When Sarah Margaret Ferguson stepped onto the stage at the Creative Women Platform Forum London on May 14, 2025, she didn’t talk about business strategies or female leadership—she talked about dogs. Specifically, the two Pembroke Welsh corgis left behind by Queen Elizabeth II: Muick and Sandy. "Every morning they come in and go 'woof woof' and I'm sure it's her talking to me," Ferguson said, her voice steady but eyes glistening. It wasn’t a joke. Not to her. And maybe, just maybe, not to the millions who watched.
On the third anniversary of the Queen’s death, Ferguson posted a photo on Instagram of the two corgis napping side by side. The caption: "Her Majesty will be forever loved, always missed, and never forgotten. Not a day goes by when I don't think of the kindness I was unstintingly shown in good times and bad." It wasn’t performative. It was personal. And it resonated. The post got over 1.2 million likes. Comments flooded in: "I believe her," wrote one follower. "My late grandmother talks to me through our golden retriever. I get it."
But for Ferguson, they’re a bridge. A living, breathing connection to a woman who, despite the divorce in 1996, never cut ties. "She’d walk the dogs with me at Frogmore," a royal source told The Telegraph. "Even after the divorce, she’d call her ‘Sarah’—never ‘the Duchess’—and ask about their walks." That intimacy didn’t vanish with the marriage. It just changed form.
But Royal Lodge’s 98 acres—once shared with Andrew—are now primarily Ferguson’s domain. A source close to the family told HELLO! Magazine that Andrew’s move to Sandringham is "in motion," and Ferguson is preparing a smaller, private home nearby. The corgis? They’re too old to be moved twice. Sandy is 12. Muick is 11. They’ve lived their entire lives under the Queen’s roof. Moving them now? Unthinkable.
"I saw the Elizabeth Line on my way here," Ferguson said at the forum. "I want everyone to remember what an amazing lady she was." And in that moment, it wasn’t about royalty. It was about memory. About how love outlasts titles, and how even in death, the smallest creatures can carry the heaviest burdens of remembrance.
Ferguson has spoken publicly about the daily routines she shares with Muick and Sandy, including their morning "woof woof" greetings, which she interprets as messages from the late Queen. She emphasizes the emotional bond she shared with Elizabeth II, noting that even after her divorce from Prince Andrew, the Queen maintained personal contact and allowed Ferguson to care for the dogs. This ongoing ritual, combined with the dogs’ direct lineage from the Queen’s own pets, reinforces her belief in a spiritual connection.
Buckingham Palace confirmed the corgis "will remain with the family," but has not officially named their primary caregiver. While Sarah Ferguson currently houses them at Royal Lodge and is their most visible caretaker, Prince Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is relocating to Sandringham, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, who gifted Sandy, may also have a claim. The dogs’ advanced age—11 and 12—makes relocation unlikely, suggesting Ferguson will remain their main guardian.
The Queen stopped breeding corgis in 2015 to ensure none would be left without care after her death. Her final four dogs included Muick, Sandy, and two dorgis (corgi-dachshund mixes) named Candy and Vulcan. Candy and Vulcan were rehomed to the Queen’s former gamekeeper, John Constable, in 2022. Muick and Sandy, however, were kept within the family as emotional legacies, given their direct connection to the Queen’s final years and their status as gifts from her grandchildren and son.
The Queen famously called her corgis "family," and they were central to her daily life. She received her first corgi, Susan, at 18 and owned over 30 during her reign. Even in her 90s, she walked them daily at Balmoral. She once said they gave her "unconditional love," and their presence helped her cope with loneliness after Prince Philip’s death. Her decision to stop breeding them in 2015 showed deep responsibility—not just as a monarch, but as a pet owner who refused to leave any behind.
Yes. Author Craig Brown described them as "the Corleones of the dog world"—intelligent, stubborn, and prone to sudden mood shifts. They’re loyal but territorial, often barking at strangers or refusing to obey commands. The Queen’s staff reportedly spent hours training them, and even then, they’d sometimes ignore royal commands. Their small size belies their strong will, making them challenging pets. Yet, their quirks only deepened the Queen’s affection—they were messy, loud, and utterly themselves, just like her.
The timing matters. It’s been three years since the Queen’s death, and Ferguson’s public statements—coupled with her social media posts—have reignited public interest in her relationship with the monarchy. In an era of intense scrutiny over royal family dynamics, her emotional, almost spiritual connection to the late Queen stands in contrast to the more formal narratives. It humanizes grief in a way that resonates beyond royal watchers, tapping into universal feelings of loss and memory.