First Statue of Queen Elizabeth II with Beloved Corgi Installed on Monarch's 98th Birthday In the UK
It's no secret that Elizabeth II was very fond of her corgis. Wherever she went, the dogs followed her, a sight Princess Diana once described as "a moving carpet". Now, the late Queen of the United Kingdom's tender relationship with her dogs has been immortalised in bronze: a seven-foot statue of Elizabeth and her dogs, created by London sculptor Hywel Pretley, was unveiled on Sunday, 21 April, the day the late Queen would have turned 98, The Telegraph reports.
The bronze statue, which depicts the monarch with a corgi at her feet, was unveiled outside the local library in Okemah in Rutland, England's smallest county.
Rutland Town Council said the statue is "England's first permanent memorial to Her late Majesty".
The statue by Hugh Branagh Pratley depicts a young Queen Elizabeth standing in ceremonial robes with George IV's tiara on her head, the Garter of the Order of the Garter on her dress and one of her favourite corgis playing at her feet. Last year, the sculptor looked at his creation and added two more corgis to the base of the statue for the final product.
The corgi became synonymous with Queen Elizabeth during her record-breaking 70-year reign, starting with Susan, a pet she received as a gift for her 18th birthday. Susan went on to become the furry matriarch of 14 generations of dogs owned by Queen Elizabeth, and the monarch owned more than 30 corgis and dorgies (Dashund-Corgie mixes) throughout her life.
The huge sculpture was commissioned by Dr Sarah Furness, Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, after the Queen's death in September 2022. About $155,000 was raised for the project.
The unveiling was attended by hundreds of people, as well as corgis from the Welsh Corgi League, some of whom were festively dressed in patriotic bandanas.
