Feeling the loss of her husband, Prince Phillip, and celebrating her first Christmas without him in more than 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II turned to her friend, Sir Buddy, for friendship over the holidays.
Now she’s elevated the friendly tabby cat, creating him the 1st Earl of Budderset, a new peerage conceived specifically in his honor. Sir Buddy will henceforth be known as Lord Buddy, enjoying all the privileges and prestige that come with being a member of the British aristocracy. He’ll also enjoy the alternate style Count Buddy of Budderset.
“This is an unprecedented honor not only for a feline, but for anyone,” said Gavin Northbridge, a royal observer and author of Your Highness: The Royal Family’s Favorite Marijuana Strains. “It’s clear the Queen loves Lord Buddy and values his counsel dearly. As a generous monarch, she’s able to reward his loyalty in ways commoners are simply unable.”
The elevation in ranks entitles Buddy to London apartments as well as a country estate in Budderset. Buddington House, the new ancestral home of the Buddinese clan, boasts 68 rooms and no doors, as well as amenities including prime window perches, sisal-wrapped couches and a staff of 11 to see to Lord Buddy’s needs.
“His Lordship is a kind employer,” said Snarls Carson, Buddington House’s butler. “All of the servants, including the maids, footman, valet and chef, love working for His Lordship and maintaining Buddington House as the grand estate it’s meant to be.”
Mrs. Catmore, the resident chef at Buddington House, said the Earl is a “demanding lord,” but she’s honored to serve such an important role in his household.
“Orders for snacks are constantly coming from upstairs,” Mrs. Catmore said. “Me and Daisy can barely keep up. If this continues, we’re going to have to hire another girl. His Lordship needs his snacks!”
Lord Buddy is also bringing new twists to the old traditions of British aristocracy. While small game hunting has been one of the preferred leisure time sporting activities of the nobility, the Earl of Budderset has introduced a new game: Instead of hunting foxes, the participants hunt the hounds who would normally help them flush out foxes, pheasants and quail.
The Earl’s version of the hunt also eschews firearms in favor of Super Soakers, and instead of doing physical harm to the dogs, the participants capture and then insult their quarry, with prizes awarded to those who deploy the cleverest insults.
By throwing lavish feasts known for magnificent wine and tables laden with turkey of all flavors and variety, His Lordship has become popular in London society circles, according to royal expert Thomas J. Mace Archer-Mills, Esq.
“The Earl is on the tip of every tongue from Kensington Gardens to Piccadilly Cirus,” said Mace Archer-Mills, author of Royal Bakeology: The Queen’s Favorite Biscuits.
With Lord Buddy’s rapid ascent to knighthood and earldom, some royal observers speculate the queen’s favorite cat could yet climb to even more lofty heights. In the fallout from Prince Andrew’s association with the late disgraced billionaire Jeffrey Epstein — and a civil settlement with one of his accusers — the former royal’s royal patronage and military titles have been vacated, and he’s no longer entitled to styles of address like “His Royal Highness.”
That could open more doors for Lord Buddy.
“Is a future Duke Buddy in the cards? One mustn’t be too hasty with assumptions,” said Devon Camden Dankworth, author of Grand Tyromancy: The Royal Family’s Secret History of Cheese Divination. “But given his lordship’s meteoric rise and the favor he enjoys with the queen and future king, one would be a fool if one were to dismiss the possibility.”
Pain In The Bud 
Congratulations to Lord Buddy are in order! Finally he’s getting the respect and appreciation he deserves. Lord Buddy’s improvements on cruel traditions like fox hunting are an indication of his dedication to his new home. Three cheers for Lord Buddy!
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Indeed, and Lord Buddy’s guests agree it’s much more amusing to spray the hounds with Super Soakers and cleverly insult them than it is to engage in that other ghastly business. In fact, impromptu freestyle rap battles have broken out among the lords and ladies at Buddy’s gatherings. It’s said the Duke of Kent is a particularly gifted freestyle battle rapper, and has introduced rap battle tournaments to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club with great success.
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No wonder the queen looks so happy and healthy recently! The special healing powers of Buddy have worked their magic!
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The Queen has benefited from the healing frequencies of Lord Buddy’s purrs. All jokes aside, I heard him purring the other day! Usually his purring is silent and I know he’s purring because I can feel the vibrations when he head butts me or climbs on me. But this time it was actually audible from a few inches away.
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FINALLY!! The royal family, who are famous in some circles for their dislike of cats* are starting to wake up, and smell the warm tuna. *I’ve always been interested in anything about these folks, and read in one book that you don’t actually invite them to your home, they just announce that they’re coming, and one of the things you’re expected to do, if you have cats, is make sure they’re not around for the entire visit. It’s awesome that Buddy is in the vanguard of this new appreciation for how much more awesome cats are than… well, the alternative.
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Indeed, Buddy has made it clear that the traditional royal preference for dogs is discriminatory, and has petitioned the queen for a formal policy recognizing cats as the awesome species they are.
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So the Royals dislike cats so much they want them temporarily removed from someone else’s home? Some nerve! My cats share my home and like me are proud commoners. Begone decadent royals, you shall not pass! My doorstep, that is.
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As outrageous as the ‘hide your cats.’ command is,, I think ‘We’re coming to visit for two weeks, and you have nothing to say about it’ even more outrageous, considering how many hoops their hosts – who are all prominent, probably titled and with staffs probably in the dozens – still have to jump through to get everything ready for the royals. To refuse to have them would be social suicide.
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In Downton Abbey they had a few episodes showing how they pulled out all the stops for a visiting duke, and I think the royal family visits in the last season, or in one of the specials. I haven’t seen that special, but I’m sure it’s just like Barreleh describes. One of the interesting things about that show was illustrating how the aristocracy as it existed for centuries was fading. It seems many of them were pulled toward being staunch monarchists as their own way of life was threatened.
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My dearest Buddy, Congratulations on your acknowledgement from Queen Elizabeth II. I had the honour to lead and assist the Duke & Duchess of Sussex on their tour down here & NZ. Must not speak of one’s duties Sir Cousin. I look after all her majesties lands down here do you think she will acknowledge me. Love ❤️ to you my only family, Needieboy
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Buddy thinks you deserve an earldom, or an OBE at the very least. He will mention it to Her Majesty, who refers to him affectionately as her “dearest Budbud,” next time he has tea with her.
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I love the Queen even more. Meow.
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How lovely to see our queen looking healthy and happy and enjoying her furry friend
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Out with the boring corgies, in with the exciting tabby cats!
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