The Queen is said to have stopped breeding them in 2015 because she did not want to leave any behind.
However, she was delighted when given two new puppies, Muick and Fergus, by Prince Andrew in early 2021, shortly before the Duke of Edinburgh’s death.
Muick died but was replaced with Sandy, both of whom have now been taken on by Sarah, the Duchess of York.
The statue depicts a young Queen circa the 1950s or early 1960s.
It was commissioned by Dr Sarah Furness, the Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland, following the Queen’s death in September 2022, after she was “inundated” with letters from local people who felt the loss like a “personal bereavement”.
Hywel Pratley, the sculptor, began preparing maquettes of a standing figure of the late Queen in January last year, before a miniature version was unveiled at Oakham Castle two months later.
Donations quickly flooded in, the vast majority from individuals, which organisers said demonstrated the strong community support for the project, and the required £125,000 was quickly raised.
Mounted on local Ancaster limestone, the bronze statue was cast at the local Le Blanc foundry in Melton Mowbray and installed with the help of a local construction company, Smithers Purslow.
It will be unveiled by Alicia Kearns, the MP for Rutland and Melton, before it is blessed by Debbie Sellins, the Bishop of Peterborough.
A bagpiper will then play a lament to the late Queen – Sleep, Dearie, Sleep – a rendition of which was performed at Westminster Abbey at the end of her funeral service in September 2022.
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