While on an official visit to the British overseas territory of St. Helena, the Duke of Edinburgh met Jonathan, a 192-year-old celebrity tortoise.
According to the St. Helena government, on Tuesday, January 23, His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, landed in St Helena to start his four-day tour. This marks the Duke’s first visit to St. Helena, and it is the first time a member of the Royal Family has been there since Princess Royal’s visit in 2002.
While in St. Helena, Prince Edward has a variety of engagements planned. These will showcase the island’s culture, people, and environment. The Duke will officially open the airport and interact with various segments of the St. Helenian community, in addition to participating in a public event on the Grand Parade.
Jonathan has been living on the island for 142 years, earning him the title of the ‘oldest land animal in the world,’ as stated in a tweet by the St. Helena Government, posted on X, the former name of Twitter.
People Magazine stated that Jonathan’s age is estimated based on the assumption that he was fully mature when he was taken to the island. He was gifted to St. Helena from Seychelles around 1882.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, the gigantic tortoise of the Seychelles is considered the oldest living land animal. He is believed to have been born in 1832, and in 2022, St. Helena Governor Nigel Phillips assigned him a Dec. 4 birthdate.
King George VI’s visit to St. Helena
The Royal Family has visited St. Helena, the second-oldest overseas territory in the United Kingdom. Prince Philip visited in 1957, and both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II visited in 1947.
In April 1947, while traveling from South Africa with Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth (later Elizabeth II), and Princess Margaret, the King became the only reigning monarch to set foot on the island. During their visit, they were introduced to Jonathan the tortoise, who would have been around 116 years old at the time.
According to St Helena Island.info, after touring a run-down Longwood House that termites had nearly destroyed, the King signed the visitors’ book, expressing his concern for the building’s precarious condition and his hope that the French government would take the required action to restore this historic home. Upon his return to England, the King once again summoned the French Ambassador, conveying his sincere desire for the French Government to promptly initiate the restoration of the house. Although not fulfilled during his lifetime, the King’s dream came true as the building was eventually restored by French curators.
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