Sarah Ferguson Shares How Queen Elizabeth's Corgis Will Be Celebrated on International Dog Day

The Duchess of York previously told PEOPLE about how Sandy and Muick are "national icons" and "total joys"

Sarah Ferguson is giving a rare glimpse into life at home — with Queen Elizabeth's corgis!

On Aug. 26, the Duchess of York, who is popularly known as Fergie, posted a festive message in honor of International Dog Day with a photo of her and the late Queen's last surviving corgis, Sandy and Muick.

"Wishing you and all your furry friends a Happy #InternationalDogDay," the Duchess of York wrote below the Instagram photo, along with a dog emoji.

"For all the unconditional love, loyalty and joy they bring into our lives, Sandy and Muick will be getting an extra treat on their special day!" she added about how they were celebrating.

Fergie shared the upbeat update with a photo of her lying in the grass with Sandy and Muick. Fans had previously seen the picture in the Duchess of York's Instagram post about her 63rd birthday in October 2022, where she praised the pups as "The presents that keep giving."

Related: A History of Queen Elizabeth II and Her Devotion to Corgis

In September 2022, PEOPLE confirmed that Fergie and her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, inherited the dogs upon Queen Elizabeth's death and would care for them at Royal Lodge. The Duke and Duchess of York, along with their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, had previously gifted Sandy and Muick to Queen Elizabeth in 2021. The monarch owned more than 30 corgis and "dorgis" (dachshund-corgi mixes) throughout her life.

Speaking to PEOPLE last year, Fergie joked that looking after the U.K.'s most famous pets came with some stress.

"They are national icons, so every time they run chasing a squirrel, I panic," the Duchess of York exclusively told PEOPLE about the corgis in 2023. "But they're total joys, and I always think that when they bark at nothing, and there's no squirrels in sight, I believe it's because the Queen is passing by."

"They're with me a lot, and they think I'm very funny," she added.

The corgis were a comfort to the Duchess last summer as she recovered from surgery following a breast cancer diagnosis. In June 2023, a representative for the Duchess of York told PEOPLE she was diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer at a routine mammogram and underwent a single mastectomy.

Fergie kept fans updated last summer about her recovery, and recapped a therapeutic walk she took with the dogs in a post on Instagram last July.

"I took all 7 doggies yesterday to where Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth used to walk them. It was wonderful to have a moment to remember," she captioned a carousel of flower pictures.

Related: Sarah Ferguson Opens Up About Her 'New Normal' Following Double Cancer Diagnosis: 'I'm Very Lucky'

Sandy and Muick were also on the Duchess' mind as she marked the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's death in September 2023.

"As we mourn a year on, we also celebrate the wonderful times we shared with Her Late Majesty the Queen. She entrusted me with the care of her corgis Sandy and Muick and I am delighted to say they are thriving," she wrote last year, posting another photo of her with the corgis in the grass.

Corgis first stole Queen Elizabeth's heart when she was just 8 years old when her father, the future King George VI, gave her a corgi named Dookie in 1933. Her love for the breed eventually led to a bona fide corgi dynasty, beginning with a dog named Susan whom the Queen (then Princess Elizabeth!) received as a gift for her 18th birthday.

Susan gave birth to Honey and Sugar and from there the corgi family tree expanded to include dozens of dogs that can be traced back to Susan, according to fan legend.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! 

Queen Elizabeth opted to stop taking on corgis in the mid-2010s because she did not want to leave any dog behind when she eventually died.

She made an exception to the rule in 2021. After receiving two puppies that March, and suffering the loss of one dog just weeks later, Prince Andrew reportedly gifted his mother with a new puppy on what would have been Prince Philip's 100th birthday that June, following his death at age 99 on April 9, 2021.

In a heartbreaking scene, Sandy and Muick said goodbye to the Queen when they stood with aides to welcome her coffin to Windsor Castle ahead of the committal service following her death in September 2022.

Corgis were also incorporated in the first posthumous statue of the sovereign in Oakham, England, unveiled in April on what would have been her 98th birthday.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.