WINDSOR, England, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- A wild swan at Windsor Castle, technically owned by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, was found killed and barbecued on a riverbank, police said.
The gruesome discovery was made by Wendy Harmon, 46, a volunteer of the charity Swan Life, which cares for sick and injured birds, the British tabloid the Mirror said Wednesday.
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"I felt sick when I saw it," she said. "It was done neatly, presumably to get at the meat."
Wild mute swans in Britain are considered the property of the royal family and protected under a 1981 law. Killing or injuring a swan was considered an act of treason under a law dating to the 12th century, the newspaper said.
Thames Valley Police confirmed it is investigating the incident.
