No, Queen Elizabeth was not an animal lover!
In many messages of condolence that appeared in memory of the late Queen Elizabeth II, her "love for animals" is exalted. But did she love them?
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Death of Queen Elizabeth II!
The disappearance of Queen Elizabeth II shocked the whole world and many people are paying her the due gifts, from the highest institutional offices to ordinary citizens, with the subjects of His Majesty naturally more involved in mourning. Among the numerous messages of condolence which are singing the praises of the deceased ruler - and which are acquiring a certain virality on social networks - there is a series all focused on the fact that Queen Elizabeth was a 'animals' lover.
In these posts, you can see her next to beautiful horses and hugging her beloved dogs (she was a big fan of Corgi e Dorg, as well known to the general public). But loving your pets doesn't necessarily mean being an animal lover tout court. Without going too far, the British sovereign had a genuine interest in hunting - as also told in the series "The Crown” is Netflix - and has been involved in some episodes that jumped to the honors of the international news that we could define at least as controversial. But let's proceed in order.
British royalty first and foremost have hugely held - like that of Balmoral in Scotland where the queen died and Sandringham in Norfolk in eastern England - where animals like ungulates e birds are set free specifically to be hunted by the nobles. It's a ruthless and bloodthirsty pastime (There is no other way to define the brutal techniques used to hunt foxes) which it seems they just can't give up, being embedded in the social status like other legacies of past ages.
Everyone remembers the "raids" of Prince Philip (Elizabeth's husband) on his safari to exotic destinations, during which he took pleasure in killing wonderful animals such as tigers. There is a historical photo from 1960 in which the prince poses with the queen in front of the carcass of a poor specimen just shot. This alone would be more than enough not to be called "animal lovers".
According to what was reported by the specialized site "MeatEater" which quotes an article from the Vancouver Sun in 2002, Queen Elizabeth would have been sent to deer hunting at the age of 19. During his first expedition, he would shoot down the only specimen of the day.
This passion is also told in the Netflix series dedicated to the British monarchy (which we remember being "freely inspired"). The queen's interest in this business was honored by Shooting Times, the UK's leading "sports country" magazine, featured on a 1952 cover, on the occasion of her coronation. In the old article, you can read that “King George V and King George VI were both famous shooters and sportsmen will rejoice that Queen Elizabeth has inherited a love for country sports, which are such a vital part of country life. ".
The queen "she joined the guns" at Balmoral, added the article's author. Among the most coveted prey by the nobles in this gigantic Scottish estate is the grouse a wonderful bird belonging to the family of Phasianidae. Just in pheasants, they have been involved in some of the most controversial episodes starring the deceased monarch.
The latest photos of Queen Elizabeth II: the bruise on her hand two days before her death
In 2000, a video of the queen was seen twisting the neck of a downed pheasant, brought to her by one of the dogs on the Norfolk estate. This "operation" is common among the hunters to kill wounded animals, a sort of coup de grace given out of "mercy". This gesture, which the queen had experienced, as pointed out by some, was harshly criticized by animal rights associations such as League Against Cruel Sports.
"Some will say that this made the birds stop suffering, but who brought the bird in that condition?" Penny Little said controversially. Protect Our Wild Animals. "I don't think the queen should be involved in anything that most people find utterly disgusting," the animalist commented. The queen did not respond directly to criticism, but she did so in her way the next day, showing up in public with a hat adorned with pheasant feathers.
"The queen would never enter a public debate about whether she should be involved in country sports, but by showing her feathers she clarified her feelings about her without saying anything," said a royal staff member, as reported. from ABC News. For this story, the Sunday Mirror featured a photo of her on the front page accompanied by an eloquent "The Killer Queen”.
An even more disturbing episode occurred in 2004, also reported in an article by the Republic of the time. The queen that year was killed in a terrible way one of the pheasants was shot and brought back by the dogs; then he struck hard with his walking stick until the bird took its last breath. The Sunday Mirror released another cover with an eloquent title: "The Queen of Wands".
All this occurred (and still happens) in estates where hunting dogs are bred, whose only task is to serve the noble on duty to support him in his cruel and anachronistic pastime. With all due respect for the disappearance of a queen who has written important pages over two centuries, talking about an "animal lover" in front of such a curriculum is frankly wrong, as well as an offense to those who fight every day for the rights and welfare of other creatures living on this planet, ruled by heartless bipeds. Noble and not.
