Queen Camilla joyfully shared news of her latest family addition, revealing she has adopted a new rescue puppy after the heartbreaking loss of her Jack Russell Terrier last year.
During her historic visit to Canterbury, where she unveiled a life-size bronze statue of writer Aphra Behn and visited the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge, the Queen interacted warmly with a guide dog while engaging with a partially-sighted museum group.
Stooping to pet Fergie the Labrador, the Queen commented on the ‘affectionate’ nature of guide dogs, revealing: “I’ve just got a new puppy, she’s eight-weeks old,” to its owner, Susan Mason, 66, who is partially-sighted, the Mirror reports.
Laughter ensued when Ms Mason inquired about the breed, as the Queen responded: “You may well ask, a bit of everything. It’s a rescue dog. It’s called Moley – it looks just like a mole.”
Moley was welcomed into the royal household after being adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, born on Boxing Day to a mother who is half Jack Russell, with the rest of the lineage unknown including the father’s breed.
Ms Mason expressed that her own puppy was named after Sarah Ferguson, often referring to her as “the Duchess”.
During her tour, Queen Camilla, upon entering the Special Exhibition’s Gallery at the Beaney, immediately approached another guide dog, Ralph, and affectionately said: “He looks very happy, he can probably smell my dogs.”
Her Majesty was left devastated when her Jack Russell Terrier, Beth, passed away last November.
The King shared the news with TV presenter Amanda Holden, an ambassador for the renowned Battersea animal rescue centre in London, during his attendance at the Royal Variety Performance a few weeks later, revealing plans to get a new dog.
Camilla, 77, disclosed the unfortunate news that Beth had succumbed to an incurable tumour and had to be euthanised. Beth was adopted by Camilla from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2011 when she was just 12 weeks old, having been found tied to a lamppost.
Both Beth and Bluebell made history three years ago as the first rescue dogs to reside in Buckingham Palace. In 2020, the two dogs featured in a memorable photo marking Charles and Camilla’s 15th wedding anniversary, being lovingly embraced by their owners during a visit to Birkhall in Balmoral.
Today, upon her arrival in the heart of Canterbury, the Queen unveiled a life-size bronze statue of Ms Behn, who is recognised as the first professional female writer in the English language and one of the most frequently performed playwrights of the 17th century.
Greeting a line of dignitaries, Camilla looked up at the dark grey clouds overhead and remarked: “I am just praying the rain is going to hold.”
Stewart Ross, chair of the Canterbury Commemoration Society, then escorted her to the statue and introduced her to sculptor Christine Charlesworth, whose work was selected by public vote from a shortlist of four.
He instructed: “Give it a hefty tug,” as the Queen Consort unveiled the statue with assistance from 12 year old Evelyn Cornell.
Upon revealing the statue, Camilla commented, “she looks rather shy” noting that Aphra Behn’s hand was positioned behind her back.
Camilla proceeded inside the Beaney, which houses a museum, library, art gallery, and visitor information centre, where she watched a story time session in the Orange Room.
Children from St Peter’s Primary School were discovering how writing has evolved through hands-on experiences with a typewriter, Canterbury Council’s first laptop, and letterpress printing.
Observing the old equipment, the Queen Consort exclaimed: “Oh my goodness, is this an old typewriter? ” She engaged with the children, asking them: “How are you getting on? Is it a bit archaic? “
In the library, Camilla spotted her son Tom Parker Bowles’ latest book ‘Cooking and the Crown’ on display and expressed her pride by saying: “That’s my son’s book! ”
She also encountered children enjoying a reading from Michael Morpurgo’s ‘There Once Is a Queen’ and learned that the author is celebrated locally and even has his own dedicated bookcase.
The Queen said, “All of my grandchildren have read the whole lot” – then urged the children to “keep on reading”. Her Majesty also spent time in the Explorers Gallery watching a Royal Shakespeare Company performance of a passage from Aphra Behn’s play “The Rover”.