As head of state, it kind of goes without saying that the Queen owns a lot of stuff. She’s an incredibly wealthy woman, known for donning an array of designer hats and handbags at every public event she attends. Oh, and of course she has many a grand stately homes and residencies to chill in (does Buckingham Palace sound familiar, anyone?).
But from dolphins to world records, there are also a tonne of other random things owned by Her Majesty – and some of them are not what you’d expect.
These are eleven of our favourite wacky royal facts centred on what the Queen owns…
All the swans, sort of
Most of us know that Queen Elizabeth II technically owns all of the unclaimed swans in open water in England and Wales. But, the Queen only actually exercises ownership on certain stretches and tributaries of the River Thames around Windsor.
Each year, the Queen finds out just how many swans she can claim ownership of in an event called the Swan Upping: a five-day event where the swans are counted. A wholesome-sounding event if ever there was.
Hyde Park
While it’s unlikely that you’ll spot the Queen having a stroll in Hyde Park, she does technically own it. And, Hyde Park isn’t the only green space she has to her name either – Her Majesty also owns Kensington Gardens, The Regent’s Park and The Green Park.
Everyone’s clicking on…
Millions of square feet of retail space
Next time you head to your local retail park, there’s a chance you’re shopping on the Queen’s property. Through the British Crown’s estate empire, the Queen owns (or part-owns) fourteen retail parks and three shopping centres. You can even head to Gallagher Retail Park in Cheltenham and enjoy a royal Greggs. One will have a slice of pizza, a steak bake and a crown, please?
Four Guinness world records
You can’t pay for a takeaway, a bottle of wine (or anything else that requires cash) without flashing a regal portrait of The Queen. In fact, her face has been printed on so many more currencies than any other individual, it has earned her a world record.
Alongside this impressive feat, she also holds a three other world records too:
• Longest reigning Queen: awarded in 2015
• Oldest current monarch: age 95 in 2021
• Wealthiest Queen: worth an estimated roughly $530 million in 2016
All of the dolphins in the UK
Back in 1324, a statute under King Edward II allowed monarchs to claim whales, sturgeons, dolphins and porpoises. And, it still stands today. So, if you find yourself fishing within three miles of England’s shoreline and accidentally catch one, you must first contact Buckingham Place and offer it to the Queen as a gesture of loyalty. While the Queen also used to own the bulk of Scotland’s marine life as well, they’re now owned by Marine Scotland.
A colony of bats
Between the public’s swans and dolphins and the corgis who share her home, the Queen is clearly a dedicated animal lover… which might explain why Balmoral Castle (another of her more boujie items) is also home to a colony of bats. Rumour has it that The Queen chases the bats and catches them with a butterfly net as they fly around her home, but err, obviously, we can’t prove that.
Most of London’s Regent Street
We’re all familiar with Regent Street, situated in the heart of London’s beloved West End – it’s one of the world’s most famous roads and an iconic shopping experience. Measuring approximately 1.25 miles in length, the street runs through both Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus and attracts more than 7.5 million visitors per year, but what you may not know is that all of this belongs to Her Majesty. Regent Street is a part of the Crown Estate, meaning it legally belongs to our Lizzie. While she doesn’t receive any royalties from the stores that inhabit it, but we think she’s okay for cash.
A private ATM machine
While it’s rare that the Queen would need access to cash, she does have a private ATM in the basement of Buckingham Palace. Courtesy of Coutts bank, the ATM is only for members of the royal family. Fancy your own? Tatler reports that banking at Coutts is free of charge, as long as you have around £1.3 million to pop into your account. Wowzas.
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is known as a “royal peculiar,” meaning that it belongs directly to the monarch, not a diocese (the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop). It’s played an integral role in a lot of key moments for the royal family throughout history, too – in addition to hosting every coronation since 1066, it was also where Prince William and Kate Middleton were wed.
Two Aldabra giant tortoises
During an official visit to the Seychelles in 1972, the Queen was presented with a pair of native Aldabra giant tortoises, who can live up to 200 years. While they were originally housed at London Zoo, they’ve since been rehomed.
Trafalgar Square
Home to Nelson’s Column and The British Gallery, you might not know that the Queen owns Trafalgar Square. Why? Originally, Trafalgar Square was the location of the royal stables and falconry mews. However, it’s managed on her behalf by the Greater London Authority.
