King Charles keeps a close eye on the ravens in the Tower of London

King Charles is informed of the latest developments regarding the ravens in the Tower of London, a tradition with a superstitious history.

The 75-year-old royal stays up to date with the birds that live at this London landmark, Ravenmaster Michael Chandler revealed in a new interview.

“You serve His Majesty just as we serve in the [King’s] Bodyguards do,” said Chandler The Telegraph in an article published on August 16, adding that King Charles “checks on them regularly, as does his mother [Queen Elizabeth].”

As the outlet further stated, King Charles conducts an annual inspection of the Tower of London, which is a popular tourist attraction as the home of the Crown Jewels.

According to legend, ravens were kept in the Tower of London since the reign of King Charles II (ruler from 1660 to 1685) because he feared the downfall of the kingdom if the ravens left the fortress.

“It is said that the King's astronomer, John Flamsteed, who had an observatory in the White Tower, complained that the ravens living there were hindering his work and demanded their removal,” explains Historic Royal Palaces of the superstition. “The King was told that if the ravens left the tower, the kingdom would perish – a disturbing feeling for a newly reinstated monarch – and the legend has been kept alive ever since.”

The Tower of London is currently home to seven ravens named Jubilee, Harris, Poppy, Georgie, Edgar, Branwen and Rex, which is Latin for “king” and was named in honor of the coronation of King Charles in May 2023.

Chandler has been a veteran of the Royal Marines and Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London since 2009. In March he became Ravenmaster and told the telegraph that he had no particular interest in birds when he became a Yeoman Warder or Beefeater 15 years ago.

“I was initially drawn to the legend of the ravens, and then it was natural to see them here and work with them,” he explained. “I fell in love with the ravens. They are individuals, they are characters, just like us.”

In his role as Ravenmaster, Chandler leads a team of four Yeoman Warders who care for the black birds at the historic fortress, which attracts nearly three million visitors each year. They are fed a special diet of mice, chicks, rats and raw meat, and given blood-soaked biscuits as a treat.

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The ravens' flight feathers are partially clipped “to encourage them to stay in the Tower,” according to Historic Royal Palaces, where they appear to be having a lot of fun this summer.

The Tower of London's social media team keeps its feed updated with reports on the birds' activities, from a “cheeky kiss” on the White Tower to a refreshing splash in the bath.