‘Queen’ raven goes missing from Tower unkindness
LONDON: The Tower of London has announced its ‘‘queen’’ raven has been missing for several weeks and is presumed dead.
The bird, called Merlina, was part of the unkindness along with seven other ravens which live inside the Tower. She has been there since 2007. Legend has it that at least six ravens must be in the Tower to provide protection and if they leave, ‘‘the kingdom [of Britain] will fall’’.
Ravenmaster Christopher Skaife told the BBC the raven disappeared just before Christmas — a week before England entered its third lockdown in less that a year.
Historic Royal Palaces, which runs the Tower, said there were now seven ravens at the Tower.
King Charles II is believed to be the first royal to have insisted that the ravens of the Tower be protected after he was warned that the crown and the Tower itself would fall if they left. — DPA