The truth about swans

My ten year old stood and watched a swan preening itself on the choppy, chilly waters of Talkin Tarn this morning. He was thoroughly engrossed for a few minutes, and as we continued on our way round the lake he asked if people kept swans as pets. So we quickly replied that the Queen keeps them and they all belong to her. Then came the inevitable "why?" followed by much scratching of heads and shrugging of shoulders. It's like that moment on QI when you know you have just said something and actually, erm, it might just be one of those urban myths.

So I decided to check out the truth about swans and the Queen. And I didn't even need to wade into the murky waters of Wikipedia as the first site that came up was The British Monarchy. 

During the 12th century the Crown claimed ownership of all mute swans. In those days swans were a delicacy at banquets, so the royals wanted all of them for themselves. Well, you would, wouldn't you?

Today all mute swans in open water still technically belong to the monarch, but the Queen, God bless her cotton socks, only exercises her right to them on certain stretches of the Thames and its surrounding tributaries.

Each summer considerable pomp attaches to a ceremony known as Swan Upping, where various costumed officials row the Thames on six skiffs for five days, counting swans and cygnets. The cygnets are weighed and measured and swans are given a health check. School children are invited to take part in this historical ceremony. 

I wonder if I will remember all this next time someone asks me why swans belong to the Queen.

Merry Christmas to you all and if we didn't see you in 2013 we will try and get your way next year.