A dog breed created by a vicar is now a favourite of King Charles.
And while the Queen’s corgis and dorgis were almost as well known their owner, a different breed of dog is now likely to take centre stage with King Charles' ascension.
John “Jack” Russell, the vicar of St James’s, Swimbridge, for over four decades in the 19th century, he he took care of his congregation and was regarded more as a country squire.
DevonLive reports The King and Camilla, the Queen Consort, are known for their love of Jack Russell terriers, which were originally bred by and named after a Devon clergyman.
Born in Dartmouth in 1795 into a hunting family, Mr Russell, attended Plympton Grammar School and Blundell’s School, Tiverton, where he is said to have kept his first pack of hounds, before going on to Exeter College, Oxford.
It was while he was studying there he bought a little dog called Trump from a local milkman.
The young Jack was taken by the short-legged but strong terrier bitch, white with tan patches over her eyes, ears and tail.
After coming to work as a parson in Devon, Trump came too and the first a long line of working fox terriers emerged bred by the reverend for their ability to flush a fox out of its den.
The pastor came from a long line of well respected clergymen and in 1825 married a local heiress.
Penelope Incledon-Bury, was the daughter of Royal Navy Vice Admiral Richard Incledon-Bury of Dennington near Swimbridge.
The Reverend had many influential friends, and a close chum was “Bertie”, the Prince of Wales, eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who became King Edward VII in 1901.
Jack would visit Bertie and his wife, Princess Alexandra, regularly at their home at Sandringham, where the portrait of Trump given to them can still be found.
By the mid 1850s the Jack Russell had been recognised as a unique variety of fox terrier, and the “Sporting Parson’s” name went down in history for a reason he hadn’t anticipated.
He was a founding member of the Kennel Club from 1873 and became a bench judge for fox terriers, but was only interested in dogs that could work with the hunt, rather than show specimens.
The smaller and livelier Jack Russell has become the best known and loved breed of the two over the decades, and these days they are more usually family pets and companions rather than working dogs.
King Charles has owned several Jack Russells in his time, notably the long-lived Tigga, and Labrador retrievers and Camilla is also a big fan.
The couple are keen to greet terriers and their owners when out and about on official visits.
For their 15th wedding anniversary photo in 2020 the couple were featured holding their Jack Russell terriers, Bluebell and Beth, both rehomed from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, where Camilla is royal patron.
To mark their 15th wedding anniversary in April 2020, King Charles and Camilla posed for a picture alongside their Jack Russells at Birkhall, their home on the Balmoral Estate.
It has been confirmed the Duke of York and his ex-wife have will take in the late Queen's corgis following her death on Thursday, September 8.
