Queen stops breeding corgis as 'she doesn't want to leave any behind'

The Queen's deep affection for her favourite breed of dog is such that she will always be associated with them.

But it is understood that the monarch has stopped breeding Pembrokeshire Welsh Corgies because she does not want to leave any behind when she dies.

Monty Roberts, a horse whisperer who has regularly advised the Queen and is a frequent guest at the royal residences, has revealed that she told him that she did not want any more pups.

Mr Roberts, 80, whom the Queen named one of corgi after , said he had urged her to breed more dogs in 2012.

"But she didn't want to have any more young dogs," he told Vanity Fair.

"She didn't want to leave any young dog behind. She wanted to put an end to it."

Mr Roberts admitted that the tone of the conversation had "concerned" him as he did not want her to contemplate dying.

The Queen, 89, who has owned 30 corgis over the years, has now has just two, Holly and Willow. Both are almost 12 and so are unlikely to live much longer.

She fell in love with the breed as a young child, naming her first one Dookie.

The Queen has owned 30 corgis over the years (Alpha)

She is said to feed them herself and take them on daily walks.

"My corgis are my family," she has said.

But of all of her dogs, it is Monty who won the nation's heart with his memorable performance at the Olympics opening ceremony.

Monty – along with two other corgis – greeted James Bond, and delivered him to the Queen, before performing tummy rolling for the camera.

Mr Roberts said of his namesake, who died later in 2012, "Dogs live for less time than human beings and we know we're going to lose them – but they are part of the Queen's family. She'll be quite upset about the death of Monty."