Airport sniffer dog makes beeline for The Queen’s handbag

Ruby's search proved fruitless

Queen Elizabeth II attends Derby day at the Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Racecourse on June 7, 2014 in Epsom, England. (Getty Images)

An airport sniffer dog made a beeline for The Queen’s handbag as she met with civil servants at the Home Office.

Ruby, a five-year-old springer spaniel, is trained to sniff out wads of cash concealed in bags and luggage at Heathrow airport.

She went for the handbag being carried by The Queen, who famously does not carry money on her person, and failed to retrieve anything.

Ruby meets The Queen (PA)

Border Force officer David Bellingham, who trains and works with Ruby to find large sums of money being carried by people or in luggage travelling into and out of the UK, said: “Ruby knows that people carry money in their handbag - but the Queen turned out to be okay.

“I was a bit nervous that Ruby might push towards her, but she didn't. The Queen is obviously a dog lover.”

Additional reporting by the Press Association