Queen Elizabeth II’s bees have been officially informed of the king’s death. The beekeeper in charge of the royal family’s hives has followed an age-old tradition of warning the hives and putting them in mourning.

British folk traditions date back to the 18th and 19th centuries, but their origins may be traced back to Celtic mythology. The Celts believed that bees were intermediaries between the world of the living and the world of spirits. For this reason, hives are often informed of births, deaths, marriages, and other important events that occur in the lives of their owners.

There is no denying that the death of Queen Elizabeth II is one of the most important moments in the life of the British royal family. So John Chapel, the mansion’s beekeeper, went to Clarence House and Buckingham Palace to report to the seven cells of the royal family.

“Now I’m in the hives, and it’s usual for someone to die to go into the hives, pray a little bit and put black tape on the hive,” the beekeeper told Mail Online.

In addition to placing a black cloth in the form of an arc over the hives, the beekeeper sent him a message: “The lady is dead, but do not run away. Your master will be a good master for you.“

The process of informing bees also has a mourning period. In addition to the black stripe, beekeepers leave funeral food on the outskirts of the hive. According to tradition, if the bees are not informed of the death of their owner, they can stop producing honey, sting the new owner, or even die.

Queen Elizabeth II was a fan of beekeeping. For years, the king had a number of beehives on the palace grounds. The honey produced is used by chefs of the royal family. The rest is sold and the proceeds are donated to charities.