King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited London Zoo on Thursday to commemorate the bicentenary of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). The royal couple participated in a series of interactive activities that highlighted the zoo’s conservation and research efforts.

This marked Charles’s inaugural visit to London Zoo in his capacity as patron of ZSL, a position held by British monarchs since 1828. The king’s first visit to the zoo was recorded when he was just one year old. During the visit, Charles maintained his jacket despite the warm weather, humorously commenting on the discomfort by saying, “It gets harder as you get older.” Queen Camilla carried a parasol and wore an animal print dress designed by Fiona Clare.

At Penguin Beach, the royals joined the zoo’s veterinary team to conduct health checks on one of the 71 Humboldt penguins housed there. The couple used stethoscopes to listen to the bird’s heartbeat as the penguin remained calm on a rock. This examination was part of routine tests carried out regularly to monitor the animals' wellbeing.

Later, at the Giants of the Galapagos tortoise enclosure, the royal pair presented a specially made “watermelon cake” to Polly, one of the giant tortoises, marking the occasion with a lighthearted celebration. The visit continued at the Tiny Giants centre, where Charles was invited to paint tracking dots on the shells of snails, a measure used to monitor these small creatures. The king remarked with amusement, “I’ve done many things but I don’t think I have ever done this.”

The visit underscored the long-standing relationship between the British monarchy and the ZSL as the organization marks 200 years of pioneering research and conservation initiatives. It also provided the royal couple an opportunity to engage directly with the animals and staff working to protect species facing threats worldwide.