Two Birthdays to Owning Mute Swans: 5 Unusual Facts About British Monarchy
The tradition of two birthdays is prevalent since 1748 when King George II decided to combine the annual summer military march with his own birthday celebrations.
LONDON: The Royal Family has always been a source of intrigue and fascination for the common folk. Being Invited to Buckingham Palace is considered no less a feat than winning a Nobel Prize.
Behind this veil of privacy lies some wonderful and weird facts about the royal family.
Here's a list of some wonderful and somewhat weird facts about the royal family.
1. Two Birthdays
We all love our birthdays as we get to gorge on wonderful food and unwrap those colourful gifts. But we normal folk only get one birthday a year, the King or The Queen of England can celebrate two birthdays a year and this tradition is prevalent since 1748 when King George II (born in October) decided to combine the annual summer military march with his own birthday celebrations. Since then, every monarch has followed suit. Now that Prince Charles will ascend the throne after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II and his actual birthday is November 14 and England gets chillier by that time, he may choose to celebrate his other official birthday in a warmer month.
2. Owning the Mute Swans of England
Another weird fact about the royal family is that it owns all the mute swans in the country. Mute swans are named "mute" for being less vocal than the other species of Swans.
3. The Monarch doesn't need a Passport to Travel
This may make all those travel enthusiasts jealous of the royal family as The King or The Queen doesn't need a passport for world travel. The King or The Queen of England is the only person in the world who doesn't need a passport to travel abroad.
4. They can't play Monopoly
This may sound a little odd but the royal family members aren't supposed to play Monopoly. Back in 2008, The Duke of York revealed that the game used to get vicious around Christmas time in the castle because of which the game was avoided by the royal family.
5. No Voting
The British Monarch does not vote in the elections and also cannot stand for any election. As the head of the state, he/she has to remain neutral in politics.
Also Read: Queen Elizabeth II Death: India Declares State Mourning On September 11
Also Watch:
