King Charles just added new chickens to the royal flock—including his one millionth rescue chicken, whom he named Henrietta. The flock is ensconced on the grounds of Highgrove, his gorgeous country estate in Gloucestershire. Who gives a cluck, you may ask? Well, besides royals watchers and animal lovers, I do—I see it very clearly as a sweet echo of royal family values that are also alive and well in Prince Harry's life in California.
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Here's the story—King Charles's country mansion accepts hens from a charity that finds new homes for former laying hens, who routinely are sent to be slaughtered when they age out of service at 18 months old. According to an Instagram post, the British Hen Welfare Trust operates a network of over 1,400 volunteers and 48 rehoming sites around the UK—including Highgrove. For the lucky hens like Henrietta who get rehomed at the King's country home, it's a real Cinderella story—they are not only spared the roasting pan, but also get to live out their natural feathered lives among organic gardens and eager caretakers. The whole set-up is great—and in light of Prince Harry's life choices in California, it is a window into how traditions of public service are passed down in the royal family.
When I read about the charity, I immediately thought back to Harry and Meghan's own chicken coop at their home in Montecito, California. Named Archie's Chick Inn (“established 2021,” per a sign on the coop) and playfully run by young Archie, the coop houses several hens that were rescued from a factory farm. (When Oprah asked Meghan for the motivation behind her chicken coop during their televised interview, she explained: “I just love rescuing.") Add to that, the flock includes a rescue chicken with star power—Sinkie, re-homed from neighbor Ellen DeGeneres .
In January, the entertainer posted a picture of Sinkie, a bird whose leg injury made her the target of bullying from other flock members. (Chickens, mind your manners!) Though Sinkie's injury healed, she needed to be re-homed to a place where she could peck away without harassment. According to DeGeneres's post "she fit right in at her new home." I appreciate Harry and Meghan taking in chickens stateside, and think it's a powerful statement about enacting public service no matter where you find yourself—and how both father and son are bonded, even worlds apart.
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