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2w ago

Charles and Camilla Mark ZSL Bicentenary With Hands-On Visit to London Zoo

ZSL used the royal visit to announce a new wildlife centre focused on studying animal disease, training wildlife vets, supporting overseas conservation and improving zoo veterinary facilities.

King Charles views the penguins at London Zoo.
King Charles wears a suit to visit to ZSL London Zoo to celebrate the zoo's 200th anniversary in central London on July 9, 2026

Overview

  • The King and Queen visited London Zoo on Thursday to mark the Zoological Society of London’s 200th anniversary and took part in direct veterinary and public outreach work.
  • They joined zoo vet Stefan Saverimuttu to listen to the heartbeat of a Humboldt penguin named Lannister and tried laser training used to check penguin swimming and diving.
  • The couple fed a 31–32-year-old Galápagos tortoise called Polly during a watermelon presentation and the King applied purple tracking dots to endangered Partula tree snails for later monitoring in French Polynesia.
  • ZSL announced plans for a new wildlife centre that will investigate animal diseases, train wildlife veterinarians, track how infections move between species, and provide upgraded vet facilities for London and Whipsnade zoos.
  • The outing took place during a UK heatwave and during other royal engagements, including Prince Harry’s visit to Birmingham, and there has been no confirmed public meeting between the King and the Sussexes.