>> Wednesday, February 01, 2012
|The royal family visiting the Balmoral kennels, 1972|
Image via British Monarchy Flickr
|Princess Victoria with her spaniel, Dash|
|Marble effigy of Caesar|
Image from the
St George's Chapel website
Shortly after Jack's death, the King was presented with a fox terrier called Caesar, who accompanied his master everywhere. In 1907 the King he commissioned Faberge to create a group of small carved animals, including one of Caesar. The miniature features ruby eyes and a gold collar that reads 'I am Caesar. I belong to the King'. After the king's death in 1910 he gained fame as part of the king's funeral procession, walking behind the late king's favorite horse. As a result of his notoriety, Where's Master? a book supposedly written by Caesar, was published in June 1910 . He died in 1914 and is buried in the grounds of Marlborough house. In 1927 an effigy of him was included on the tombs of the King and Queen Alexandra in St George's Chapel. He lies curled up at the foot of his master.
King George V owned five dogs, the first was a collie called Heather. After Heather died, the King adopted Happy, the first of four terriers he would own. Like Caesar, he wrote his own book If I were King George, which was published in 1911.
|The Royal family in 1968|
via British Monarchy flickr
|The Duchess of Cornwall visits|
Battersea Dogs and Cats home
© Marilyn Braun 2012
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Noble Hounds and Dear Companions: The Royal Photograph Collection
The Official site of the British Monarchy