Royal residences
Introduction
Monarchy is the oldest form of government in the United Kingdom.a monarchy, a king or queen is Head of State. The British monarchy is known as a constitutional monarchy. This means that, while The Sovereign is Head of State, the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected Parliament.the British Sovereign no longer has a political or executive role, he or she continues to play an important part in the life of the nation.Head of State, The Monarch undertakes constitutional and representational duties which have developed over one thousand years of history. The Monarch has a less formal role as 'Head of Nation'. The Sovereign acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognizes success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service.
The monarch acts within the constraints of convention and precedent, only exercising prerogative on the advice of ministers responsible to Parliament, often through the Prime Minister or Privy Council <#"justify">Unless The Prince of Wales chooses to alter the present decisions when he becomes king, he will continue to be of the House of Windsor and his grandchildren will use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. The order of succession is the sequence of members of the Royal Family in the order in which they stand in line to the throne. This sequence is regulated not only through descent, but also by Parliamentary statute. Precedence determines the seniority of members of the Royal Family at official events and is influenced by a variety of laws, and by custom and tradition. Precedence among members of the Royal Family at private events is a matter for The Queen's discretion., though The Duke of Edinburgh does not appear in the immediate line of succession, he appears directly after The Queen in the order of precedence as he is considered the second most senior member of the Royal Family.example, during the annual Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph, members of the Royal Family lay their wreaths at the memorial according to the order of precedence. The Queen will lay the first wreath, followed by The Duke of Edinburgh, then The Prince of Wales and so on.is no strict protocol about how a letter should be written, though some people wish to observe the traditional forms.which case, people may write to The Queen with the formal opening 'Madam' and close the letter with the form 'I have the honor to be, Madam, Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant'.other members of the Royal Family the formal opening is 'Sir' or 'Madam'. Other people prefer to open their letter with 'Your Majesty' or 'Your Royal Highness' and end it with 'Yours sincerely'.
4. The main sources of income
The royal income and expenditure are mostly met from public funds, known as the Civil List <#"justify">Accession and Coronation
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony <#"justify">The coronation ring, which had been made to fit her little finger, was forced on to her fourth finger by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Queen had to bathe her hand in iced water after the ceremony before she could remove it. Despite that, the Queen later described the day as "the proudest of my life".
The Queen's birthdays and Trooping the Colour
The Queen celebrates two birthdays each year: her actual birthday on 21 April and her official birthday on a Saturday in June.celebrations to mark Sovereigns' birthday have often been held on a day other than the actual birthday, particularly when the actual birthday has not been in the summer. King Edward VII, for example, was born on 9 November, but his official birthday was marked throughout his reign in May or June when there was a greater likelihood of good weather for the Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour.Queen usually spends her actual birthday privately, but the occasion is marked publicly by gun salutes in central London at midday. On her official birthday, Her Majesty is joined by other members of the Royal Family at the spectacular Trooping the Color parade which moves between Buckingham Palace, The Mall and Horseguards Parade.the Sovereign's birthday is officially celebrated by the ceremony of Trooping the Color. Trooping the Color is carried out by fully trained and operational troops from the Household Division (Foot Guards and Household Cavalry) on Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall, watched by members of the Royal Family, invited guests and members of the public. Only one color can be trooped at a time. The five regiments - Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards - take their turn year by year.military ceremony dates back to the early eighteenth century or earlier, when the colors (flags) of the battalion were carried (or 'trooped') down the ranks so that they could be seen and recognised by the soldiers. Since 1748, this parade has also marked the Sovereign's official birthday. From the reign of Edward VII onwards, the Sovereign has taken the salute in person at Trooping the Color. During the ceremony, The Queen is greeted by a Royal salute and carries out an inspection of the troops.the massed bands have performed a musical 'troop', the escorted Regimental Colour is carried down the ranks. The Foot Guards and the Household Cavalry then march past Her Majesty, and The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, rank past. The Queen rides in a carriage back to Buckingham Palace at the head of her Guards, before taking the salute at the Palace from a dais. The troops then return to barracks. Her Majesty then joins other members of the Royal Family on the palace balcony for a fly-past by the Royal Air Force.
The Remembrance Day ceremony is held on the second Sunday in November at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, and is popularly known as Poppy Day as on that day people wear an artificial poppy in memory of those who fell in two world wars. Through this annual event, the nation pays homage to those who died in World War I and World War II and in many other lesser conflicts from the twentieth century to the present.
The Queen, other members of the Royal Family and leaders of the country's political parties join representatives of the Armed Forces and ex-servicemen and women for the two-minute silence and the last post., Her Majesty lays a wreath of poppies on a monument called The Cenotaph, followed by members of the Royal Family, representatives of the political parties and High Commissioners from the Commonwealth. Then? At exactly 11 oclock, there is two minutes silence.short religious service follows. After the reveille and the national anthem, The Queen departs. The war veterans then march past the Cenotaph to pay their respects to the fallen. A member of the Royal Family takes the salute as the war veterans finish their route at Horse Guards. Every year at Easter the Queen presents special 'Maundy money' to local pensioners (to a group of old people) at Westminster Abbey or in one of the other cathedrals in the country. The presentation takes place on Maundy Thursday in recognition of the service of elderly people to their community and their church.Thursday commemorates the day of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. The word 'Maundy' comes from the command or 'mandatum' by Christ at the Last Supper, to love one another. The tradition of the Sovereign giving money to the poor dates from the thirteenth century. The Sovereign also used to give food and clothing, and even washed the recipients' feet. That part of tradition stopped in 1574, and the last monarch to do so was James II.selection is coordinated by the diocese (regional Church of England authority) hosting Royal Maundy that year. Since the fifteenth century, the number of Maundy coins handed out, and the number of people receiving the coins, has been related to the Sovereigns age; in 2011, there were 85 male and 85 female recipients at Westminster Abbey for the Royal Maundy service attended by Her Majesty, and two purses of 'Maundy money' were given to 85 men and 85 women - a white purse containing 85p in Maundy coins and a red purse containing £5 coin and 50p piece.coins have remained in much the same form since 1670. They have traditionally been struck in sterling silver, except for the brief interruptions of Henry's Vlll's debasement of the coinage and the general change to 50% silver coins in 1920. The sterling silver standard was resumed following the Coinage Act of 1946. In 1971, when decimalisation took place, the face values of the coins were increased from old to new pence. The effigy of The Queen on ordinary circulating coinage has undergone three changes, but Maundy coins still bear the same portrait of Her Majesty prepared by Mary Gillick for the first coins issued in the year of her coronation in 1953. The Royal Maundy Service used to take place in London, but early in her reign the Queen decided that the service should take place at a different venue every year.
The Ceremony of the Keys
The Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London <#"justify">All four men walk to the Bloody Tower archway and up towards the broadwalk steps where the main Guard is drawn up. The Chief Yeoman Warder and escort halt at the foot of the steps and the officer in charge gives the command to the Guard and escort to present arms.Chief Yeoman Warder moves two paces forward, raises his Tudor bonnet high in the air and calls "God preserve Queen Elizabeth." The guard answers "Amen" exactly as the clock chimes 10pm (22.00) and 'The Duty Drummer' sounds The Last Post on his bugle. The Chief Yeoman Warder takes the keys back to the Queen's House and the Guard is dismissed.Week
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh undertake a variety of engagements in Scotland each year - usually from the end of June to the beginning of July- to celebrate Scottish culture, history and achievement. The event is known as 'Holyrood Week' and includes traditional engagements such as the Ceremony of the Keys and an Investiture and Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse <#"justify">The State Opening of Parliament
The State Opening of Parliament is the most colourful event of the Parliamentary year. It is also the most important, because it brings together the three elements of the legislature (the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Queen). The ceremony therefore represents the Crown in Parliament.Head of State, it is the duty of the Queen formally to open each new session of Parliament. Her Majesty has opened Parliament on 58 occasions and has only missed two during her reign. The first time was in 1959 when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew and the second in 1963 when she was expecting Prince Edward.ceremony traditionally takes place in October, November or December each year, but sometimes in a different month if a General Election has taken place. Before the Queen travels to Parliament from Buckingham Palace, certain traditional precautions are observed. A detachment of The Queen's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard searches the cellars of the Houses of Parliament.tradition dates back to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes was arrested whilst preparing to blow up Parliament. Today, the Yeomen of the Guard continue this historic search, in addition to the security checks by police.tradition is the 'hostage' MP (Member of Parliament), a Government whip who is held at Buckingham Palace to guarantee the safe return of the monarch. The custom dates back to centuries when the monarch and Parliament were on less cordial terms.these precautions have been taken, the Queen travels from Buckingham Palace in a State coach to the Palace of Westminster, usually accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh. The Imperial State Crown travels in its own carriage, ahead of the Queen, escorted by Members of the Royal Household. On arrival, the Queen puts on the Imperial State Crown and her parliamentary robe ready for the ceremony itself. This takes place in the House of Lords. Some 250 representatives of the House of Commons are summoned by Black Rod, who acts as The Queen's Messenger. By tradition, the door of the House of Commons is slammed in Black Rod's face. It is then reopened to enable Black Rod to convey the Sovereign's summons to the Speaker. This tradition is a reminder of the right of the Commons to exclude everyone but the Sovereign's messengers.monarch has set foot in the Commons since Charles I entered the Commons and tried to arrest five Members of Parliament in 1642.can view the procession to Parliament from Buckingham Palace in The Mall and Whitehall. The ceremony is also broadcast live on BBC television.
Audiences
The Queen holds Audiences throughout the year, wherever Her Majesty may be in Residence. Usually only the Queen and her visitor are present, although when a newly-appointed foreign Ambassador or High Commissioner arrives to present his or her credentials, then members of their family and officials are sometimes present.Prime Minister has a regular audience when both the Queen and he are in London. Before presenting a Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer always has an audience.from a note in the Court Circular, no written record of Audiences take place, and Her Majesty treats all meetings as private ones.the Queen is visiting a Realm, the Prime Minister of the country normally has an audience with Her Majesty, and likewise, when they are in the UK, they may have an audience there.tea, cakes and a beautiful garden to stroll in, Garden Parties are among the most relaxed and informal Royal events. Every summer, the Queen hosts at least three at Buckingham Palace, as well as one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Over 30,000 people attend.parties have been held at Buckingham Palace since the 1860s, when Queen Victoria instituted what were known as 'breakfasts' (though they took place in the afternoon). In the 1950s the number of garden parties held at Buckingham Palace was increased from two to three a year. They took the place of presentation parties attended by debutantes, but have evolved into a way of rewarding and recognising public service. They are attended by people from all walks of life.Parties take place between 4.00 pm and 6.00 pm, although the Palace gates are open from about 3.00 pm. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by other members of the Royal Family, enter the garden at 4.00 pm, when the National Anthem is played by one of the two military bands playing selections of music during the afternoon.more modern ceremonies and customs there should be mentioned 100th Birthday Telegrams, which the Queen sends to anyone in Britain or the Commonwealth on their 100th birthday, and the Royal Film Performances in Londons West End, attended by someone from the Royal Family (the money from royal premières always goes to charity). The Queens Christmas Speech to the Commonwealth is made on December 25 and lasted 10 minutes. In it the Queen usually talks about the past 12 months and her hopes the year ahead. In her Christmas speech broadcasted by radio and TV the Queen breaks the monarchs tradition of calling themselves we and just says I or my husband and I.is also the Royal Variety Performance. The Royal Variety Performance takes place in a different UK theatre each year. The Queen and The Prince of Wales attend the performance on alternate years. The proceeds are donated to The Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund which cares for hundreds of entertainers throughout the UK who need help and assistance as a result of old age, ill-health, or hard times. Brinsworth House, in Twickenham, is the Fund's dedicated nursing home, caring for elderly members of the entertainment profession.origins of the Royal Variety Performance date back to 1912, when the present Queens grandparents, King George V, and Queen Mary, agreed to attend a 'Royal Command Performance' at the Palace Theatre in London, in aid of the Variety Artistes' Benevolent Fund (the previous name of the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund) and its proposed plans to build an extension to its Home for elderly entertainers, Brinsworth House. This first staging was a lavish occasion, and the theatre was decorated with 3 million roses draped around the auditorium and over the boxes.
6. Royal residences
queen royal british monarch
Throughout the centuries, Britain's kings and queens have built or bought palaces to serve as family homes, workplaces and as centres of government. The residences still standing today can be roughly divided into three categories: Official Royal residences, Private Estates, Unoccupied Royal residences.Royal residences are held in trust for future generations. As well as being family homes for members of the Royal Family, these are also working buildings which are used for housing the offices of staff from the Royal Household, entertaining official guests and hosting formal events and ceremonies. The best-known of these residences are probably Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.Estates are owned by the Queen and are often used to generate private income through farming or public access to Royal residences, they also house some well-known private residences such as Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House.Castle on the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland is the private residence of the Queen. Beloved by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Balmoral Castle has remained a favourite residence for The Queen and her family during the summer holiday period in August and September. The Castle is located on the large Balmoral Estate, a working estate which aims to protect the environment while contributing to the local economy. The Estate grounds, gardens and the Castle Ballroom are open to visitors from the beginning of April to the end of July each year, under the management of the Balmoral Estate Office. Sandringham House in Norfolk has been the private home of four generations of Sovereigns since 1862. The Queen and other members of the Royal Family regularly spend Christmas at Sandringham and make it their official base until February each year. Like Balmoral, the Sandringham Estate is a commercial estate managed privately on The Queen's behalf. Sandringham House, the museum and the grounds are open to visitors.Royal residences are all other buildings in Great Britain which once housed members of the Royal Family and are therefore of historical interest. These buildings are owned by numerous bodies and individuals and many are open to the general public.
The Historic Royal Palaces <#"justify">Windsor Castle is an official residence of The Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world. A Royal home and fortress for over 900 years, the Castle remains a working palace today. The Queen uses the Castle both as a private home, where she usually spends the weekend, and as a Royal residence at which she undertakes certain formal duties.year The Queen takes up official residence in Windsor Castle for a month over Easter (March-April), known as Easter Court. During that time The Queen hosts occasional 'dine and sleeps' events for guests, including politicians and public figures. The Queen is also in residence for a week in June, when she attends the service of the Order of the Garter and the Royal Ascot race meeting.as a monastery in 1128, the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh is The Queen's official residence in Scotland. Situated at the end of the Royal Mile, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is closely associated with Scotland's turbulent past, including Mary, Queen of Scots, who lived here between 1561 and 1567. Successive kings and queens have made the Palace of Holyroodhouse the premier royal residence in Scotland. Today, the Palace is the setting for State ceremonies and official entertaining.House lies in the tranquil setting of the private Home Park of Windsor Castle. A country residence of various monarchs since the seventeenth century, the house is especially linked to Queen Victoria. The house and attractive gardens were one of Queen Victoria's favorite retreats. In the gardens stands the Mausoleum where Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert are buried. Today, Frogmore House is no longer a Royal residence, but the house and gardens are sometimes used by the Royal Family for official purposes such as receptions.. James's Palace is the senior Palace of the Sovereign, with a long history as a Royal residence. As the home of several members of the Royal Family and their household offices, it is often in use for official functions and is not open to the public.House, which stands beside St James's Palace, was built between 1825 and 1827 to the designs of John Nash for Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence. He lived there as King William IV from 1830 until 1837. During its history, the house has been altered, reflecting the changes in occupancy over nearly two centuries.was the London home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1953 until 2002 and was also the home of The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, and The Duke of Edinburgh following their marriage in 1947. Today Clarence House is the official London residence of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, and Princes William and Harry. It is open to the public during the summer months each year.Palace in London is a working Royal residence. Of great historical importance, Kensington Palace was the favorite residence of successive sovereigns until 1760. It was also the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria. Today Kensington Palace accommodates the offices and private apartments of a number of members of the Royal Family. Although managed by Historic Royal Palaces, the Palace is furnished with items from the Royal Collection.addition to the official current and former Royal residences of the Queen and her predecessors, numerous buildings throughout the United Kingdom have some kind of Royal connection. Many of these can be visited today and include Osborne House, the beloved home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on the Isle of Wight, now under the management of English Heritage, and the Brighton Pavilion, former residence of George IV when he was Prince Regent.
Conclusion
reigning monarch is not only the head of State, but also a symbol of the unity of the nation. The British Sovereign can be seen as having two roles: Head of State, and 'Head of the Nation'.the British Sovereign no longer has a political or executive role, she continues to play an important part in the life of the nation. As Head of State the Queen has to remain strictly neutral with respect to political matters, unable to vote or stand for election. But the Queen has important ceremonial and formal roles in relation to the Government of the UK.Head of State, the Monarch undertakes constitutional and representational duties which have developed over one thousand years of history. In addition to these State duties, The Monarch has a less formal role as 'Head of Nation'. The Sovereign acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognizes success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service.Queen has formal roles with relation to the devolved assemblies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The role of the Sovereign in the enactment of legislation is today purely formal.Queen is supported in her official duties by other working members of the Royal Family who carry out a wide range of public engagements.international affairs the Queen, as head of state, has the power to declare war and make peace, direct the actions of the military, to recognize foreign states and governments, to conclude ratify treaties, alliances, and international agreements and to annex or cede territories. However, a treaty cannot alter the domestic laws of the United Kingdom; an Act of Parliament is necessary in such cases. For advice on such matters the Queen has her own Privy Council.Royal Family name of Windsor was confirmed by The Queen after her accession in 1952. However, in 1960, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh decided that they would like their own direct descendants to be distinguished from the rest of the Royal Family (without changing the name of the Royal House), as Windsor is the surname used by all the male and unmarried female descendants of George V. the Queen's children, on occasions when they needed a surname, would have the surname Mountbatten-Windsor.order of succession is the sequence of members of the Royal Family in the order in which they stand in line to the throne. This sequence is regulated not only through descent, but also by Parliamentary statute.determines the seniority of members of the Royal Family at official events and is influenced by a variety of laws, and by custom and tradition. Precedence among members of the Royal Family at private events is a matter for the Queen's discretion.are four sources of funding for The Queen, or officials of the Royal Household acting on Her Majesty's behalf, in both a public and private capacity. These are: the Civil List, the Grants-in-Aid for upkeep of Royal Palaces and for Royal travel, the Privy Purse and the Queen's personal wealth and income. Each year the Royal Household publishes a summary of Head of State expenditure, together with a full report on Royal public finances.
The Royal family is the largest landowner in Britain, with large areas of land in England, Scotland and valuable city property in London, including Regents Park, parts of Paul Mall, Piccadilly, Holborn and Kensington. The Queen and her family own several castles, official residences and numerous country homes. Like the Crown Estate, the land and assets of the Duchy of Lancaster <#"justify">So British Monarchy has international role and plays an important part in the life of world society. The UK benefits from the great advantages of the countrys traditions, cultural and historical values, which exert influence on advanced world society.
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