Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
Legend has it that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the kingdom will fall. Now, the man who’s just taken charge of ensuring their safety, and with it that of the realm, has revealed just what The King thinks of the tradition.
Yeoman Michael Chandler, better known as Barney, is the new Ravenmaster of the Tower of London. His day to day activities includes supervising the feeding and care of the birds who rule at the Tower. But also included in the job description is the unspoken task of keeping the kingdom intact. And if that wasn’t pressure enough, Yeoman Chandler has now revealed that King Charles III takes a very keen interest in the welfare of the ravens.
His Majesty regularly checks up on the birds, as did Queen Elizabeth II. However, in this modern age that usually involves an update being sent to Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, rather than the Monarch arriving in person to inspect the ravens.
And it’s perhaps no surprise that The King takes such a keen interest. Not only is His Majesty an avid nature lover with a long standing reputation for protecting the planet and all that live on it. As a Monarch called Charles, history dictates that he should be particularly keen on the ravens.
The birds have been kept at the Tower for centuries but it was during the reign of King Charles II that their presence became a necessity. Charles II was told of a legend that said that if the birds ever left, the realm would fall. Since his reign, at least six birds must be in residence at the Tower at all time. Right now, Yeoman Chandler has charge of seven – it’s always best to be prepared.
And it’s perhaps not surprising that the otherwise Merry Monarch took this legend rather seriously. Charles II’s father, King Charles I, had ended up in a Civil War which pitted royalists against roundheads, led by Oliver Cromwell. Charles I lost the war and his head – he was convicted of treason and executed in January 1649 at Whitehall.
Charles II was declared king with the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 but he had spent years in exile after fleeing England in fear of his life. As he rebuilt royal rule, he turned to this superstition, providing a safety blanket for some of his own anxieties. But he was also a pragmatist and a performer and knew the power of a romantic legend in rebuilding the magic and mystique of monarchy.
Fast forward 350 years and the legend still remains. And, for the first time in the reign of Charles III, a new ravenmaster is in charge of the birds.
Yeoman Chandler becomes just the sixth person to hold the official title of ravenmaster – until the start of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, there was no formal leader when it came to caring for the birds. However, their importance continues to grow and now the ravenmaster runs a team of four tasked with keeping the ravens inside the Tower and the kingdom safe.
There’s also that modern consideration of tourism to take into account. Thousands of people pass through the Tower every day during the height of the visitor season and many come to see the ravens. Michael Chandler sees their appeal, saying that his charges quickly won him over as ”they’re individuals, they are characters, just like us.”
The ravens have one wing clipped, to encourage them to stay within the precincts of the Tower, and they’ve all been raised in captivity so have no experience of living outside the walls of the famous fortress.
That’s perhaps for the best and certainly good news for the ravenmaster. For there is a rather curious King in Buckingham Palace who, rather like the last to be called Charles, has a deep rooted interest in caring for these birds whose legend continues to fascinate.