They are the loveable little dog forever associated with the late Queen Elizabeth. The royal Corgis are the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, owned by Elizabeth from childhood and her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

The late Queen's well-known, lifelong affection for the breed cemented their status in the public consciousness as a beloved, iconic British dog. Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis from her accession in 1952 until her death in 2022, but her remaining two dogs, Muick (pronounced Mick) and Sandy, now live with her disgraced second son Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor who is about to move in to Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate.

Her beloved pets were seen at her funeral in Windsor and since her death in 2022 the number of registered corgis has soared to 900. But back in 2016 there were only 393 registered Pembroke Corgis making them in serious danger of going onto the vulnerable native breed list, Helen Hurse, spokesperson for the Welsh Corgi League, explained to the Express.

She said: "Numbers back then were low and if the number drops to 300 a breed goes on the list and means they are in danger of dying out."

The Cardigan Welsh Corgi have always been on The Kennel Club Vulnerable breed list. There were just 201 Cardigan Welsh Corgi puppies registered with The Kennel Club in 2022.

However, Pembroke Corgis saw their numbers soar during Covid, like many breeds. It meant the Welsh Corgi League grew concerned about puppy farms over-breeding them to meet demand.

Helen said: "During Covid, Corgi puppies were being sold for as much as £5000 to £6000. Today, a corgi puppy, ethically bred, tested and with good parentage, would cost around £2800."

She said the dogs' popularity was undoubtably due to its association with the late Queen but admited the remaining two royal corgis' association with Andrew "would not necessarily be a positive thing".

"We hope people focus on the dogs not the person. If King Charles had wanted to have them after his mother's death I am sure that he would have had them. But they went to Sarah (Ferguson) who used to walk them with the Queen."

Now, with Andrew and Sarah no longer living together at Royal Lodge in Windsor - having been evicted by the King due to their association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein - the royal corgis find themselves in exile in Norfolk with Andrew, as Sarah is believed to have no permanent base at present.

Helen added: "The corgis seen being walked on the Norfolk estate can only be a good thing, as the population of corgis in Norfolk and Suffolk has been declining. That will be a positive thing. The association with him, I do not necessarily think would be positive."

However, Helen went on to say: "The reputation of the breed was established because of its positive association with the late Queen. They were her dogs, not Andrew's dogs. This association with her, while it may diminish over time, hasn't done so yet."

Corgis were incredibly popular in the mid-20th century, with registrations peaking at nearly 9,000 puppies in 1960.

Following their portrayal in the Netflix series The Crown, and coinciding with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, registrations for Pembroke Welsh Corgis skyrocketed, exceeding 1,000 in 2021 for the first time since 1994, although The Welsh Corgi League put this down to the pandemic as dog ownership across most breeds increased dramatically.

Immediately after the Queen's funeral, search volume for corgis in the UK rose by nearly 100%, and selling prices for the breed hit record highs, with many doubling in price.

Despite no official confirmation of their whereabouts, pictures taken in February revealed Sandy and Muick, the last two corgis owned by the late Queen, were in Sandringham. They were spotted enjoying some exercise on the grounds close to Wood Farm, where Andrew is staying while he waits for renovations to be made to Marsh Farm.

The animals were being walked by two of the former prince's staff members, suggesting they were still in his care.

They were given to him for a very specific reason that involved his two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. The princesses gifted their grandmother with Muick and Sandy, having bought the two pups for the Queen to distract her from the stress of her husband, Prince Philip's, hospital stay in 2021.