Corgi catches Queen's eye at Battersea Dogs Home

A corgi looking for a new owner caught the Queen's eye as she visited Battersea Dogs and Cats Home today.

12-year-old Beama arrived back at the south London kennels - where he first arrived as a puppy - last week just in time for a visit from the Queen, the home's patron.

Beama returned to the kennels after his previous elderly owner went into a home and could not take him.

But the monarch, a keen dog-lover and a long-time corgi owner, managed to resist his charm, despite the best efforts of Britain's Got Talent presenter Amanda Holden, who attempted to find Beama a palatial new pad.

When introduced to the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, Holden, a Battersea ambassador, asked her: "You are not tempted to take a corgi home?"

The Queen replied: "Not at the moment, no."

The Queen was given a canine guard of honour before meeting staff, volunteers and ambassadors including Holden, television presenter Paul O'Grady and model David Gandy.

Liverpudlian O'Grady joined Ali Taylor, the home's head of canine welfare training, to present the corgi to her.

After O'Grady, who has made several television programmes about dogs, commented on him being a "big boy" she replied: "Yes, well corgis can get quite big."

She then gestured towards watching cameras and reporters and added: "He's quite interested in them." O'Grady replied: "I think he's a bit star struck."

The monarch currently owns two Corgis called Willow and Holly and two Dorgis, Candy and Vulcan.

The Queen was visiting to officially open the home's new Mary Tealby Kennels and unveil a plaque.

The kennels are named after Mary Tealby, who founded the home in 1860 after becoming concerned by the number of stray animals roaming the capital's streets.