The City of London Corporation has to pay an annual rent since 1211 of, get this, two knives (one sharp, one dull), six horseshoes and 61 nails.

The Dukes of Marlborough and Wellington also have to pay a form of rent for their country homes, which they were given by the Monarch to recognize their roles in winning the Battles of Blenheim and Waterloo. Each duke still presents the queen with French flags for display at Windsor Castle every summer on the anniversary of each battle. Marlborough only gets a cup of tea, while Wellington is still entitled to a sumptuous banquet with the queen.

Hostage Taking

While the Monarch and Parliament sure play different games, they are still on the friendly side. But once upon a time they were complete foes in England’s bloody civil war. You see, Charles I was put on trial for treason and executed. Now, when the Queen makes her annual visit to Parliament, a few precautions are put in place:

The houses are searched thoroughly to make sure Guy Fawkes’s latter day peers aren’t taking another crack at blowing her up, and a serving member of parliament—a ‘hostage’ is sent to the palace, and held there until the Queen is safely delivered from the clutches of Parliament.

No corners on sandwiches

Yup. If you have ever attended a British tea, you would know that sandwiches are served with no right angle corners. Sure, this doesn’t always happen, unless you’re a Royal.

This is believed to stem from a superstition of Queen Victoria’s husband Albert that it was unlucky to eat anything in the shape of a coffin. Finger sandwiches at Buckingham Palace garden parties have rounded corners.

Other traditions include ravens swearing an oath, a Toothpaste Squeezer in Chief, and the measuring of potatoes and sprouts.

Read about them here.

[source: dailybeast]