London - The ancient ceremony dates back to Bloody Mary days when loyal courtiers were rewarded with a tot of HM's O-negative.
Royal physician Sir Harold Shipman-Culpepper performed today's blood-letting rite despite last week's reprimand for leaving a leech up Her Maj's nostril.
The resulting nosebleed saw the old duffer cancel her pubic engagements as surgical grappling hooks foraged up her septum for the nasty little bleeder.
Today's foray up the nasal passage is understood to involve native specimens tested by the Royal Annelid spawning grounds at Prince Charles' Dodgy Originals factory.
Tradition dictates the Monarch is buried along with her personal bloodsuckers and a new swarm is created for his/her successor.
"That could be as early as this weekend if the Sovereign's Entrails Scryer is right about the bloody royal wedding, heheh," the Duchess of Cornwall's personal de-wormer commented.
Prince Philip is about to burst.
