Advertisement
But how did these elephants find their way from India to Rupert and Danielaâs Buckinghamshire garden? Theyâre part of a 125-strong herd that was due to migrate to the Royal Parks of London last summer with CoExistence, an environmental art campaign dreamt up by the Duchess of Cornwallâs late brother, Mark Shand, in aid of his conservation charity Elephant Family. But the pandemic struck and the installation was postponed, leaving the elephants locked down on the Cotswold farm of Ruth Ganesh, the Elephant Familyâs principal trustee. Thatâs when Camilla came up with the idea of an elephant adoption agency. The herd was dispatched to some of the most beautiful gardens in England: four went to Highgrove, five each to Lady Bathurst at Cirencester Park and Lord Rothschild at Waddesdon Manor nearby, three to Annabel Elliot in Dorset and two to Jilly Cooper in Gloucestershire, who declared proudly: âArenât they just glorious?â