Formula One with feathers

Her Majesty The Queen, Elvis Presley, Mike Tyson, Walt Disney and Roy Rogers share a common interest: Columbidae, or pigeons to the rest of us. The list of famous pigeon fanciers is long and illustrious, including not just monarchs, sportsmen and entertainers but politicians, actors and artists. Such was Pablo Picasso’s fascination with the birds that he went as far as naming his daughter Paloma, which means ‘pigeon’ in Spanish.

The Royal Family’s connection to pigeons dates back to 1886, when King Leopold II of Belgium gave some racing pigeons to his British cousins. This unconventional gift was accepted with great enthusiasm, most notably by the future Edward VII, who immediately commissioned a loft on the Sandringham Estate, where more than 150 royal birds are based to this day. Edward’s interest in breeding and racing pigeons, winning virtually every race of note, became a royal tradition unbroken by Queen Elizabeth II, who is the patron of both the National Flying Club and the Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA). “It is a massive bonus