Never touch the queen's corgis: that is perhaps the most obvious rule. Queen Elizabeth II is a well-known animal lover, having owned more than 30 corgis in her lifetime. (Last year, she even got two more corgi puppies to comfort her husband, Prince Philip, as he was dying.) It is well known and documented that from an early age she had a love of dogs that ran adorably low.

So when a member of the royal family allegedly uttered that the dogs "should be shot," it is not surprising that the queen said something about it. [According to the Mirror, the statement was made by Princess Michael of Kent, who has been notorious for making her strong opinions public on a regular basis since her marriage to Prince Michael of Kent (Elizabeth's cousin) in 1978. And, not surprisingly, this statement did not go over well when it reached the Queen's ears.

In Karen Dolby's book, The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen is reported to have replied upon hearing Princess Michael's remark: "Better behaved than she is." The words are a royal burn. [It would be very cruel to wish death on a pet like the Queen's corgi, who is obviously well-loved and undoubtedly well behaved, considering who her owners are and where they live. They have their own personal footman and a sumptuous royal menu prepared by a skilled chef! They must surely have manners.

After all, when it comes to insulting the royal pets, the queen's tsk tsk is the only thing that will kill them.