Her Majesty Queen Camilla's much-loved Jack Russell terrier Beth has died.
Her Majesty had owned Beth since 2011, when she adopted the three-month-old puppy from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, a charity of which she is a patron. The Queen adopted her other Jack Russell, Bluebell, shortly afterwards. ‘They are both colourful characters — and now I cannot imagine my life, my home or my sofas without them,’ she wrote in her foreword to the book Top Dogs: A British Love Affair.
In 2022, when guest-editing a special issue of Country Life, Queen Camilla — then the Duchess of Cornwall — even put her beloved pets on the Frontispiece page of the magazine, both adorned with pearls and posing beautifully for the camera.
Beth and Bluebell were given an even greater honour not long afterwards, when The Queen had a pair of Jack Russells embroidered into the gown she wore during her Coronation.
The Royal Family shared a series of pictures and a video of Beth, who had to be put down after developing an inoperable tumour.
A sad farewell to Beth, The Queen’s much-loved companion from @Battersea_ Dogs and Cats Home who brought such joy, whether on walkies, helping on official duties, or curled up by the fire. ð¾ pic.twitter.com/AD5WZKODqB
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) November 18, 2024
Jack Russells: Feisty, funny, and the first dog in history to inspire a queen’s coronation gown
Small, but mighty, the feisty Jack Russell is as popular as ever, not least as it’s The Queen Consort’s breed
Camilla, the Queen Consort: The ‘best listener in the world’ and the King’s secret weapon
Whether she’s highlighting domestic abuse, championing literacy, dining with pensioners or quietly supporting her husband, our new Queen is excelling
Curious Questions: When were dogs domesticated?
Dogs have never been more popular — as soaring puppy prices (and the worrying number of scams) show. But our