5-year-old writes to Queen on swans

A five-year-old girl, Lyndsay Simpson, wrote a letter to the Queen telling her about her dream: to keep a pet swan for a weekend.

This was after Lyndsay's mom made her believe that Her Majesty owned them all and so she needed to seek the Queen's permission to borrow one. The girl sought help from the current monarch to turn her dream into reality.

When she wrote it, she never expected to hear back. But a letter from the Queen to the little girl not only thrilled Lyndsay and her mom but also dispelled a common misconception about the Queen (and swans).

According to The Times, Jennie Vine, a deputy correspondence co-ordinator at the Palace, said that the Queen had taken "careful note" of Lyndsay's request - but had some bad news for her.

"The Queen has asked me to thank you for your letter...from which Her Majesty has taken careful note of your comments regarding the keeping of swans as pets."

"I should perhaps explain that it is a common misconception that The Queen owns all the swans in the United Kingdom. Her Majesty owns mute swans and only exercises her right of ownership over swans on certain parts of the River Thames. It should be remembered that as native wild birds, swans now enjoy statutory protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981."

"The Queen was encouraged to know of your interest in our native birdlife and thought it kind of you to write as you did."

Along with the response came a booklet on swan upping, a ceremony where the birds are captured, tagged and then released.

Source: Khaleej Times