The Royal Hounds: A Brief History of Royals and their Canine Companions

Royal History Series with Deb Schmidle - The Royal Hounds

"Golf seems to be an arduous way to go for a walk. I prefer to take the dogs out." Princess Anne

Dogs have played important roles in British royal life for centuries. Examples include hunting dogs during the medieval period; Charles II’s spaniels; Queen Victoria’s multitude of dogs—including the dachshund, popularized in Britain by her husband, Prince Albert, and the late Queen Elizabeth II’s beloved corgis.

In honor of International Dog Day (August 26th), we will discuss dogs who worked for royals, as well as those who were pampered pets.

Bio
LLH member Deb Schmidle’s undergraduate and master’s level research focused on British history in the 16th and 17th centuries, an area in which she remains conversant. Deb has also developed and currently teaches courses on various aspects of London’s history for Lifelong in Ithaca.