It starts, as these things often do, with a dog lead and a hallway whisper.
The object in question is neither a crown nor a carriage. A couple of small, low-slung corgis with clever faces and that “I know something you don’t” trot. Muick and Sandy. Muick and Sandy were the last two corgis owned by the Queen. People still talk about them as if they’re tiny furry footnotes to the longest reign most of us ever lived through.
And now there’s a rumour doing the rounds that sounds almost too odd to be true but also weirdly believable in the way royal stories sometimes are. King Charles allegedly wants to take the Queen’s Corgis.
If you’ve seen the headlines, you’ll know the basic plot. The dogs have been living at Royal Lodge with Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson since Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022. That part isn’t gossip. ITV, among others, has widely reported the story, which aligns with previous statements about the dogs’ return to Royal Lodge.
The spicy bit is the idea of the King “seizing” them. That language comes from tabloid-style reporting and the royal commentariat’s love of drama. Marie Claire, for example, framed it as a rumour about Charles preparing to take them back.
So what’s actually solid here, and what’s just a good story that keeps the internet busy?
What We Know About Muick And Sandy
Muick and Sandy were Queen Elizabeth II’s corgis in her final years. After her death, they went to live with Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson at Royal Lodge. Multiple outlets have reported this arrangement, and Sarah Ferguson has also spoken publicly about the dogs in a way that makes it clear they’re part of her daily life.
Then, in late 2025, Buckingham Palace made a short statement about the dogs’ future. The key line, repeated in coverage, was that “the corgis will remain with the family”. It didn’t say which family member. And yes, that vagueness is exactly why people are filling in the blanks with rumour.
That’s the spine of the story. Everything else is muscle and gossip.
Why This Rumour Took Off In The First Place
Because it has all the ingredients.
The story revolves around a beloved late monarch, two recognisable dogs, and a disgraced duke, who has been infamous for all the wrong reasons. A king trying to manage the monarchy and the family at the same time. And a house at Windsor that keeps popping up in “who’s living where” stories.
Some reports have linked the corgi chatter to ongoing speculation about Prince Andrew’s long-term living arrangements at Royal Lodge. The logic goes like this: if Andrew’s home situation changes, the dogs’ home situation changes too. That’s not a wild leap. It’s just… not confirmed.
And when there’s a gap in confirmed detail, the internet doesn’t sit quietly. It invents a full film.
Is This Really About The Dogs, Or Something Else
Honestly? It can be both.
If you strip away the dramatic wording, one sensible question remains: what’s the most stable, sensible home for two ageing dogs tied so strongly to royal symbolism?
People magazine summed it up well when it pointed out that the palace statement left it open-ended as to who the dogs would live with. That’s a deliberate ambiguity. It keeps things private while still reassuring the public that the dogs won’t be “sent away” or handed to strangers.
So yes, it may be about care and routine.
But it might also be about optics. The Queen’s corgis are not just pets in the public imagination. They’re part of the Queen story. And for a monarchy that trades on continuity, symbols matter. Even the ones with short legs.
What “Remain With The Family” Could Mean
It could mean the dogs stay with Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, full stop. It could mean they move with one of Andrew’s daughters if family housing changes. It could mean they live closer to the King’s own household, still cared for by trusted staff, but with the “family” label intact.
The palace didn’t clarify, and that matters because it keeps us in the land of guesses. People’s coverage made that point clearly: the statement confirmed the dogs stay within the wider family circle, not the exact address.
So when you see “Charles is taking them”, read it as “there’s speculation about where they’ll live next.” That’s a very different claim.
The Practical Reality
Dogs aren’t concerned about palace politics. They care about routine, which means a food bowl in the same place, familiar voices, a comfortable corner and the smell of the same blanket. If you have ever rehomed a pet, you will understand that the initial week can be somewhat chaotic. There may be restless pacing, odd little cries at night, and a searching look.
Older dogs tend to like stability more, not less.
So if there is any serious conversation happening behind closed doors, the most responsible version of it would be boring. It would be about who can keep their routine steady. Who’s around enough? Who has the right staff support? Who can give them quiet, predictable days?
And yes, that’s a lot less clickable than “royal seizure”.
A Quick Reality Check Table
| What’s Solid | What’s Being Claimed in Headlines |
|---|---|
| Muick and Sandy have been cared for by Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson since 2022. | The King is “seizing” the dogs right now. |
| Buckingham Palace has said the corgis “will remain with the family”. | “Remain with the family” means Charles personally takes them. |
| Sarah Ferguson has spoken publicly about the dogs. | There’s a confirmed private dispute with official paperwork (not shown). |
Is There Any “Latest” Update Worth Noting
The most recent meaningful development isn’t a new photo of the dogs. It’s that palace wording getting repeated in late 2025 coverage, again and again, because it’s the only firm statement that’s been put on the record.
Everything else, including the more dramatic framing, sits in the “reported” and “rumoured” box.
That doesn’t mean it’s all nonsense. It just means it hasn’t been backed with anything official.
Also read: What’s Going On with Meghan Markle? Here’s the Latest
What This Says About Royal Privacy in 2026
Here’s the strange part.
People say they want privacy for the royals. Then a corgi story appears, and everyone turns into a detective.
The Queen kept those dogs close because they were comforting, familiar, and loyal. The public kept them close because they were a rare soft spot in a world of rules and ceremony. You could look at a corgi and feel something simple. Affection. Nostalgia. A little laugh.
So when the Queen is gone, the dogs feel like the last living thread. That’s why this rumour travels faster than most palace chatter. It isn’t really about property. It’s about memory.
FAQs
Are the Queen’s Corgis Still Alive?
As of the most recent public updates, Muick and Sandy have been reported as living with Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
Who owns Muick and Sandy now?
Public reporting indicates that they were in the care of Andrew and Sarah Ferguson after 2022. Buckingham Palace has said they will remain “with the family”, without naming a specific person.
Has Buckingham Palace confirmed whether King Charles is taking the dogs?
No official statement has confirmed that. The official line widely reported is that the corgis will remain with the family.
Where did the “seize” rumour come from?
It appears in celebrity and royal commentary coverage that frames the situation as a dispute, including Marie Claire’s reporting on the rumour.
Why do people care so much about two dogs?
Because they’re not just pets to the public. They’ve become part of how many people remember Queen Elizabeth II, and symbols tend to attract drama when nobody fills in the quiet details.
And now, be honest. If the palace quietly announced tomorrow that the dogs had moved to a calmer house with familiar staff and a big patch of grass, would anyone be cross… or would everyone pretend they didn’t care and click anyway?
Sources & References
- Marie Claire: Rumours Swirl Suggesting King Charles Is “Preparing to Seize” Queen Elizabeth’s Corgis — Explores the “Crown’s living legacy” argument.
- People Magazine: Palace Reveals What Happens to Queen Elizabeth’s Corgis — Analyses the ambiguity of the “remain with the family” statement.
- IBTimes UK: Prince Andrew ‘Refusing’ To Give Up Corgis As King Charles Eyes Custody Battle — Details reports on Andrew’s refusal to hand over the dogs.
- Hindustan Times: Corgi custody battle? King Charles ‘preparing to seize’ dogs from Andrew — Summarises the link between the Royal Lodge eviction and the dogs’ future.
- The Economic Times: Why King Charles wants to take back Queen Elizabeth II’s corgis — Discusses the environment at Royal Lodge.
