England: Queen’s Swan Is Barbecued and Eaten By STEVEN ERLANGER Published: August 21, 2013 The charred carcass of one of Queen Elizabeth’s own swans was found on a riverbank near Windsor Castle after having been barbecued and eaten, according to the police and a charity called Swan Lifeline.
The swan was one of about 200 that live on Baths Island and belong to the queen. Until 1998, under a law dating to the 12th century, killing or injuring a swan was classified as treason, and the crown retains ownership of all unmarked mute swans in areas along the River Thames. Wild swans are also protected under a 1981 act, and to injure or kill a swan — let alone eat one — is against the law. Wendy Hermon of Swan Lifeline said that “the whole breast had been removed, and it looked like it had been eaten for lunch.” There was “just a swan skeleton left,” she said. “It’s absolutely disgusting, I can’t imagine the kind of people that would do this.” She said the carcass, with its feathers still attached, was taken by her group to be cremated.
