Heartbroken Camilla mourns death of beloved dog Beth who ‘brought such joy’

The Queen has been left heartbroken after the death of her beloved dog and “much-loved companion” Beth.

The Jack Russell terrier was adopted by Camilla from the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, just like her other rescue dog Bluebell.

Buckingham Palace posted the news on social media alongside a montage of images of the Queen’s pet, with the message describing the joy the animal brought to Camilla.

“A sad farewell to Beth, the Queen’s much-loved companion from @Battersea_Dogs and Cats Home who brought such joy, whether on walkies, helping on official duties, or curled up by the fire,” the post read.

It is understood Beth, who was 13, had an untreatable tumour and had to be put down at the weekend.

Beth, along with Bluebell, was so loved by Camilla that she even featured on the Queen’s coronation gown, with goldwork motifs of the two dogs embroidered onto the historic dress which Camilla wore to be crowned.

Beth made a number of appearances at royal engagements at Camilla’s side over the years.

Camilla took Beth along to compete in a loyalty duel with the late TV presenter and dog-lover Paul O’Grady and his dog Sausage at Battersea’s Brands Hatch centre in Kent in 2022 for the filming of the hit show For The Love Of Dogs.

The royal pet managed to ignore toys and treats to run back to her owner to win the trial.

And in 2020, Beth helped Camilla unveil a plaque as they opened new kennels for the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

A sausage was tied around a rope attached to a curtain covering the sign commemorating Camilla’s visit, with the then-duchess laughing as Beth grabbed the treat to pull the drape away.

Camilla is patron of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and O’Grady, who died last year, was a long-time ambassador for the animal welfare charity.

The Queen gave a home to Beth in 2011 when she was a three-month-old unwanted puppy, and Bluebell in 2012 after she was found wandering alone in a London park with a painful skin condition.

Battersea posted a message of support for Camilla, thanking her and the King for giving Beth a “such wonderful life”.

“We’re sad to hear that Beth, HM The Queen’s rescue dog, has passed away,” the charity said.

“Her Majesty, our Patron, rehomed Beth from Battersea in 2011 and we have many fond memories of Beth visiting our centres over the years. Our thoughts are with Their Majesties at this time.”

Battersea added: “We’d like to thank their Majesties for giving Beth such a wonderful life and for supporting rescue.”

Among the images shared by the Palace was one of the now-King nose-to-nose with Beth as he crouched down to greet her as she placed a paw on his knee.

In 2020, when Charles and Camilla celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary, the dogs featured in the portrait marking the occasion.

The smiling couple, who had just been reunited after Camilla isolated with Covid, were seated side by side in the front porch of their Scottish country retreat Birkhall, with Bluebell on Camilla’s lap and an alert-looking Beth in Charles’s arms.

The Queen is facing the bereavement having only just returning to shortened engagements last week after falling ill with a nasty chest infection following her tour to Australia and Samoa.

The Windsors have long been a dog-loving family.

The late Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis, many of them direct descendants of her first one Susan, who was so loved she accompanied the then Princess Elizabeth on her honeymoon.

She was also kept dorgis – a cross between a corgi and a dachshund.

As the Prince of Wales, Charles also owned Jack Russells, including his beloved Tigga, who lived until the age of 18 and grew up with princes William and Harry.

A willow and bronze wire sculpture of Tigga stands in tribute to the cherished pet in the gardens of Charles’s Gloucestershire home Highgrove.

Tigga’s daughter Pooh went missing on the Balmoral estate in 1994 after running off into the trees, but was never found again.

The Prince and Princess of Wales were given a cocker spaniel called Lupo as a wedding present from Kate’s brother, James Middleton.

Lupo died unexpectedly in 2020 and they announced the news in a rare personal post saying he had been at “the heart of our family for the past nine years and we will miss him so much”.

They welcomed a new cocker spaniel puppy called Orla a couple of months later.