Queen Camilla 'heartbroken' by death of her rescue dog Beth

Queen Camilla has been forced to say goodbye to her beloved pet dog, Beth, who has passed away.

The news was revealed by Buckingham Palace in a message on social media which read: "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 77-year-old is said to be "heartbroken" by the loss at the weekend.

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Queen Camilla, who is recovering from a chest infection, made the decision to put the dog down after the diagnosis of an untreatable tumour.

Because Beth was rescued by the Queen in 2011, the animal charity was never sure of the dog's age.

The Queen later adopted another Jack Russell, Bluebell, soon after getting Beth.

Camilla became patron of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2017, taking over from the late Queen Elizabeth II.

In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, Queen Camilla said: "Along I went to Battersea, and Beth appeared, and she had just been moved from pillar to post and dumped.

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"We thought it would be nice for her to have a friend. They found [Bluebell] two or three weeks later, wandering about in woods, no hair on her, covered in sores, virtually dead. And they nursed her back to life and her hair grew again.

"She's very sweet, but a tiny bit neurotic, shall we say.

"The nice thing about dogs is you can sit them down, you could have a nice long conversation, you could be cross, you could be sad and they just sit looking at you, wagging their tail."

The two dogs were often by the Queen's side at public events and were featured in an official portrait alongside Camilla.

Pictures of Beth and Bluebell were also embroidered onto the Queen's Coronation gown.

In 2020, Beth helped unveil a plaque when Camilla opened new kennels at the Battersea Dogs and Cats rescue centre in Windsor. A sausage was tied to the rope cord.

And in 2022, when the Queen guest edited Country Life magazine, Beth and Bluebell posed wearing a string of her pearls for the magazine's 'Girls in Pearls' portrait.

Camilla once said of her dogs: "I cannot imagine my life, my home or my sofas without them".

While in Germany last year she told schoolchildren: "I love dogs. Dogs are my favourite animal. I have two pet dogs, they are Jack Russell terriers Beth and Bluebell and I rescued them.

"They were left by the side of the road to die. I'm patron of Battersea Cats and Dogs Home, and kind people come along and rescue them."