The centuries-old law that meant the Queen owned nearly all England’s swans
The centuries-old law that meant the Queen owned nearly all England’s swans
Elizabeth II has a claim to all unmarked swans in open water (Picture: PA/Getty Images)
Thanks to a quirky British tradition dating back centuries, the monarch owns virtually all of the swans in England.
During Elizabeth II’s reign – which came to an end on Thursday afternoon – she mainly laid claim all the mute, unmarked white birds in one part of the River Thames.
But despite this long link to…