The Tower of London and the entire nation has been saved from a prophecy of doom, with the birth of the first raven chicks at the landmark since 1989.
Parents Huginn and Muninn, who arrived at the Tower in 2018, saw their four healthy chicks begin to hatch on St George’s Day.
Seven other ravens also reside at the Tower – legend has it that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, both the Tower and the Kingdom will suffer, the Press Association reports.
Yeoman Warder Chris Skaife, Ravenmaster at the Tower of London, has worked with the ravens for the last 13 years.
“My suspicions were first piqued that we might have a chance of baby chicks when the parents built a huge nest suddenly overnight and then almost immediately the female bird started to sit on it,” said Skaife.
“Then on the 23 April I noticed the birds going to the nest with food, however it has only been this week that I’ve been able to get up close and see for myself that they have four healthy chicks, as I hadn’t wanted to disturb them too much.
“Having worked with the ravens here at the Tower for the last 13 years and getting to know each of them, I feel like a proud father!”
The chicks survive on a varied diet of quail, mice and rats while they have quadrupled in size in just three weeks.
One of the chicks will stay at the Tower, and having begun to hatch on St George’s Day, that chick will be named George or Georgina.