King Charles Apparently Lets These Wild Animals Run Freely Inside His Scottish Home
The first several years of King Charles III's reign have been full of personal and political challenges. More recently, things are looking up for the monarch of the United Kingdom after his wife, Queen Camilla, shared a positive update regarding His Majesty's cancer treatment. This is a breath of fresh air for the Royal Family, to be sure, but King Charles has found joy in local wildlife since long before he took the throne.
In fact, he's been public about his love for these animals for years, and he even lets them run freely inside of his Scottish home. He inherited the Balmoral estate from his mother, the beloved late Queen Elizabeth II, but it has been a home to him and his woodland friends for decades. But what is it about these animals that captivates the King?
Royal Red Squirrels
In the UK, native red squirrels are becoming increasingly difficult to spot. Due to the arrival of invasive grey squirrels, they've even been placed on the endangered species list. Luckily, they have one of the world's most prominent leaders consistently advocating for their restoration. No one has been able to pinpoint exactly when his obsession with the critters began, but he's made many joyful comments about red squirrels--AKA the English kind of squirrels-- in interviews over the years.
Related: Tiny Red Squirrel's Winter Photoshoot Is the Gift That Keeps on Giving
In fact, he's more than the King of England--he's a Disney Prince, too! The scenes he described to Town & Country Magazine sound like they're straight from the pages of a fairy tale.
"They come into the house at Birkhall and we get them chasing each other round and round inside. If I sit quietly, they will do so around me," he shared. "Sometimes, when I leave my jackets on a chair with nuts in the pockets, I see them with their tails sticking out, as they hunt for nuts—they are incredibly special creatures." While he doesn't keep wild squirrels as pets, Prince William admitted that his father does name them!
Red Squirrel Conservation
In 2009, His Majesty (who was Prince at the time) was named the patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust. This organization, like the monarch himself, is dedicated to the safety and conservation of red squirrels within the UK. Because the species is under threat because of the invasive grey squirrel species, King Charles (who's not to be confused with King Charles II, who was the namesake for the current monarch as well as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel species) has even proposed a unique plan to stop the larger, less colorful squirrels from repopulating: Nutella and contraceptives.
You read that correctly! This plan may be out there, but it could be an effective strategy for reducing grey squirrel populations in some areas. In the meantime, there's no doubt that King Charles will appreciate every red squirrel sighting he has! Other royal pursuits may make headlines more frequently than his love for the creatures of the forest, but it's reassuring to know that a King has a soft, animal-loving side, too!
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