Is the United Kingdom all about the ‘stiff upper lip’, tea drinking, and polite queuing? Well, not quite. Go through these facts about the United Kingdom, which will truly fascinate you!
Sucheta Pradhan
The United Kingdom includes England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, whereas Great Britain includes only England, Scotland, and Wales.
Despite popular belief, Great Britain and United Kingdom are different from one another.
The first ever postage stamp was created in the United Kingdom in May 1840, and it had the bust of Queen Victoria on it.
The Stonehenge, located in Salisbury near London, is actually the oldest monument in world, even older than the pyramids of Egypt. It is claimed that it was built around 3,000 B.C.
Completed in 2012, London’s Shard building is the tallest skyscraper in Europe, rising 1,017 feet high.
The Queen owns each and every swan in the United Kingdom, and only the members of the British royal family are legally allowed to consume swan meat.
The Queen doesn’t have an official passport, although she has traveled to more than 100 countries in her official capacity till date because British passports are issued in the name of the Queen.
Golf is Scotland’s national sport and it also has the oldest Golf course in the world.
Scotland is home to the mythical Loch Ness Monster, more popularly known as Nessie, numerous sightings of which have been recorded in recent decades.
In the United Kingdom, all royal weddings are public holidays.
In Wales, there is a railway station named “Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch” that serves the village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, Anglesey.
Contrary to popular belief, ‘Fish and Chips’ is not UK’s favorite meal. In fact, citizens of the UK had voted ‘Chicken Tikka Masala’ as their favorite dish.
The law of the United Kingdom prohibits any one from dying inside the houses of the parliament.
The Windsor Castle is the oldest royal residence in the world and is believed to be haunted by many ghosts including those of Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, King George, and Charles I.
Champagne was invented in England, not in France. More than forty years before Dom Pérignon invented the signature sparkling wine, the English scientist Christopher Merret had documented an early version.
All those turning 100 in the United Kingdom receive a personalized card from the Queen herself.