Holly, one of Her Majesty’s 2 remaining corgi’s has died of old age. The queen summoned a veterinarian while at Balmoral last week. The 13-year-old corgi was put to sleep and buried in the grounds. According to sources, the Queen can see the grave as she glances out her drawing room window. There has yet to be a headstone placed to mark the spot, but it is certain one will be installed there.

The corgi starred with the Queen in the James Bond 007 skit which aired during the Opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics. Corgis have played an immense part in the private life of the Queen. Her parents gifted her with Susan when she turned 18. And her corgis she’s bred ever since have been direct descendants of her first dog. Sugar and Honey were her first puppies born just 4 years later. Over the last 7 decades, the Queen has loved over 30 corgis.

Though she has Willow, her 1 remaining corgi and 2 corgi-dachshund crosses, Vulcan and Candy left, the Queen was left distraught after the death of her beloved Holly. Willow is also 13, the equivalent of 81-years-old in human years.

An insider close to the Queen said: ‘The Queen was deeply upset but she doesn’t like seeing her dogs suffer and Holly had reached a very good age. She gets more unsettled if they are distressed and she knows that putting a dog down is often the kindest solution. ‘She was devoted to Holly and wherever the Queen was, the dog was never far behind.’

All of her dogs posed with the Queen for an official portrait for her 90th birthday this year. Sadly, it was revealed last year that the Queen had stopped breeding her beloved Pembroke Welsh corgis. The Queen was afraid that she’d trip over the younger dogs and injure herself and she no longer wished to replace the pets who had died. Monty Roberts, a California cowboy has served as an informal adviser to Her Majesty for over 25 years, said she didn’t want to leave any pets behind when she died.

It was thought the Queen had 13 corgis at one time. The little dogs got underfoot of staff and guests alike. On average, these dogs only live 12 to 13 years. However, Kelpie, a favourite of Her Majesty’s lived to the ripe old age of 17. Some of her dogs didn’t have long lives. Pharos, was attacked by Princess Anne’s bull terrier, Dotty and was put to sleep back in 2003. And in 1989, the Queen Mother’s dog, Ranger, led a pack of corgis that attacked and killed the Queen’s beloved dorgi, Chipper.