Dossier No. 04 · England, 17th c. royal court
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Pied-à-terres, penthouses, and anyone who reads in the morning.
- Stature
- Petite
- Coat
- Silken — Blenheim, tricolor, ruby
- Temperament
- Affectionate, gentle, devoted lap companion
- Origin
- England, 17th c. royal court
I
History
Painted at the feet of Charles I, named for Charles II (who decreed they be admitted to any public place in England), and rescued from near-extinction in the 1920s by an American who offered a prize for the original spaniel of the Restoration court. The breed is, in every sense, a relic of monarchy.
II
Personality
Sweet without being saccharine, sociable without being needy, and possessed of a soft, watchful gaze that has undone three centuries of otherwise sensible people. They love every guest equally and you most of all.
III
To Live With One
Ideally suited to penthouses, pied-à-terres, and anyone who takes meetings from a sofa. They travel beautifully, sleep close, and ask only that they not be left alone for long stretches of the day.
IV
Notable Companions
King Charles II issued a royal decree allowing them in any public space — the only breed so honoured. Ronald Reagan kept a Blenheim Cavalier named Rex at the White House, where he reportedly redirected the President toward the helicopter rather than the residence. Princess Margaret kept them throughout her life.