The Power of the Dog: Caesar of Notts and the Mourning of Edward VII

Like his mother Queen Victoria, Edward VII kept a thriving kennel at Sandringham and developed close bonds with several of his dogs. His most well-known canine companion was Caesar of Notts, a wirehaired fox terrier who entered the royal kennels in 1903. Caesar went everywhere with Edward and their travels were often recounted in the popular press. Caesar’s most famous role, however, came after Edward’s death, when Caesar was included in the king’s funeral procession on 20 May 1910. The image of the scruffy dog following the gun carriage carrying his dead master struck a poignant chord with the public and interest in Caesar exploded. Pictures and stories featuring the dog appeared in the contemporary press, and in other texts and material objects including books, paintings, and picture postcards. Using these primary sources as well as recent animal studies scholarship, this paper establishes the significance of the king’s bond with Caesar, explains how Caesar became a symbol of the nation in mourning, and discusses the dog’s part in shaping the public memory of Edward VII by highlighting the king’s domestic attachments, and his empathy for the common people of Britain.