There’s a lot of buzz about Monday’s visit of Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House.
Literally.
At the beginning of the royal couple’s four-day visit to the United States, President Trump and Melania Trump, the first lady, are scheduled to show off a new White House beehive to the king and queen, who are avid supporters of beekeeping.
The new hive, located on the South Lawn, is shaped like a miniature White House and is the home for two new bee colonies. The first lady last week unveiled the latest work of presidential apiculture, the science of maintaining honey bee colonies for pollination, honey production and wax.
The first official White House bee colonies were installed in 2009 by Michelle Obama, the first lady at the time. The bees supported pollination of the White House vegetable garden that Ms. Obama created as part of her push for healthy eating.
The original Obama hives support as many as 70,000 bees during peak summer months, according to the White House, and can produce up to 225 pounds of honey in a year.
The bees are among the few Obama-era modifications to the White House grounds that the Trumps have left in place. The Trump administration said Ms. Trump’s new hive could increase production to more than 255 pounds of honey annually.
The royal visit to the White House beehive is a nod to the king’s longstanding interest in environmental issues and conservation.
There are four beehives located in the gardens around Buckingham Palace and two more outside Clarence House, the official residence of the royal couple. The official royal website notes that the queen produces honey that is sold at the store Fortnum & Mason to raise money for charity.
The king likes honey in his tea, the website says.
Michael D. Shear is the chief U.K. correspondent for The New York Times, covering British politics and culture and diplomacy around the world.
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