Redditor Shares How The British Soldiers Took A Pekingese Dog From Palace In China To Gift Queen Victoria And She Named It "Looty"

by Maryjane

When the Old Summer Palace (near Beijing) was looted in October 1860, Captain John Hart Dunne bought a female Pekingese dog named Looty or Lootie. For the Royal Collection of Dogs, he gave her to Queen Victoria, who gave her the name Looty or Lootie in honor of how she was obtained.

So let's dig into the story properly. During the Second Opium War in October 1860, British and French forces looted the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) outside of Peking.

Looty may have been the first Pekingese dog to arrive in England (modern Beijing). John Hart Dunne, a British captain, discovered a tiny Pekingese dog. Later, he wrote about it in his journal:

"I have been able to retain a good many trifles that I bought there [The French camp], also a pretty little dog, smaller than any King Charles, a real Chinese sleeve dog. It has silver bells round its neck. People say [he added], it is the most perfect little beauty they have ever seen."

Dunne brought the dog back to England, and although this claim is debatable, it is believed to have been the first Pekingese to make the journey and land in Britain. Keep scrolling to see the lovely doggo.

More info: Reddit, Wikipedia

This Redditor chose to share this information with the TodayILearned subreddit community

u/AccessTheMainframe

In 1861, Dunne gave the dog to Queen Victoria, noting:

This little dog was found by me in the Palace of Yuan-Ming-Yuan near Pekin on 6 October 1860. It is supposed to have belonged to either the Empress or one of the ladies of the Imperial Family. It is a most affectionate and intelligent little creature – it has always been accustomed to be treated as a pet and it was with the hope that it might be looked upon as such by Her Majesty and the Royal Family that I have brought it from China. In 1861, Dunne gave the dog to Queen Victoria, noting:

en.wikipedia.org

The dog was gratefully accepted by Her Majesty with pleasure. As a nod to how it was obtained, she gave it the name Looty or Lootie.

Everyone who has seen Looty has said that it is "by far the smallest and most lovely tiny mammal that has appeared in this country." And the comments by Redditors roll in...

Cramming a lot of Today I Learned into a particular post

Sir Looty McLootFace

It's the way the British traditions loots things for this Redditor

This Redditor thinks her sense of humor is spectacular

This Redditor finds the whole story funny

What this Redditor believes the cat's full name is

This Redditor finds the whole thing disgusting

Another Sunday in the British empire

It's all for nothing, according to this Redditor

This Redditor believes that queen Victoria wasn't good at naming things

The British army would never loot the imperial palace

What the entire British royal family should be called, according to this Redditor

The opium wars were wild

It's just a matter of perspective in real life

"The Chinese superiority complex is somehow still going on," says this Redditor

Another Redditor who thinks the whole thing is funny

My ancestors are smiling on me

They always want to say it's the black man

They were admitting and joking about invading other countries

It's all wonders right here

The cute little doggo, Looty was brought to the main kennels at Windsor Castle and spent the remaining days of its life there when Keyl finished painting her portrait. There, she evolved into more of an interest than the pet Dunne had planned for.

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