Don't Insult Queen Elizabeth's Corgis

A family member said they "should be shot" and QEII had something to say about it.

Alicia Lutes's avatar
By
published
in News
Queen Elizabeth and her corgi
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Don't mess with the Queen's corgis: it's, perhaps, the most obvious rule of them all. Elizabeth II is famously known as an animal lover and, over the course of her life, has had over 30 pet corgis in her care. (She even adopted two more corgi pups last year to console her as her husband, Prince Philip, was dying.) Since she was a little girl, her love of the adorably low-riding dogs has been well-known and documented. 

So it's not surprising that, when a member of the royal family allegedly quipped that they "should be shot," the Queen had something to say about it.

According to The Mirror, the comment came from Princess Michael of Kent, a member of the family who is notorious for having her strong opinions made public on the regular since she married Prince Michael of Kent (Elizabeth's cousin) in 1978. And, to the surprise of no one, the comment did not go over well once it reached the Queen's ears.

In the book The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II by author Karen Dolby, the Queen, upon hearing Princess Michael's remarks, allegedly replied: "They're better behaved than she is." A royal burn if ever we've heard one.

And who could blame QEII for her retort? It's quite cruel to wish death upon a pet, especially ones as clearly beloved and—no doubt, given who their owner is and where they live—well-behaved as the Queen's corgis. They have their own footmen and a fancy royal menu made by skilled chefs! Surely they must also have manners, no?

In the end, when it comes to insulting the royal pets, the Queen's comebacks are the only thing that shoot to kill. 

Alicia Lutes
Alicia Lutes
Freelance Writer

Alicia Lutes is a freelance writer, essayist, journalist, humorist, and screenwriter based in Los Angeles. She has written extensively on culture, entertainment, the craft of comedy, and mental health. Her work has been featured in places such as Vulture, Playboy, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, MTV, Cosmopolitan, Rotten Tomatoes, Bustle, Longreads, and more. She was also the creator/former host of the web series Fangirling, and currently fosters every single dog she can.