According to the Royal Household:
Swan Upping, the annual census of the swan population on the River Thames…takes place during the third week of July every year. Swan Upping dates from the twelfth century, when The Crown claimed ownership of all mute swans which were considered an important food for banquets and feasts. This ownership is shared with the Vintners’ and Dyers’ Livery Companies who were granted rights of ownership by The Crown in the fifteenth century.
In recent years, both The Queen and The Princess Royal have travelled up the River Thames to witness the historic ceremony.
To read the entire article from the Royal Household, please click here.
