Poor Queen Elizabeth. The royal is sadly mourning the death of her last corgi, Willow, Daily Mail reported on Tuesday, April 17. The nearly-15-year-old pup was put to sleep at Windsor Castle on Sunday, April 15 (a few days after her husband, Prince Philip, came home from the hospital following hip surgery) after suffering a cancer-related illness.

“She does not like seeing her dogs suffer and she knows that sometimes putting a dog down is the kindest course of action — although that doesn’t make her loss any less,” a Buckingham Palace source told the news outlet.

The 91-year-old was hit “extremely hard” with the heartbreaking news, as Willow was one of her closest companions. The pup’s death also marks the first time since the 1940s that there won’t be corgis in the house. (there have been more than 30 corgis in royal households over the years). “She has mourned every one of her corgis over the years, but she has been more upset about Willow’s death than any of them,” the insider added. “It is probably because Willow was the last link to her parents and a pastime that goes back to her own childhood. It really does feel like the end of an era.”

Willow was a 14th generation pup descended from the Queen’s first corgi, Susan, whom was an 18th birthday gift to her. “Willow represents a significant thread running through the Queen’s life from her teenage years to her 90s,” a courtier said. “For many, many years she bred and raised corgis and to think that the last one has now gone is something of a milestone.”

queen elizabeth corgis getty images

The passing of Willow unfortunately comes just 18 months after the death of her other corgi, Holly, who died at age 13. But don’t worry, while Willow was her last corgi, the Queen still has two other dogs named Vulcan and Candy, both of whom are a mix between a corgi and a dachsund.

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