# What's the deal with the British monarch and swans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2007, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-british-monarch-and-swans/406393 "2007-06-01T20:18:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-british-monarch-and-swans/406393/1 "2007-06-01T20:18:13Z")
Does the British monarch really own all of the swans in the UK? If so why? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-british-monarch-and-swans/406393/2 "2007-06-01T20:34:20Z")
In like the 12th century, the British crown claimed ownership of any unmarked, wild, mute swans. It kept that clain until until the 15th century, when it sold a lot of its swan rights to various guilds and other people, but the crown still claims ownership of all the swans on parts of the River Thames, and every year, young swans on the Thames are caught, marked and released, although nowadays, they do it for census and tracking purposes. Why did the Kings of England do this? Swans are tasty. The Queen also still owns all whales, dolphins, porpoises and sturgeons up to three miles out from land. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-british-monarch-and-swans/406393/3 "2007-06-01T20:35:13Z")
No, they only claim rights to the swans on certain stretches of the Thames. From [the Royal Website](http://www.royal.gov.uk/OutPut/Page3322.asp) > [@](#): > > Since the 12th century, the Crown has exercised ownership of all unmarked mute swans on certain stretches of the river Thames and its surrounding tributaries. Royal ownership is shared with the Vintners’ and Dyers’ Companies, who were granted rights of ownership by the Crown in the 15th century. To this day, members of the two livery companies undertake the count of swans on the Thames, to ensure that the population remains strong, and that no threats are endangering their existence. This dates back to the days when swans were a prized table bird. The Crown reserved some for its own use. More [here.](http://www.thamesweb.co.uk/swans/upping2.html) ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-british-monarch-and-swans/406393/4 "2007-06-01T21:00:56Z")
I hear swan is really greasy. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-british-monarch-and-swans/406393/5 "2007-06-01T22:38:20Z")
[QUOTE=Lemur866] I hear swan is really greasy. [/QUOTE] That’s no doubt why it was considered “fit for a king” back in the 12th century. Good eats! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-british-monarch-and-swans/406393/6 "2007-06-01T22:39:58Z")
If I were King of England back then, I’d definitely want some of this Swan(n): [http://www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk/images/P/PO18.jpg](http://www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk/images/P/PO18.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-british-monarch-and-swans/406393/7 "2007-06-01T23:38:04Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] The Queen also still owns all whales, dolphins, porpoises and sturgeons up to three miles out from land. [/QUOTE] I thought those belonged to the Prince of Wales.