Representative Image of key moments in ZSL history, from royal openings to animal exhibits ( AI Generrated Image)
King George IV granted ZSL its Royal Charter on 27 March 1829, establishing it as an institution of national importance. In 1831, William IV, ZSL’s first official Royal Patron, offered to move the Royal Menagerie from the Tower of London, giving the animals a new home at the Society’s scientific zoo. London Zoo had opened in Regent’s Park in 1828 and was initially accessible only to ZSL Fellows before eventually opening to the public in 1847. Prince Philip, the former Duke of Edinburgh, served as ZSL President from 1960 to 1977 and was instrumental in the establishment of the Institute of Zoology, the Society’s scientific research division. He remained an Honorary Fellow from 1977 until his death in 2021. Opened in 1965, it was Britain’s first walk-through aviary and was designed by Snowdon with architect Cedric Price and structural engineer Frank Newby. The pioneering structure used aluminium and tension-based engineering and rose to 24 metres at its highest points.
ZSL says legend has it that Snowdon incorporated a secret tribute to Princess Margaret into the design, with the walkway forming the shape of an “M” for Margaret when viewed from above. The relationship dates back to the Society’s earliest years. Other members of the Royal Family also played significant roles in ZSL’s history. Lord Snowdon, the former husband of Princess Margaret, also left a lasting mark on London Zoo through the Snowdon Aviary. The former aviary has since been restored and reimagined as Monkey Valley, a home for eastern black-and-white colobus monkeys.