- People are slaves to their habits, and royals are no different.
The British monarchy gets a lot of attention worldwide, for varying reasons. Some people enjoy the drama and gossip, while others are drawn to the centuries of pomp and tradition.
Some of those ceremonies, however, are decidedly odd or just straight-up outlandish. But that’s what you get when you carry some traditions over hundreds of years.
Here are nine examples of the strange ceremonies and traditions of British royalty.
1. The Tower Ravens
You’re probably aware of the famous ravens living on the grounds of the Tower of London. But why are they there, actually?
Well, there’s no official dictate that the monarchy must keep ravens at the Tower. However, it’s a common British superstition that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the monarchy will collapse.
It might be nonsense, but the royals haven’t wanted to test the belief’s veracity. So, since the 17th century, they’ve employed a special keeper of ravens, whose job it is to keep at least six of the birds at the Tower at all times.
2. Ceremony of the Keys
Speaking of the Tower of London, its gates are locked every night at exactly 9:53 p.m. And they’ve done so for the past 700 years.
The Ceremony of the Keys is one of the oldest uninterrupted ceremonies in the world. Every single night, the Chief Yeoman Warder and the Tower guards have a choreographed call-and-response exchange, with the sentries famously asking the Warder, “Who goes there?”
This tradition is so important that the British didn’t even let World War II and the bombing of London stop it from taking place.
3. Monarch’s Two Birthdays
The British monarch gets to celebrate two birthdays. They have their personal birthday, but then there’s also the “official” royal birthday, which is marked by the Trooping the Colors.
This spectacle involves more than a thousand soldiers parading along the Mall in London. It originally started as a display to allow British soldiers to know everyone fighting on their side, but it’s since been collated into a royal birthday celebration.
Why, you ask? Because King Edward VII disliked the November weather of his real birthday, and he wanted a more summery celebration.
4. Christmas Weigh-In
If you ever get invited to the royal Christmas feast, you’d better stuff your face. After all, you’ll get weighed before and after the meal.
Like the royal birthday, this tradition was started by King Edward VII. He wanted to ensure that everyone at the royal table had eaten well, so he decided they should get weighed.
Ideally, you should gain three pounds during the meal. Sucks to be you if you’re on a diet.
5. No Shellfish
Since we’re on the topic of royal dinners, there are a few items you won’t see at the table. One of them is shellfish.
Although banning shellfish seems odd, it actually ha sound reasoning behind it. Shellfish is one of the most common allergens and carries a high risk of food poisoning, so the ban is in place to protect the monarch’s health.
That said, many royals are known to have skirted the ban and indulged in lobster, oysters, and other delicacies. I mean, if the king demands shellfish, what are you going to do?
6. No Square Sandwiches
Another dish that won’t be served at royal meals is sandwiches. Or, well, the royals can have sandwiches, but they must be cut into a round shape.
Any food with pointed edges is considered an explicit threat to the royals present at the meal, so much so that it could be considered treasonous. I’m not sure how square sandwiches came to represent treason, but it’s what it is.
7. The Parliamentary Hostage
Having mentioned treason, another way the royal house aims to curb such plots is by taking a hostage. Every year. Even today.
As the monarch goes to the Houses of Parliament to open the new session, one member of the House of Commons is taken hostage at Buckingham Palace. Historically, the aim of this ceremony was to discourage dissatisfied MPs from harming the monarch by having a proverbial knife at the throat of one of their own.
This tradition still carries on to this day. Although I’d imagine there are fewer threats against anyone’s life.
8. Telling the Bees
When a royal dies or marries, the bees of the royal apiaries are the first to know. This isn’t a joke – the royal beekeeper must knock on each hive and inform the bees of the recent news.
This tradition stems from an ancient belief that considered bees to have a special link to the world beyond ours. As such, they should be kept up to date on the state of the royal house, lest an ill fate befall either the royals or the bees.
Makes sense.
9. The Swan Upping
Did you know the monarch owns every single swan in the United Kingdom? It’s true – and every year, the royal swans are counted.
In a strange 900-year-old ceremony called the Swan Upping, royal representatives row up and down the River Thames. From the boat, they count every swan they see (although the end result will certainly not include all the swans in the country.
If you’d like to know more about this weird tradition, read our article on Swan Upping.