King Charles III Inherits Thousands of Dolphins, Swans, Sturgeons, and Whales to Protect Against Poachers

King Charles III will inherit thousands of dolphins, swans, sturgeons, and whales owned by the Crown following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, September 8. The animal inheritance is part of the royal customs and law of transferring the private assets by the royal family, from predecessor to successor. Furthermore, the acquisition will also include personal possessions of the late queen.

For several centuries, the said animals have become the symbolic property of the crown and to protect them as well from poachers. While ownership differs for each country, where some are owned by private entities. In the case of the UK monarchy, the Crown is required to oversee the welfare of the animals, which includes 32,000 swans and an unspecified number of dolphins, sturgeons, and whales.

In 1324, the Crown officially designated dolphins and whales under their ownership due to a so-called statute which consider them as "fishes royal." Over the years, the royal fish team expanded to include sturgeon and porpoises. Under the UK law, a king or queen can claim any members of the fishes royal when they are captured or stranded within 3 miles from the UK coast.

Animal Inheritance

The species, including newborns, are also part of items owned by the institution. Across all these assets, including private and officially owned by the Crown, the Queen's total fortune is around $16.2 billion, according to newspaper El Pais, as cited by Business Insider.

Based on the said statute, since during the reign of King Edward II, the ownership on behalf of the Crown is indefinite and remains in effect until today, according to Time USA. Regardless of the centuries-long tradition, commoners can still claim the captured or stranded marine animals, even if they washed up on shore, as long as they acknowledge the monarchy.

The Queen's private net worth also amounts to $429 million, which accumulated during her seven decades in the throne, according to The Sunday Times' annual Rich List, as cited by Business Insider.

On the other hand, it was also reported that the Queen owns a number of corgis, which are still likely to be owned by other members of the Royal Family, including Prince Andrew and his previous wife Sarah Ferguson.

Swan Upping Event

The "Swan Upping" event is one of the most popular duties of the UK monarch. It is an ancient ritual which pertains to checking and monitoring the health and well-being of swans in the River Thames near Windsor.

According to the website of The Royal Family, the event is an annual census of the swan population and it usually take place in the month of July.

One of those responsible to conduct the event is the Queen's swan marker, David Barber, which is also responsible for leading the rescue and treatment of the birds, in case of injuries. Such incidents were reported since the height of the months-long COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.