Do the Royal Family eat swans? And, will one be served at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding?
Britons speculating about the menu at the prince and the Suits actresses wedding day may wonder if the medieval choice will be served.
The Royal Family’s connection to swans goes back a long, long way.
Like other meats now, swan was considered a luxury delicacy during the era for Elizabeth I.
The swan-upping takes place on the Thames annually. The ceremony sees all the swans on the Thames rounded up and ringed, for conservation purposes mainly.
All the mute swans left unmarked belong to the Crown due to royal prerogative, spanning all the way back to 12th Century.
Only the monarch has the right to own these unmarked mute swans, granting them a special form of immunity.
There is a royal swan marker for the occasion, and Queen Elizabeth II is the first monarch to ever personally attend the swan-upping in her role as “Seigneur of the Swans.”
However, the killing of a swan by a commoner is strictly forbidden, unless issued a special rucksack.
One man attempted to eat a swan in June 2014, beheading it and putting it into his backpack.
Sevenoaks magistrates’ court fined the man a total of £215 after he admitted to a single count of killing a wild bird under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
Do the Royal Family eat swans?
Royal expert and editor at Dailybreak Kelly Lynch said: “Although I am familiar with the annual swan upping, I’ve seen no evidence of the royals dining on swans.”
However, she predicts that Meghan and Harry will likely steer clear of the dish, due to the Queen’s taste.
Lynch added: “I know that the Queen has a rather simple palette when it comes to food, and since she owns all of the mute swans in England and Wales, I find it hard to believe she’d dine on them.”
One British tradition that the couple will have to follow is having Meghan Markle baptised before their wedding.
She has to be baptised into the Church of England, but how will this be done?