Corgis, charities and crocodiles: the royal family's mixed history with animals

An animal rights group has accused the Prince and Princess of Wales of being "staggeringly out of touch" for breeding their family cocker spaniel.

Animal shelters are "overflowing with puppies desperate for a second chance at a loving home", said People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and nobody should be "churning out a litter" during an animal homelessness crisis.

Peta is well known for its outspoken views and use of shock publicity tactics but this is not the first time that members of the royal family have been caught up in controversy about their relationship with animals.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

What's the history?

The way royals treat animals has brought them both praise and criticism over the years. When Queen Victoria and her husband Albert bought the Balmoral estate in 1852, they were "largely responsible for introducing grouse shooting to Britain's upper classes", said anti-hunting campaign group Protect the Wild.

In 1961, the Queen and Prince Philip posed by the body of a tiger he'd killed during a hunt in India. On the same trip, he also killed a crocodile and six mountain sheep.

In 2004, a "smiling" Prince Harry was photographed crouching over the body of one-ton water buffalo, said the Daily Mail. The picture was taken moments after he shot the animal dead on a hunting trip in South America.

His brother, Prince William, was taken to task for going boar-hunting in Spain and his wife Catherine has been criticised for taking part in grouse and pheasant-shooting with the royal family.

What about all their charity work?

The royals have also supported many animal causes. Prince Philip was long associated with the work of the World Wildlife Fund, becoming its UK president (ironically) the same year as his tiger hunt in India.

Queen Elizabeth II, who famously owned corgis and was an expert on racehorses, was a patron of more than 30 animal charities and helped to raise awareness of issues such as the illegal wildlife trade. She was also a regular visitor to the pigeon lofts at Sandringham and was known for her love of cows.

Prince William has reportedly promised to destroy all the ivory in the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace, and (ten years after that dead buffalo picture) Prince Harry vowed to protect African wildlife.

What about Charles and Camilla?

Last year, Queen Camilla promised that she would not buy any new fur products. In a letter to Peta, Buckingham Palace said the Queen "will not procure any new fur garments". Welcoming the development, The Independent said Camilla was using her "privilege to set a moral example".

King Charles is a patron of the RSCPA and the charity has praised his "continued" and "invaluable" support for animal welfare. When Charles was crowned, the Coronation Roll (the state record of the event) was produced on paper, rather than the traditional parchment made from animal skin, and the oil used to anoint him was vegan-friendly.

Royal residences no longer serve foie gras, made from ducks or geese which are often force-fed, because, said the BBC, King Charles is a "longstanding opponent" of the food.