Queen Elizabeth Revealed She Stopped Watching One Game Show Because of a Corgi-Related Problem, Says Royal Author

Queen Elizabeth was famously devoted to her corgis, and even though she had plenty of help from staff, she liked to stick to a strict schedule with her pack of dogs. Throughout her life the late Queen owned more than 30 corgis and dorgis (a corgi-dachshund mix), and nothing would interrupt their routine—even one of her favorite TV shows.

Author and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth knew Queen Elizabeth and her family for decades, and in his bestselling book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, he revealed that the late Queen used to enjoy watching the BBC Channel 4 game show Countdown. The game involves contestants taking part in word and number challenges, and the show was part of the late Queen's daily schedule—until one big change.

Writing about the late Queen’s afternoon, Brandreth shared, “At 1:00 p.m., before a light lunch (she was not fussy about her food), she might treat herself to a gin and Dubonnet: equal measures, two lumps of ice and a slice of lemon. (The lemon was sliced for her.).”

Following her lunch and cocktail, Queen Elizabeth would head outside, and she wasn’t altering her plans for a TV show.

“At 2:30 p.m. she liked to walk the corgis. (When the afternoon transmission time of Channel 4's Countdown was changed, she stopped watching, she told me.),” Brandreth wrote.

As for what did make the cut, the late Queen was said to be a huge fan of Downton Abbey, and also enjoyed programs like Antiques Roadshow and Doctor Who. She even watched The Crown at least once, joining Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie to take in an episode.

“They have a Netflix account and urged her to watch it with them,” a senior royal source once told the Daily Express (via Vanity Fair). “Happily, she really liked it, although obviously there were some depictions of events that she found too heavily dramatized.” Another bonus for the show? It didn't interrupt the corgi's schedule.