In 1324, King Edward II enacted the legal statute Prerogativa Regis, which declared that the Sovereign shall have wreck of the sea throughout the realm, including whales and sturgeons taken in the sea or elsewhere within the realm. Known collectively as royal fish, this prerogative initially grew out of the common law doctrine of Wreck of the Sea, which granted unclaimed goods washed ashore to the Crown to generate revenue and maintain coastal order. Over time, the legal definition expanded to include porpoises and dolphins.
The practical mechanics of this medieval law were famously eccentric: traditionally, the head of a stranded whale belonged to the King, while the tail belonged to the Queen, supposedly to furnish her wardrobe with whalebone for corsets. Today, the law remains operational in the United Kingdom. When a royal fish washes ashore or is caught within British territorial waters within three miles of the coastline, it must technically be offered to the Sovereign's Receiver of Wreck before any disposition can occur.
While modern monarchs usually waive their claim in favor of public scientific research and marine conservation, fishermen and coastguards still notify Buckingham Palace upon discovering large cetaceans or sturgeons. In 2004, a fisherman named Robert Davies caught a 9-foot sturgeon off the coast of Wales and officially offered it to Queen Elizabeth II; Her Majesty graciously declined the offer, allowing Davies to keep his rare catch.