Svendsen retired from full-time work in 2007. In April 2011, Elisabeth Svendsen named an orphaned donkey foal after Prince William in honor of the Prince's upcoming wedding to Catherine Middleton. The foal had arrived at the Donkey Sanctuary on 9 April after its mother was unable to care for him. Svendsen said at the time, "It's a real honour to have Prince William with us and I can't think of a better name for him, thus to mark the occasion of the royal wedding."