Swan Upping 2017

17 – 21 July 2017

Swan Upping, the annual census of the swan population on the River Thames, was announced on June 30th by David Barber, The Queen’s Swan Marker.

This year’s Swan Upping will start on Monday 17th July departing from Sunbury lock cut, and will finish at Abingdon Bridge, Oxfordshire on Friday 21st July.

Announcing the schedule for Swan Upping, David Barber reported:

“There has been a consistent decrease in cygnet numbers over recent years and we are very much hoping that we will see a reversal in this trend in 2017. There have been many reports of large brood numbers on the river. However, the risks posed to both young cygnets and the adult birds continue to affect the number that survive each year. In addition to the natural predators the swans face every day, there has been a disappointing increase in reported dog attacks that have caused immense and unnecessary suffering and deaths within the mute swan population. Furthermore, we have had reports of eggs being stolen, nesting swans being attacked by vandals and swans being shot.”

The observation points and times are as follows:

Monday 17th July 2017
Sunbury Lock Cut 09.00 – Departure point
Shepperton Lock 10.45
Penton Hook Lock 12.30
Romney Lock 17.30

Tuesday 18th July 2017
Eton Bridge 08.45 – Departure point
Boveney Lock 09.45
Boulters Lock 13.00
Cookham Bridge 14.00
Marlow Lock 17.30

Wednesday 19th July 2017
Marlow Bridge 09.00 – Departure point
Hurley Lock 10.30
Hambleden Lock 12.00
Henley Town 13.30
Marsh Lock 15.30
Shiplake Lock 17.00
Sonning Bridge 18.00

Thursday 20th July 2017
Sonning-on-Thames 09.00 – Departure point
Caversham Lock 10.15
Mapledurham Lock 12.15
Goring Lock 17.00
Moulsford 18.00

Friday 21st July 2017
Moulsford 09.00 – Departure point
Benson Lock 10.15
Clifton Hampden Bridge 13.00
Culham Lock 16.15
Abingdon Bridge 17.00

The History of Swan Upping

The ceremony of Swan Upping takes place during the third week of July every year. Swan Upping dates from the twelfth century, when The Crown claimed ownership of all mute swans which were considered an important food source for banquets and feasts. Today The Crown retains the right of ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water, but The Queen mainly exercises this right on certain stretches of the River Thames and its surrounding tributaries. This ownership is shared with the Vintners’ and Dyers’ Livery Companies who were granted rights of ownership by The Crown in the fifteenth century. The swans are counted but are no longer eaten.

The Queen’s Swan Marker and the accompanying Swan Uppers of the Vintners’ and Dyers’ Livery Companies use six traditional Thames rowing skiffs in their five-day journey upstream to Abingdon. By tradition scarlet uniforms are worn by The Queen’s Swan Marker and Swan Uppers, and each boat flies the appropriate flag and pennant. In recent years, The Queen travelled up the River Thames to witness the historic ceremony.

It has always been the duty of the Sovereign’s Swan Marker to count the number of young cygnets each year and ensure that the swan population is maintained. The cygnets are weighed and measured to obtain estimates of growth rates and the birds are examined for any sign of injury, commonly caused by fishing hook and line. With the assistance of The Queen’s Swan Warden, Professor Christopher Perrins of the University of Oxford, the swans and young cygnets are also assessed for any signs of disease. The cygnets are ringed with individual identification numbers by The Queen’s Swan Warden, whose role is scientific and non-ceremonial. The Queen’s Swan Marker produces an annual report after Swan Upping detailing the number of swans, broods and cygnets counted during the week.

Apart from Swan Upping, The Queen’s Swan Marker has other duties. He advises organisations throughout the country about swan welfare and incidents involving swans, gives talks to local schools and charities on the subject of swan welfare and Swan Upping, and monitors the health of the local swan population. The Queen’s Swan Marker works closely with swan rescue organisations, supervises the rescue of sick and injured swans and advises fishing and boating organisations about how to work with wildlife. He also co-ordinates the removal of swans from stretches of the River Thames used for summer rowing regattas.

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Royal visit marks achievement of students with autism at Baston House School

HRH The Countess of Wessex GCVO, congratulates
students for their award-winning garden

Thrill and excitement filled the air this week when The Countess of Wessex, visited students at Baston House School in Bromley, Kent – an Outcomes First Group centre of excellence in education and development for children aged 5 – 19 with an autistic spectrum condition (ASC) – to congratulate them on winning the Alice Street Trophy for the beautiful school garden they created. 

Dignitaries Anna Kennedy (OBE), Autism Ambassador for Outcomes First Group; Councillor Kathy Bance MBE, Mayor of Bromley; Colonel Robert Murfin TD DL,  Deputy Lieutenant of Bromley; Jane Bailey,  Director of Education LB Bromley and Anthony Comben,  Chairman,  London Children’s Flower Society and Roger Colvin, Group Chairman Outcomes First Group also lined up to applaud the students for their terrific achievement.

The Countess’s visit, as Patron of the London Children’s Flower Society (LCFS), followed the official presentation of a silver trophy by gardener and TV presenter David Domoney and Master of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners Paul Rochford at The LCFS Trophy Ceremony in the Livery Hall at London’s Guildhall last October.

The beautiful wildlife-friendly orange, yellow, red and purple cottage garden created by 20 of the 65 8-19 year old learners from Baston House and overseen by Cai Draper, Outdoor Learning Instructor,  features a wonderful array of sunflowers, marigolds, poppies, snapdragons, stocks, nasturtiums, raspberries, potatoes, carrots, beetroot, tomatoes, french beans, borlotti beans, parsley, chives, mint.  Other students from the school helped by watering and tending the garden.

Baston House students also made sure that the garden they created had a low environmental impact by making 4 compost bins and a wormery to dispose of food waste from the school,  using water from a butt rather than a tap and seeds saved from the previous year and others kindly donated by the LCFS. Fruit, vegetables and herbs are regularly harvested and used in Food Tech lessons.

Commenting on the visit and her students’ brilliant achievements Sally Pettitt, Placements Manager, Baston House School, said, “A Royal visit is ‘a first’ for us – the students were absolutely delighted!  At Baston House we strive to provide effective specialist education and support to pupils on the autistic spectrum and to their families, enabling pupils to achieve their full potential in education and in life outside school.  Our goal is to break down the barriers to learning that our students encounter and to help them equip themselves for as independent a life as possible outside of school.  Royal recognition of our beautiful school garden created by our students is a fitting tribute to them and the great life skills they have acquired here.”

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STATE VISIT OF THE KING AND QUEEN OF SPAIN

12th to 14th July 2017

His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain, accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Letizia, will pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom as the guests of The Queen from 12th to 14th July 2017. Their Majesties will stay at Buckingham Palace during the visit.

This will be the first State Visit to the UK by King Felipe and Queen Letizia. The last State Visit from Spain was by King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia in 1986.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh paid a State Visit to Spain in 1998. The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall paid an official visit to Spain in 2011.

State Visit Programme:

TUESDAY 11TH JULY

Their Majesties The King and Queen of Spain will arrive privately in the United Kingdom on Tuesday 11th July, at Luton airport.

They will be greeted on behalf of The Queen by The Viscount Brookeborough, Lord-in-Waiting.

WEDNESDAY 12TH JULY

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will greet The King and Queen on behalf of The Queen, at their Hotel on Wednesday morning. Their Royal Highnesses will then travel with Their Majesties to Horse Guards Parade, where The King and Queen will receive a Ceremonial Welcome.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will formally welcome The King and Queen on Horse Guards Parade. Presentations will be made, the Guard of Honour will give a Royal Salute and the Spanish National Anthem will be played. The King, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, will inspect the Guard of Honour, which will be the 1st Battalion Irish Guards. Afterwards, The King and Queen will join The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh for a state carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace.

Following a private lunch at Buckingham Palace, given by The Queen, Her Majesty will invite The King and Queen of Spain to view an exhibition in the Picture Gallery of items from the Royal Collection relating to Spain.

In the afternoon The King and The Queen will meet The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall for tea at Clarence House.

Afterwards, The King and Queen will visit the Palace of Westminster, where they will be welcomed by the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker. The King will deliver an Address in the Royal Gallery to Parliamentarians and other guests, followed by a reception with Members and invited guests.

In the evening The Queen will give a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace for The King and Queen. The Queen and The King will both make speeches at the start of the banquet.

THURSDAY 13TH JULY

The King will attend a UK-Spain Business Forum at Mansion House, accompanied by The Duke of York. The event will build on the two countries’ cooperation in bilateral trade and two-way investment. Speeches will be made by The King and the Secretary of State for International Trade.

The King and Queen of Spain will visit Westminster Abbey, accompanied by HRH Prince Henry of Wales. The King will lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior while prayers are said by the Dean, and then be taken on a short tour of the Abbey, including the Tomb of Eleanor of Castile.

Their Majesties will go on to the Spanish Ambassador’s Residence for a reception with members of the Spanish Community.

Later, The King will visit No. 10 Downing Street to meet Prime Minister Theresa May.

In the evening, The King and Queen, joined by The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, will attend a Banquet at Guildhall given by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor and The King will both make speeches at the end of the banquet.

FRIDAY 14TH JULY

The King and Queen of Spain will formally bid farewell to The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace in the morning.

Thereafter, Their Majesties, accompanied by The Duke of York, will visit the Francis Crick Institute. They will be met by Chief Executive, Sir Paul Nurse, and tour the institute, meeting members of the Spanish scientific community working in the UK.

The King and Queen will go on to the Weston Library where they will be greeted by The Lord Patten of Barnes, Chancellor of Oxford University. Their Majesties will view an exhibition of Spanish treasures from the Oxford University archive before proceeding to The Divinity School for lunch at which The King will give a speech.

After lunch The King and Queen will arrive at Exeter College, home of the King Alfonso XIII Professorship of Spanish Studies and the Queen Sofía Fellowship in Spanish, where they will attend a reception for Spanish nationals working and studying at the University and members of the University who are studying, researching and teaching on Spain.

At the conclusion of the State Visit, the Lord Chamberlain will bid farewell to The King and Queen on behalf of The Queen. Their Majesties will depart privately from London from RAF Brize Norton.

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The Duke of Cambridge to Host a Good Luck Send Off Reception
for the England Women Football Team

Kensington Palace

Thursday, 13th July 2017

The Duke of Cambridge, President of the Football Association, will host the England Women team at Kensington Palace on 13th July. The Duke has invited the squad for a good luck reception at the Palace, on their way out to the Netherlands for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 tournament. He will then join the Lionesses for a kick-about with a local girls team from the Wildcats Girls’ Football programme at the sports and social club at Kensington Palace, where the girls will get the chance to play with their England footballing idols. This year the FA Girls’ Football Week will run between 16th July and 6th August to coincide with England’s involvement in Euro 2017. It will be an opportunity to support the Lionesses’ Euro campaign and get even more girls playing football this summer.

The England Women Senior squad will travel to the Netherlands on 13th July, where they kick-off their Group D campaign against Scotland in Utrecht on 19th July, before facing Spain in Breda on 23rd July and Portugal in Tilburg on 27th July. Mark Sampson’s squad warmed up for the tournament with a 2-1 win against Denmark in Copenhagen on Saturday 1st July, their third successive victory against fellow finalists after defeats of Austria and Switzerland.

FA Girls’ Football Week is a national campaign aimed at raising the profile of female football and supporting our aim of doubling the number of women and girls playing football by 2020. Over 130,000 girls took part in sessions delivered in schools, universities, colleges, clubs, community groups and other organisations across the country in 2016.

The FA launched the SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Clubs in 2017, to inspire girls aged between 5-11 to be involved in the sport. It provides girls with regular opportunities to play football and take part in organised sessions in a fun and engaging environment created exclusively for girls. 200 clubs have been established across England throughout the spring and summer. The sessions take place on a weekly basis, either after school or at weekends, subject to the local organiser. They provide a safe environment where girls with no football experience can have fun engaging with sport, develop fundamental skills, try a variety of sessions, learn new things and create foundations for a lifelong love of sport.

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THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE WILL ATTEND TRANSFORMED HINTZE HALL LAUNCH EVENT

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, LONDON

Thursday, 13th July 2017

The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of the Natural History Museum, will attend the opening of the museum’s spectacular new Hintze Hall. The launch event will recreate the sounds and scents of the ocean, to celebrate the museum’s new star display – a diving blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling.

Hintze Hall re-opens to the public on the 14th July following a six month refurbishment programme, after two years of planning. A diving blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling is at the heart of the refurbishment and will lead a cast of natural world stars, including ten other star displays in the ground floor alcoves called the Wonder Bays, and hundreds of new specimens altogether across three floors.

Scientists, curators, conservators and engineers worked on the blue whale skeleton for months – mostly in an off-site warehouse due to its enormous size – cleaning and preparing it for its new home in Hintze Hall. The 25.2-metre skeleton arrived back at the museum in April 2017, and teams have worked tirelessly to have it ready for July’s grand unveiling.

The blue whale is the largest known animal to have lived on Earth. Driven to the brink of extinction by hunting, it was one of the first species that humans took action to save. It tells a story of hope. In 1966, it became the first animal to be protected by international law, after decades of aggressive hunting by humans. After hunting was banned by the International Whaling Commission in 1966, blue whale numbers began to slowly recover.

Placing this whale in the heart of the Museum is a public reminder of humanity’s responsibility to protect our fragile planet. The whale takes the place of Dippy the Diplodocus, the dinosaur skeleton cast which previously stood in the centre of the hall and is soon to be embarking on a tour of the UK.

Alongside the whale, the new Hintze Hall has ten other star displays called the Wonder Bays, which are arranged in alcoves on the ground floor. Each has been picked out by Museum scientists from the collection of over 80 million specimens. Together with the blue whale, they tell some of the most compelling stories about the past, present and future of our planet. The new specimens range from mammals to meteorites, representing the history of this planet – from the beginning of the solar system to the biodiversity of the present day.

During the launch event, which takes place in Hintze Hall beneath the blue whale, The Duchess will meet Sir Michael Dixon and Sir David Attenborough, tour some of the new Wonder Bays including the blue marlin, where she will meet the curators and hear about ocean ecology and conservation, a subject of particular interest for her. After speeches, Her Royal Highness will watch a musical performance in the hall, before joining a short reception.

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry are to attend a service to rededicate the grave of Diana, Princess of Wales, almost 20 years after her death.

The private service is at Althorp House in Northamptonshire on Saturday the 1st July, which would have been her 56th birthday.

Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, and her two sisters will also be there.

The service will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

The Princess of Wales died on 31 August 1997 in a car crash in Paris, when the Duke of Cambridge was 15 and his brother was 12.

THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE TO MARK 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF
BATTLE OF BRITAIN MEMORIAL FLIGHT

ROYAL AIR FORCE CONINGSBY

Tuesday, 11th July 2017

The Duke of Cambridge, Patron of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, will attend a reception and air display to mark the Flight’s 60th Anniversary. The Duke will meet veterans who flew and worked on RAF aircraft during the Second World War. They will join together in front of the Flight’s historic aircraft for a group photo on the airfield.

The Flight was formed on 11 July 1957 by Group Captain Peter Thompson, a former Battle of Britain Hurricane pilot who was then Station Commander at Biggin Hill, Kent. Group Captain Thompson came to realise that many of the iconic planes that flew in the Battle of Britain were falling out of service. He felt the best way to honour the RAF’s victory was to ensure they could preserve examples of the principal aircraft involved – the Hurricane and Spitfire. He set about collecting the nucleus of what is now the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Group Captain Thompson began the ‘Historic Aircraft Flight’ with Hurricane LF363, and three photo reconnaissance Spitfire PR.Mk 19s – PM631, PS853, and PS915. These Spitfires were marked for retirement and grounding and required considerable engine repair before they were fit for the move to Biggin Hill. The three machines were flown from Duxford to Biggin Hill as a three ship formation on 11 July 1957, the day of the Flight’s founding. Three of those four aircraft are still with the Flight, which today has 12 historic aircraft, comprising of a Lancaster, a Dakota, six Spitfires and two Hurricanes, plus two Chipmunks used for training.

Sixty years on, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s historic aircrafts are maintained and flown to the same exacting standards as the most modern aircraft in the Royal Air Force. The BBMF has displayed or flown past at thousands of events, ranging from State occasions and major commemorations to village fetes. It has become a living tribute of the Nation’s respect for all those who have served with the Royal Air Force across the generations; especially those who have lost their lives fighting to preserve the freedom of others.

The Flight’s home is Royal Air Force Coningsby, where today’s event will take place. The Duke of Cambridge, who completed his service in the Armed Forces with a Tour with the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Force at RAF Valley, Anglesey, is Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Coninsgby.

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PRINCE HARRY WILL VISIT THE LONDON SCHOOL OF
HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE

London

Monday 10th July, 2017

Prince Harry will visit the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine on Monday 10th July. His Royal Highness will hear more about the School’s global efforts to tackle HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, and will attend an HIV-focused roundtable discussion led by the charity Sentebale, of which Prince Harry is Patron.

On arrival, His Royal Highness will visit a number of LSHTM departments to see the vital work being undertaken to combat some of the world’s most pressing health issues. Prince Harry will firstly hear about Peek, an organisation which aims to increase access to eye care, and its school screening programmes in countries such as Botswana. His Royal Highness will be shown the latest advances, including the Peek app which teachers are being trained to use to test children’s eyesight.

His Royal Highness will then be given an overview of the School’s response to the recent Ebola epidemic in West Africa, followed by a presentation of its work on HIV. Prince Harry will hear about School research on interventions to improve HIV prevention and treatment services for young people in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the impacts of domestic violence on women and girls’ risk of HIV. The Prince will see a demonstration of a HIV self-testing kit, currently being used in a trial in Malawi where women attending antenatal clinics are given the kits to pass on to their male partners. His Royal Highness will also hear about an ongoing trial in Zambia and South Africa, exploring how a new approach to test and treat whole communities for HIV may affect HIV-related stigma.

Prince Harry will then attend Sentebale’s ‘Let Youth Lead’ roundtable discussion, chaired by Professor Baron Peter Piot, KCMG, the Director of the School and former founding Executive Director of UNAIDS. His Royal Highness will hear from three of Sentebale’s Youth Advocates from Lesotho and Botswana about their experiences of children and adolescents affected by HIV, and the challenges they are facing across the southern Africa region. In attendance will be global HIV leaders who will be invited to respond to the recommendations outlined by the advocates.

Sentebale’s ‘Let Youth Lead’ programme was launched in April in Lesotho at the charity’s first youth summit, and aims to provide a platform for young people to advocate to their peers to test for HIV and safely manage their status.

Prince Harry To Visit Leeds

Thursday 6th July – Friday 7th July, 2017

Prince Harry will visit the city of Leeds, Yorkshire between Thursday 6th and Friday 7th July. Over the two days His Royal Highness will meet local organisations, companies and charities which work in various ways to support the surrounding Leeds community.

Prince Harry will begin his visit to Leeds at the Leeds Leads: Encouraging Happy Young Minds event, a charity fair and panel discussion addressing the mental wellbeing of the city’s young people. Hosted by the Leeds Community Foundation (LCF), the event will bring together a range of mental health projects which have been funded through LCF’s latest initiative – the Leeds Fund – to celebrate the important work they are delivering across the city. Prince Harry will visit the charities’ stalls to learn more about their work with young people and mental health, before introducing the panel discussion on stage to the audience of local business and community leaders.

His Royal Highness will then travel to Headingley Carnegie Stadium to attend the Sky Try Rugby League Festival, which is part of a seven-year programme designed to get more than 700,000 children from primary and secondary schools across the country playing rugby league. The festival will see eight and nine year olds from seven local primary schools in Leeds take part in seven-a-side touch rugby league games, coached by current England players and local coaches from the Leeds Rhinos Foundation. Prince Harry will hear more about the Sky Try programme’s delivery, before meeting children, coaches and players on the pitch. This will be His Royal Highness’s first engagement as the new Patron of the Rugby Football League.

On Friday 7th July, Prince Harry will undertake two visits in support of WellChild, a charity that works with children suffering from serious illnesses or life-altering conditions, and of which His Royal Highness is Patron. Prince Harry will firstly visit the family home of a five year old boy in Leeds, who will receive a garden makeover from WellChild’s Helping Hands programme. This will be the charity’s 300th project, and will see a group of volunteers transform the little boy’s garden into an outside space that he can finally access safely and enjoy with his siblings, allowing him to develop his physical skills and encourage independence. Prince Harry will visit the project as it begins to take shape, meeting the young boy, his family and the Helping Hands volunteers.

His Royal Highness will then travel to Leeds Children’s Hospital, where he will meet WellChild Nurse Helen Tooby. WellChild nurses such as Helen provide the specialist care and support required to help families get their children home from hospital quicker. Helen will be the main point of contact for all children with a tracheostomy and their families, helping them to learn to care for their child and gain the confidence they need to support them at home. Prince Harry will also meet a group of the children and families who have been helped by Helen on their journey from hospital to home.

His Royal Highness will conclude his visit to Leeds with a visit to HARIBO’s new facility in Castleford. Prince Harry will see how the brand’s much-loved sweets are made, and will meet members of the family-owned business, its newest recruits and individuals that have been helping to create HARIBO treats for over 27 years. The factory has become a leading employer locally, with more than 730 team members across its two manufacturing sites.

THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE WILL ATTEND THE
CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON

London

Monday 3rd July, 2017

The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), will attend The Championships, Wimbledon on Monday 3rd July.

Prior to the start of play, Her Royal Highness will meet some of The Championships’ ball boys and ball girls, and hear more about their experiences of the tournament. The Duchess will then meet a number of staff who play a pivotal role each year in the delivery of The Championships, including the tournament’s stewards and its medical and safety teams.

This will be The Duchess’s first visit to The Championships as Patron of the AELTC.

To read more about the Royals at Wimbledon, the world’s most famous tennis tournament, make sure to grab a copy of Royal Life issue 24 for all of last year’s highlights.