Crowds gathered at Marlow Bridge on Wednesday morning to watch the annual Royal Swan Upping begin its latest journey along the River Thames.
At 9am, the Royal Swan Uppers began the third day of their 79-mile journey, from Sunbury Lock in Surrey to Abingdon Bridge in Oxfordshire.
They were led by King Swan Marker, David Barber, for his 34th swan upping. The British Monarch traditionally claims ownership of mute swans, defined by their curved beck, orange bill, and black bump.
Their goal? To conduct a census of the mute swan population on the River Thames, check them for illness, and ring them with identification cards. Following a rise from 86 cygnets counted in 2024 to 115 cygnets in 2025, Barber will be hoping for yet another ascent.
Once departed, the Royal Swan Uppers, dressed in scarlet uniforms, identified their first group of swans at Marlow Park. They immediately cried “all up” and converged upon them with their wooden skiffs, slowly surrounding the swans before plucking them from the water.
Taken ashore, the swans received examination for injury. Once declared healthy, the young cygnets were ringed with numbers to monitor them, before the Royal Swan Uppers continued their voyage.
Harry, 9, said ‘it was nice how they check on the swans every year’, while his grandmother Sharon enthused, ‘it was fantastic!’
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