The royal helicopter was seen landing in Bristol this morning after one of the Queen's sons made a special visit to a popular local attraction.
Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex, visited Bristol Zoo on Monday morning (July 11) to commemorate the attraction's 186th anniversary and hear about future plans for Bristol Zoological Society. An eyewitness reported seeing the helicopter transporting the prince land on the Clifton College playing fields opposite the Lord Mayors' residence shortly before midday.
The Earl of Wessex - who is a Royal Patron of the zoo - heard about the Society’s proposals to make the landmark gardens free of charge for the public to access. Bristol Zoo will be closing for good on September 3 later this year to transform the site into a housing development containing 200 sustainable homes.
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Prince Edward heard of the plans to move Bristol Zoo to the Wild Place Project. When it opens, 80 per cent of species residing at the new Bristol Zoo will be linked to this conservation work - more than any other zoo in the UK. The charity also manages seven conservation programmes across the world, including a project to protect the Critically Endangered lemur leaf frog in Costa Rica.
As part of the visit marking the Zoo’s anniversary, Prince Edward visited the Zoo’s Amphipod - where some of the world’s most threatened amphibians are bred and reared - to hear about the overseas work from one of the Society’s conservationists, Dr Tim Bray. The earl - who is the Queen's youngest child and 14th in line to the throne - also met with volunteers from the Zoo, before heading to Gorilla Island to see the troop of eight Western lowland gorillas.
Speaking on the Royal visit, Dr Justin Morris, Chief Executive of Bristol Zoological Society, said: "His Royal Highness has always shown a great interest in our charity’s conservation and education work and for him to visit on our last anniversary feels very poignant, and means a lot to the team of staff and volunteers. It was fantastic to discuss our plans for the site, which have been developed to ensure our beautiful gardens and its historic buildings can be enjoyed for years to come.
“The sale of the site with planning permission for a residential-led development means we will be able to safeguard the future of Bristol Zoological Society and create a world-leading Bristol Zoo, with conservation at its heart.”
His Royal Highness's visit concluded by meeting pupils from High Littleton C of E Primary School, who presented the earl with a ribbon for him to write his favourite memory of the Zoo. The Royal ribbon, along with those written by children from the school, as well as visitors and staff, will be tied to a bunting exhibit on the Zoo’s Top Terrace and displayed during the zoo's final summer at the site.
The royal helicopter was seen departing at around 1.45pm on Monday afternoon.
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