Princess Anne joined in a historic swan counting tradition dating back hundreds of years, which returned to the Marlow stretch of the River Thames this week.
The Queen’s royal officials, along with the Princess Royal, took to the waters to do a survey of the town’s beloved feathered friends during the annual Royal Swan Upping on Tuesday.
David Barber, the Queen’s Swan Marker, led his team as they carried out their count of new cygnets, “upping” them out of the water to weigh them and assess them for illness or injury.
Schoolchildren were also invited to meet the swan uppers at The Compleat Angler and given a chance to see the cygnets up close.
They could also ask questions about swans, the boats used and the Queen’s ownership of mute swans.
The ceremony dates back to the 12th Century when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water in Britain was claimed by the Crown in order to ensure a ready supply for feasts.
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