Celebrity
All the dog breeds the royals of the world are obsessed with
Dogs aren’t just man’s best friend – they’re loyal sidekicks to the royals of the world.
Earlier this week, Queen Mary and other members of the Danish Royal Family were joined by a special plus one on the balcony of Frederik VIII’s Palace, at Amalienborg.
The royals made a public appearance to celebrate King Frederik X’s 57th birthday when they were joined by one of the family’s dogs.
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Just like the Danes, royals from different corners of the world have been known to have pet dogs, with each gravitating towards their own choice of breed.
Read on to see which dog breeds are loved by which royals.
Australian border collie
King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark have not one, but two dogs.
The royals have two Australian border collies named Grace and Coco.
They’ve had Grace as part of the family since July 2017, when she was just a puppy. Grace is believed to have given birth to a litter of puppies in 2021, with Coco being one.
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The Australian border collie is a cross between two popular dog breeds: the Australian shepherd and border collie.
They’re energetic dogs that grow to be around medium-sized.
While they’re not quite the same breed, Queen Victoria was known to like border collies.
Pembroke Welsh corgi
Even if you don’t follow the royals, you probably know Queen Elizabeth II loved corgis.
The late monarch had grown up with corgis and was even gifted one of the pups for her 18th birthday.
She bred 15 generations of corgis and was said to have owned over 30 in her lifetime.
“She loves animals and she absolutely adores dogs,” royal biographer Ingrid Seward told Newsweek
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“She always has done, they were her first love and they will be her last.”
The late queen stopped breeding them in 2015 as she “did not want to leave any behind” after her death.
There are two types of corgis: the Pembroke Welsh and Cardigan Welsh.
According to Purina, corgis are a small to medium-sized breed, growing between between 25.5 to 30.5cm tall with an average lifespan of 12 to 14 years.
As for their temperament, they’re a high energy dog breed.
Cocker spaniel
The Middletons love their English cocker spaniels.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have a black cocker spaniel named Orla. The pup was gifted to the royals by Catherine’s brother James Middleton in 2020.
James has spoken in the past about his late cocker spaniel Ella, who he credits for saving his life when he was in the depths of despair.
Both of his sisters own pups descended from his dog Ella, who died in 2023.
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Pippa has one of Ella’s sons while Catherine’s dog Orla is Ella’s granddaughter.
Orla comes from one of one of his six other pups, Luna, who is Ella’s daughter.
Catherine and William’s pup Orla appeared in a family video in September 2024 during which the Princess of Wales announced she had finished chemotherapy.
Earlier this week, it was reported the royals have welcomed more dogs to their family, with Orla giving birth to four puppies.
The Prince and Princess of Wales previously owned another black English cocker spaniel named Lupo, who died in 2020.
They had the pup since 2011 – two years before welcoming their first child, Prince George.
Cocker spaniels are medium-sized dogs known for being affectionate and gentle.
Jack Russell terrier
King Charles clearly inherited his mum’s love of dogs.
The monarch has had different dogs over the years, including a Labrador named Harvey and a Jack Russell terrier named Tigga.
While Tigga died in 2002 at aged 18, he’s since had more terriers as pets.
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Jack Russell terriers are a small breed with high energy.
It turns out his wife Queen Camilla also loves the breed!
The royals owned two Jack Russells: Bluebell and Beth.
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Sadly, in November 2024, Camilla’s beloved pup Beth died.
A few months later, the Queen confirmed during a visit to a museum in February that she had recently welcomed a new puppy into her life.
Camilla revealed she had adopted a rescue puppy on Boxing Day named Moley.
Bull terrier
Bull terriers are a medium to large-sized breed known for their distinctive face shape and stocky build.
They originally come from England, dating back to the 19th century.
Out of the British royals, Princess Anne is quite the fan and has stuck with the dog breed for decades.
Chihuahua
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Princess Charlene of Monaco has three adorable Chihuahuas in her life: Harley, Tia, and Ukita.
“I’ve always loved these dogs. They’re adorable, intelligent, and small enough that we can take them almost everywhere with us,” she told Gala in a 2024 interview.
She’s had a Chihuahua for seven years, and got two more two years ago. In 2021, the royal lost another Chihuahua in a road accident.
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Rhodesian ridgeback
Along with several Chihuahuas, the royal owns a Rhodesian ridgeback named Khan.
In her interview with Gala, Charlene shared she had two of them when she was growing up in Zimbabwe.
“They protected us and were an integral part of our family.”
The large breed can weigh between 30-39kg and are strong-killed, good around families, and need lots of exercise.
According to People, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco also owned a Rhodesian Ridgeback.
Dachshunds
Former Queen of Denmark, Margrethe is also a fan of one particular small dog breed.
The royal has long had pet dachshunds (or sausage dogs, as some might call them).
You can spot the pups right away from their long bodies and short legs. The breed lives for around 12 to 16 years.
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The former monarch has a Dachshund named Tillia.
The pup joined her for her 85th birthday celebrations at Fredensborg Palace.
The Dachshund was pictured on the steps of the palace with the rest of the royal family.
Labradoodle
Norway’s royals are also dog lovers!
Crown Prince Haakon and his family have had several labradoodles over the years.
The breed is a cross between a Labrador retriever and a poodle. They range in height.
The family had Labradoodles Milly Kakao and Muffin Krakebolle, who you can see pictured above in 2018 during the childrens parade at Skaugum in Oslo.
Muffins sadly died in July 2021 due to cancer.
For Christmas that year, the royals revealed they’d got another pup named Molly.
Beagle
While Meghan and Harry have a Labrador, they’re also the proud parents of a beagle.
The couple share a rescue beagle named Mamma Mia, whom they adopted in 2022.
Mia isn’t the only beagle Meghan has adopted.
The Duchess of Sussex previously rescued her beloved beagle Guy in 2015.
Sadly, in January 2025, Meghan revealed Guy, who had been a constant in her life for a decade, had died.
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