'The Queen adopted my corgi's brother'

Nadia had no idea her corgi Wilbur had such a famous relative

Nadia wanted to get a corgi because it was the Queen's favourite dog. When she finally adopted one, he came with more of a royal connection than she realised.

The 28-year-old welcomed Wilbur - "the cutest puppy ever" - last year.

She was browsing social media one day when she stumbled across an article about the Queen's newest corgi, Muick.

As she scrolled down, it dawned on her that Wilbur had come from the same breeder.

"I looked at the photo and thought 'Oh my God - the Queen has adopted his only brother'," she tells Radio 1 Newsbeat.

"There were only two in the litter."

After the Queen's death last week, people began to ask what would happen to her beloved corgis.

It has since been announced that Muick, and the Queen's other corgi Sandy, will be going to live with her son Prince Andrew and his ex-wife.

The Queen with one of her other dogs as she looks at memorabilia in January this year

After Nadia found out about Wilbur's famous brother she felt she "had to tell the Queen" and decided to write to Buckingham Palace.

She sent photos and copies his adoption documents to prove the canine siblings' connection, and to tell the Her Majesty she had been "inspired by her and her love of the breed".

About 10 days later, Nadia says: "We got a letter in the post with a royal stamp on it.

"The fact that we got a letter back as well - it's so cool.

"It said the Queen was delighted that we took the time to write to her, and she said it looks like Wilbur has an amazing home with us.

"So Wilbur lives in a small house and his brother's in a palace."

Nadia says she'll be making the trip to London with Wilbur to pay their respects to the Queen this week.

But she is just one of many young people who have decided to adopt a corgi in recent years.

Amy Powell thinks the image of corgis as an "older person's dog" is slowly fading

Amy Powell - a 21-year-old student studying to be a paramedic - decided to get a corgi with her boyfriend, Sam, last year.

She also says the Queen was the main motivator behind her choice of breed.

"When I was a bit younger, I always saw the Queen on TV with lots of corgis," she says.

"So I think a lot of it was growing up and seeing her with the dogs.

After adopting her corgi - called Baxter - Amy says she was surprised to discover lots of people her age with corgis.

"I think they're still thought of as an older person's dog," she says.

• Queen and her corgis - how the dogs first stole her heart

• Crying corgi illustration goes viral

• Prince Andrew to care for Queen's beloved corgis

In a Facebook post shared widely on a corgi-lovers' group last week, lots of owners around the UK said they believed their dogs had acted differently since news of the Queen's death broke.

But, according to groups such as the RSPCA, it's probably more likely that the dogs are recognising and reacting to their owner's emotions.

Amy and Nadia both agree they've noticed a change in their own pets' behaviour.

"Wilbur has been acting a little bit differently and has definitely needed a little bit more love over the last few days," Nadia says.

Amy says Baxter has "never really been much of a lap dog" but, after the announcement, "he jumped up on our laps and wouldn't leave my side for the rest of the evening".

• What next? A day-by-day guide from now to the funeral

• BBC streaming of Queen Elizabeth II lying in state

• Who's invited to the Queen's funeral - and who's not?

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