The monarchy of the United Kingdom (commonly referred to as the British monarchy) is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The title of the monarch is king or queen. Queen Elizabeth II became monarch on 6 February 1952. The monarch and immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial, diplomatic, and representational duties. As the monarchy is constitutional, the monarch is limited to non-partisan functions such as bestowing honors and appointing the Prime Minister. The monarch is by tradition Commander-in-chief of the British Armed Forces. Though the ultimate formal executive authority over the government of the United Kingdom is still by and through the monarch’s royal prerogative, these powers may only be used according to laws enacted in Parliament, and, in practice, within the constraints of convention and precedent.
From 1603, when the Scottish King James VI inherited the English throne as James I, both kingdoms were rules by a single monarch. From 1649 to 1660 the tradition of monarchy was broken by the republican Commonwealth of England that followed the War of the Three Kingdoms. The Act of Settlement 1701, which is still in force, excluded Roman Catholics, or those who marry Catholics, from succession to the English throne. In 1707 the kingdoms of England and Scotland were merged to create the Kingdom of Great Britain and in 1801 the Kingdom of Ireland joined to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The British monarch became nominal head of the vast British Empire, which covered a quarter of the world’s surface at its greatest extent in 1921.
In the 1920s, five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the Union as the Irish Free State, and the Balfour Declaration recognized the evolution of the dominions of the empire into separate, self-governing countries within a Commonwealth of Nations. After the Second World War, the vast majority of British colonies and territories became independent, effectively bringing the empire to an end.
George VI and his successor, Elizabeth II, adopted the tittle Head of the Commonwealth as a symbol of the free association of its independent member states.
The Commonwealth includes both republics and monarchies. The United Kingdom and fifteen other Commonwealth monarchies that share the same person as their monarch are called Commonwealth realms. The terms British monarchy and British monarch are frequently still employed in reference to the shared individual and institution; however, each country is sovereign and independent of the others, and the monarch has a different, specific, and official national title and style for each realm.
CONSTITUTIONAL ROLE
In the uncodified Constitution of the United Kingdom, the Monarch (otherwise referred to as the Sovereign or “His/Her Majesty”, abbreviated H.M.) is the Head of State. Oaths of allegiance are made to the Queen and her lawful successors. God Save the Queen (or God Save the King) is the British national anthem, and the monarch appears on postage stamps, coins and banknotes.
The Monarch takes little direct part in Government. The decisions to exercise sovereign powers are delegated from the Monarch, either by statute or by convention, to Ministers or officers of the Crown, or other public bodies, exclusive of the Monarch personally.
APPOINTMENT OF THE PRIME MINISTER
Whenever necessary, the Monarch is responsible for appointing a new Prime Minister (who by convention appoints and may dismiss every other Minister of the Crown, and thereby constitutes and controls the government). In accordance with unwritten constitutional conventions, the Sovereign must appoint an individual who commands the support of the House of Commons, usually the leader of the party or coalition that has a majority in that House. The Prime Minister takes office by attending the Monarch in private audience, and after Kissing hands that appointment is immediately effective without any other formality or instrument.
ROYAL PREROGATIVE
Some of the government’s executive authority is theoretically and nominally vested in the Sovereign and is known as the royal prerogative. The monarch acts within the constraints of convention and precedent, exercising prerogative only on the advice of ministers responsible to Parliament, often through the Prime Minister or Privy Council. In practice, prerogative powers are exercised only on the Prime Minister’s advice – the Prime Minister, and not the Sovereign, has control. The monarch holds a weekly audience with the Prime Minister. The monarch may express his or her views, but, as a constitutional ruler, must ultimately accept the decisions of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet (providing they command the support of the House). In Bagehot’s words: “the Sovereign has, under a constitutional monarchy… three rights – the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, the right to warn.”
BRITISH ROYAL RESIDENCES
The Sovereign’s official residence in London is Buckingham Palace. It is the site of most state banquets, investitures, royal christenings and other ceremonies. Another official residence is Windsor Castle, the largest occupied castle in the world, which is used principally at weekends, Easter and during Royal Ascot, an annual race meeting that is part of the social calendar. The Sovereign’s official residence in Scotland is the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. The monarch stays at Holyrood for at least one week each year, and when visiting Scotland on state occasions.
Historically, the Palace of Westminster and the Tower of London were the main residences of the English Sovereign until Henry VIII acquired the Palace of Whitehall. Whitehall was destroyed by fire in 1698, leading to a shift to St James’s Palace. Although replaced as the monarch’s primary London residence by Buckingham Palace in 1837, St James’s is still the senior palace and remains the ceremonial Royal residence. For example, foreign ambassadors are accredited to the Court of St. James’s, and the Palace is the site of the meeting of the Accession Council. It is also used by other members of the Royal Family2 3 4 5 6.
TASKS
1. Find the following words and word combinations in the text and translate them into Russian. Think of possible explanations of the notions. Pay attention to prepositions.
– constitutional monarchy
– to undertake various official ceremonial duties
– to be limited to non-partisan functions
– to bestow honors and appoint
– monarch’s royal prerogative
– to exclude from succession to the throne
– to be merged to create the kingdom
– to secede from the union
– to recognize the evolution of the dominions
– uncodified constitution
– God Save the Queen (national anthem)
– to exercise sovereign powers
– to command the support of the House of Commons
– to take office by attending the Monarch in private audience
– to known as the royal prerogative
– to act within the constraints of convention and precedent
– to exercise prerogative on the advice of ministers responsible to Parliament
– as a constitutional ruler
– to ultimately accept the decisions of the Prime Minister
– official residence
– the site of most ceremonies
– ambassadors accredited to the Court of St. Jame’s
2. – Give the general meaning of the word Monarchy. How do you understand it?
– What other monarchies do you know? What continent are they located on? Was the situation the same along the whole history of mankind?
– Is the monarchy a tradition or could it be considered as system chosen by the people themselves?
– Does the queen rule alone? What is the main governing body in the UK?
– Why do some people think that the institution of monarchy is undemocratic?
– How is the monarch involved in Parliament’s activities?
– Speak about the ceremony of the Prime Minister’s taking office. Is it a matter of rule or tradition?