesty has starred the cover of the magazine. She graced its pages exactly nine years ago in its June 2007 edition – shot again by Miss leibovitz in a rather more grand style.
The publication has also featured Prince William and the duchess of cambridge on its august 2014 cover, as well as Princess diana in 1985 and 1997, just two months before her death.
The Queen was given her first corgi, Susan, as an 18th birthday present from her parents.
The royal dorgis were introduced when one of the Queen’s corgis, Tiny, was mated with a dachshund called Pipkin which belonged to Princess Margaret.
The latest issue of Vanity Fair goes on sale on Friday.