It was a pleasure to read the joyful account of Christian the lion’s reunion with old friends John Rendall and Anthony Bourke.
The film Christian the Lion was a professional production, not a “home movie”, made by my late husband Bill Travers and James Hill, the director of Born Free. It was shown in the 1970s on the Bell Telephone Hour in America.
Christian lived for four months at our home in Surrey before going to Kenya to the Kora game reserve, where George Adamson rehabilitated him. I am sure I can speak for both John and Anthony (Ace) when I tell you that the reason they bought Christian from Harrods pet department (no longer allowed, I am glad to say) was a feeling of compassion. It was a huge and life-changing commitment.
Virginia McKenna, Chair of Trustees and Founder Born Free Foundation