THEY belong to the Queen, are the focus of bizarre medieval ceremonies and hiss at innocent children.

But for the Sir Humphreys at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the mute swan is the perfect symbol to show off the modern, co-operative Britain to the rest of Europe.

The Government has chosen as its logo for its six-month presidency of the European Union a flight of silhouetted swans in V-formation, with the lettering in yellow: “UK presidency of the EU 2005.”

When Britain takes up its turn at the rotating presidency, Tony Blair will for six months rejoice in the title President of the European Union, allowing him in effect to run the show.

With the Government facing an uphill struggle to win next year’s referendum for the European constitution, it hopes to use its presidency to win over public opinion on Europe.

All countries choose logos carefully to advertise their European vocation to neighbours.

Patricia Hewitt, the Trade and Industry Secretary, who will use the logo to champion Britain’s designers, said that it symbolises “European nations working together effectively for a better future”. A government official explained the choice: “Flying in formation shows the benefit of co-operation. They all save energy by flying in each other’s slipstream and take it in turns to lead.”

But there are other characteristics of the swan, Britain’s largest native bird, that may be less in tune with the building of the modern EU.

Their ownership is a relic of Britain’s feudal history, with monarchs rather partial to eating swans in feasts, having claimed the right to own all swans in the country since the 12th century. David Barber, Her Majesty’s Swan Marker, a position that has existed for 700 years, told The Times: “It’s an excellent choice. They are very powerful birds and have this air of superiority — and they look excellent in flight.”

The mute swans virtually never leave Britain, although they do show a certain Europeanness by eating snails.

Apart from the Queen, there are only three others who have the right to own swans. Two medieval guilds, the Worshipful Company of Vintners and the Worshipful Company of Dyers, have been allowed to own swans since the 15th century. Each year, they dress up in costumes with the Queen’s officials to hold a special “upping” ceremony on the Thames.

The other exception is the Fox-Strangeway family, who have maintained the right to own swans since being granted it by Henry VIII and now own the largest managed colony of swans in the world at Abbotsbury, on the south coast of Dorset.

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