Queen Victoria's pets
Wednesday 18 May 1836
Dear Uncle Ernest made me the present of a most delightful Lory, which is so tame, that it remains on your hand, & you may put your finger into its beak, or do any thing with it without its ever attempting to bite. It is larger than Mamma's Grey Parrot, & has a most beautiful plumage; it is scarlet, blue, brown, yellow & purple.
Queen Victoria's journal (18 May 1836)
Queen Victoria and her close family kept numerous pet animals, including:
- Fatima – a Pug
- Alma – a Shetland pony given by King Victor Emmanuel[1]
- Dandie – a Skye Terrier[1]
- Dash – a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel[1]
- Eos – a greyhound which Prince Albert brought from Germany[1]
- Flora – a Highland pony given by King Victor Emmanuel[1]
- Goats – Mohammad Shah Qajar, the Shah of Persia, presented Queen Victoria with a pair of Tibetan goats upon her accession to the throne. From these, a royal goat herd was established at Windsor. Goats from this herd were then used as regimental mascots by regiments such as the Royal Welch Fusiliers.[2]
- Nero – a greyhound[1]
- Islay – a Skye terrier.[1] Victoria owned Islay for five years and he died after losing a fight with a cat.[3]
- Jacquot – a donkey[1]
- Unknown name – a lory[1]
- Looty – one of the first Pekingese in Britain, stolen from the Xianfeng Emperor of China, from his Chinese Summer Palace, during the Second Opium War[4]
- Marco – a small spitz which was the first of her many Pomeranians.[5]
- Hector – a deerhound[1]
- Noble – the Queen's favourite collie.[1] A statue by Princess Louise is in Osborne House.[6]
- Picco – a Sardinian pony[1]
- Sharp – a collie[7][8]
- Turi – a Pomeranian who lay on her deathbed at her request[1]
- Coco – An African grey parrot[9][10][11]
See also[edit]
- Royal corgis
- Horses of Elizabeth II
- Caesar - King Edward VII pet
- Canadian Parliamentary Cats
- Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, United Kingdom
- Tibs the Great
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Helen Rapoo (2003), "Animals", Queen Victoria: A Biographical Companion, pp. 34–39, ISBN 9781851093557
- ^ Cheryl MacDonald (2009), Celebrated Pets: Endearing Tales of Companionship and Loyalty, p. 104
- ^ Paul Johnson, "And Another Thing", The spectator, 15 April 2000, p. 24
- ^ William Bambridge (1865), Looty the Pekingese 1865, Royal Collection Trust
- ^ Joe Stahlkuppe (2000), Pomeranians, p. 5, ISBN 9780764110467
- ^ Jan Toms (2008), Animal Graves and Memorials, Osprey Publishing, p. 39, ISBN 9780747806431
- ^ Anonymous (1890s). True Stories of Bird and Beast (1st ed.). Glasgow: Blackie and Son.
- ^ Presberg, Carole. "Queen Victoria's Border Collies". The Border Collie Museum. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ Alderton, David (5 April 2002). "David Alderton on the joy of parrots". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
- ^ Goldstein, Jack (2014). 101 Amazing Facts about Queen Victoria. Andrews UK Limited. ISBN 9781783338146.
- ^ "MASTERPIECE | What's Fact, What's Fiction in Victoria Season 2 Episode 7". Masterpiece. Retrieved 1 March 2018.