Queen Consort to appear in one-off festive special of Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs

The Queen Consort will appear in an hour-long special of Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs to mark 160 years of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

The festive episode sees Camilla, a patron and long-term advocate of the animal welfare charity, joining presenter O’Grady to meet some of the abandoned dogs hoping to find a new home before Christmas.

The one-off special also shows the royal hosting a summer garden party at Clarence House in her previous role as Duchess of Cambridge in celebration of the milestone anniversary.

Ahead of the programme, which airs tonight (19 December) on ITV1 and ITVX, O’Grady opened up about what it was like filming alongside Camilla.

“She’s really funny, we get on really well,” he said.

“You don’t feel like you’re on ceremony with her. I always get a big hug and kiss from her, which always shocks everybody!”

He added: “Camilla is dog mad and she’s got Battersea dogs of her own already, she’s got two Jack Russells. She’s genuinely interested in what’s going on at Battersea and genuinely concerned. We were talking about how busy it is in there now.”

Battersea, like other animal welfare charities, is struggling with an influx of animals as a result of the cost of living crisis.

The programme comes amid growing fears that millions of dogs and cats could be abandoned or euthanised due to people struggling to pay for them due to the cost of living crisis.

A November poll by Dogs Trust revealed that more than one in 10 owners – 13 per cent – have been forced into debt to care for their animal.

O’Grady continued: “There are a lot of older dogs that are much more difficult to home. I’ve never seen it so busy. And it’s getting even worse due to the cost of living - vet bills are a lot, so owners are struggling.

“With the current cost of living - if you can’t feed your kids then you can’t feed your dog. And it’s heart-breaking because people are bringing these older dogs in, maybe a 14-year-old Staffie (Staffordshire Bull Terrier) who’s obviously been loved and well cared for, and they can’t afford to keep him and they’re heartbroken. They are having to give up a family member.”

He noted that older dogs can be harder to rehome.

“They might have ill health and other issues. But thank God, there are people who do take them,” he adds.

Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs - A Royal Special airs at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX on Monday 19 December.