King Charles and Queen Camilla perform penguin health check

King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited London Zoo on Thursday, July 9, 2026, to mark the 200th anniversary of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). The royal couple toured the Regent's Park attraction in sweltering heat, engaging with animals and learning about the charity's conservation work.

The highlight of the visit was the couple's assistance with a routine health check on a Humboldt penguin named Lannister. Dozens of penguins gathered as the King and Queen crouched beside the bird, which sat calmly on a rock. King Charles used a red stethoscope to listen to Lannister's heartbeat, while Queen Camilla used a blue one. Zoo veterinarian Stefan Saverimuttu said the penguin was a perfect patient and praised the royals for their enthusiasm and confidence. "Lannister sounded perfect and Lannister was very well behaved for the King and the Queen," Saverimuttu said. He noted that despite penguins having "a bit of a beak on them," neither Charles nor Camilla appeared intimidated. The King described the birds as "very endearing."

The couple also observed a laser training program for the penguins, which uses beams that mimic fish scales to encourage the birds to swim and dive,...