‘Monster’ nearly named for Queen

Scotland’s mythical Loch Ness monster was to be named after Queen Elizabeth to secure its status as an endangered species, documents from the 1960s have revealed. The creature, if authenticated by Sir Peter Scott, who was leading the hunt at the time, would have been called Elizabeth Nessiae, newly discovered papers at Cambridge University show. But Buckingham Palace officials questioned whether it was appropriate to have the “monster” named after a Queen, and insisted on irrefutable proof before giving their blessing.