On the volcanic island of Saint Helena, a British overseas territory located in the middle of the Atlantic, lives a giant Seychelles tortoise named Jonathan.
Aged 192, the latter, in addition to being the oldest resident of the island (and the oldest land animal in the world), can boast of having met many members of the British royal family.
After King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne, it was the Duke of Edinburgh, the youngest brother of King Charles III, who was presented to him for the first time on Tuesday January 23.
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A national mascot
This is the first time that Prince Edward, 59, has set foot on the island of Saint Helena.
On a four-day official visit to mark the inauguration of an airport, the prince took the opportunity to visit Jonathan, an almost unofficial member of the royal family who resides in the gardens of the Plantation House estate, the of the governor of the island.
Sociable, the turtle allowed herself to be caressed by the monarch, stretching her head towards him during a moment immortalized in a photo.
Awesome turtle
When Jonathan was born in 1832, the automobile, the photo or even the stamp did not yet exist.
In 1947, the animal was already 115 years old when it made its first royal encounter with King George VI, his wife, and a young princess in the prime of life, named Elizabeth.
The future monarch was only 21 years old at the time, and was far from imagining that almost 80 years later, her descendants would still be photographed alongside the giant tortoise.
In 1957, Elizabeth II returned to the island, this time with the weight of the crown on her head and a husband, Prince Philip.
In 2002, it was their daughter, Princess Anne, who met the century-old animal.
Jonathan is now blind and has no sense of smell, according to his veterinarian Joe Hollins.
But there is no doubt that he is eagerly awaiting a visit from Kate, William and their three children.