Absolutely the entire United Kingdom had to hear the news of Elizabeth II’s death. Royal bees have also been reported. Buckingham Palace gardens actually have five beehives, of which the royal beekeeper John Chapple is in charge.
It was he who announced the death of the queen to the insects, reports the daily mail. He placed black ribbons on each of the hives, before talking to the bees to explain the death of Isabel II, and that they should continue working for her new master, King Carlos III.
John Chapple gives some details about this ritual he performed on Friday.
“I cover the ruffles with black ribbon and a bow. […] We knock on each hive before saying ‘The lady is dead, but don’t go. Your new master will be good to you,” reports the beekeeper.
Bees first appeared in Buckingham in 2009
This superstition makes you smile. But legend has it that if not respected, the bees could stop producing honey, abandon their hives, or even die suddenly. However, the presence of bees in Buckingham is relatively recent: the first two hives were introduced in 2009, according to the official royal website.
In fact, it is the application of a much older tradition, originating in Europe and quite well known in the United Kingdom. She wants a hive owner to talk to her bees and announce important events in her life, including the death of her loved ones but also her marriage. She is found in various Anglo-Saxon poems of the 19th and 20th centuries.
John Chapple, 79, has been keeping hives for fifteen years. In addition to the five hives at Buckingham Gardens, he is in charge of the two hives at Clarence House, the royal family’s secretariat.
The new King Carlos III, engaged in various projects around the environment, will surely appreciate this attention paid to bees. With his accession to the throne, he also inherits the title of king of all swans in the United Kingdom, as well as dolphins, whales and… sturgeons.
Source: BFM TV
