The phrase “criminal record” is rarely associated with members of the Royal Family, yet there is one British royal who surprisingly possesses one, and it’s not who you might think. In Craig Brown’s newly published biography of Queen Elizabeth II, Q: A Voyage Around The Queen, the narrative comes to light surrounding this unexpected individual.
Queen Elizabeth was famously fond of Corgis, and Brown shares numerous anecdotes about her beloved dogs throughout the book. However, he also recounts an unfortunate event involving one of Princess Anne’s dogs, Dotty, which resulted in the royal earning a “criminal record.”
After Dotty injured two boys, Anne and her husband faced prosecution for losing control of the dog
Princess Anne is probably the last royal you would anticipate facing legal charges, but in April 2002, The Princess Royal encountered a troubling incident while walking Dotty in Windsor Great Park. Brown explains, “Dotty spotted two little boys, aged 12 and 7, racing along on their bicycles,” which led the dog to chase after them.
As the barking bull terrier approached, both boys fell off their bikes. Although Princess Anne shouted for Dotty to stop, the dog proceeded to bite one boy on the leg and collarbone while scratching the other on his leg, back, and arm, according to the royal biographer.
Brown reveals that the children were taken to the hospital “in a traumatized state,” although fortunately, neither required stitches. The boys’ parents decided to take The Princess Royal and her husband, Tim Laurence, to court over the incident, resulting in the couple being “prosecuted for being in charge of a dog that was dangerously out of control in a public place.”
The charge against Commodore Laurence was later dismissed because Anne took full responsibility for the incident. However, Princess Anne—who was “booked under the downbeat name of Anne Elizabeth Alice Laurence”—was required to appear in Slough Magistrates Court in November 2002.
Dotty even had a character witness in the form of dog psychologist Dr. Roger Mugford, who had advised The Queen on canine issues “since 1984.” He described the terrier as a “totally placid, playful, tolerant dog” and stated that she “could be trained not to repeat the offense.” Another witness also likened the royal dog to “a big puppy,” further highlighting her gentle nature.
