At age 73, King Charles III became head of the British state after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on September 8, 2022. He’s had an entire lifetime to prepare for his new responsibilities, often guided by decades of her influence and council.
One royal characteristic they share is a love of animals, including, of course, dogs—especially given how the queen adored and bred dozens of corgis and dorgis for nearly 90 years.
The king, meanwhile, has long held affection for the spunk and intelligence of Jack Russell terriers (enough to include one of his favorites, Tigga, in a family Christmas card). King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, are the proud owners of two adorable Jack Russell Terrier rescue dogs: Beth and Bluebell. As the new monarch prepares to move into Buckingham Palace, reports confirm that the pups will also call the royal residence home.
In a past interview(2022) with BBC Radio 5 Live, Camilla said: “Along I went to Battersea, and Beth appeared, and she had just been moved from pillar to post and dumped. We thought it would be nice for her to have a friend. They found [Bluebell] two or three weeks later, wandering about in woods, no hair on her, covered in sores, virtually dead. And they nursed her back to life and her hair grew again. She’s very sweet, but a tiny bit neurotic, shall we say.
Buckingham Palace is currently undergoing a 10-year renovation project in order to keep the building fit for the future. Charles and Camilla will continue to live at Clarence House in London, along with their dogs, until the Palace is fit for purpose. With 775 rooms and sprawling gardens, we imagine Beth and Bluebell will have no problem settling into the Palace when the time comes.
Before welcoming the Jack Russell Terriers into their home, King Charles owned a Jack Russell named Tiger. He died in 2022 and is buried at his country estate, Highgrove House. Much like his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, the King is a big fan of four-legged friends.