The Queen's two new puppies which she received in lockdown were actually a gift from her son Prince Andrew, The Sun reports.
According to the newspaper, the Duke of York gave his mother the adorable pooches to comfort her and keep her company while Prince Philip endured a month-long stay in hospital earlier this year.
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One of the puppies was originally called Charlie, but the Queen has renamed her new corgi Muick and her dachshund-corgi cross Fergus. She has been going on daily walks with them around Frogmore House on her Windsor estate and was even pictured taking them for a stroll the night before Prince Philip's funeral.
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The report went on to say that Andrew decided to surprise his mum with the puppies while she was feeling down in Windsor Castle. The arrival of her new pooches sparked surprise among royal watchers as the Queen had openly said she didn't want to take on more pets in her older years.
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Prince Philip spent a month at two different London hospitals from mid February to mid March. He sadly passed away aged 99 on Friday 9 April and his funeral was held eight days later on 17 April.
© Photo: Getty ImagesAndrew gave his mother the two puppies to comfort her while Prince Philip was in hospital
Her Majesty was supported by her children and grandchildren as she laid her husband to rest at a ceremonial funeral at St George's Chapel, Windsor. Despite the coronavirus restrictions which saw the guest list limited to just 30 people, all of whom wore masks inside the chapel, the funeral was a fitting farewell for Prince Philip, who had always said he wanted minimal fuss.
The Queen and the royal family will remain in mourning until Friday, which means several of their scheduled engagements were cancelled. The monarch also marked her milestone 95th birthday on Wednesday, but given her husband's recent passing, she was expected to spend the day privately and in a low-key manner.
Her family have reportedly set up a rota to visit the Queen at Windsor Castle while she mourns her husband, who she was married to for 73 years.
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