Royal beekeeper informed Queen Elizabeth’s bees about her death

In what is said to be a well-known English tradition, John Chapple, the official Palace beekeeper for 15 years, went to Buckingham Palace and Clarence House on Friday after learning of The Queen's death to carry out the superstitious ritual.

He narrated how he told the bees that King Charles III was their "new master" following the death of the late monarch.

"It is traditional when someone dies that you go to the hives and say a little prayer and put a black ribbon on the hive," Chapple told the Daily Mail.

"The person who has died is the master or mistress of the hives, someone important in the family who dies and you don't get any more important than the Queen, do you? You knock on each hive and say, 'The mistress is dead, but don't you go. Your master will be a good master to you.' I've done the hives at Clarence House, and I'm now in Buckingham Palace doing their hives."

If the Royal bees are not informed of the change in ownership, they will no longer produce honey, may leave the hive, or may even die, according to Chapelle.

Ireland, Wales, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Bohemia, and the United States have all documented the practice.

Another member of the Royal family who is fond of bees is Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales. 

Kate gave homemade honey to local schoolchildren she met last year, claiming it came from her and Prince William's Norfolk country home.

Queen Elizabeth II, 96, died "peacefully" on Thursday, September 8, at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, according to an official statement from Buckingham Palace.

She was Britain's longest-serving monarch after succeeding her father King George VI in 1952 following his death.

Following Elizabeth's passing, her eldest son Charles, 73, was officially proclaimed king. King Charles III is the oldest person to ascend to the throne in Britain's history. 

The queen will be buried on Monday, September 19, 2022 in Windsor, west of London. 

The UK has declared a public holiday for the event set to be attended by world leaders and watched by millions across the globe on television and social media.