THE ROYAL FAMILY
When British people talk about the royal family they usually mean the present
Queen and her family: her husband, Prince Philip, and their children, Prince
Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and prince Edward, together with their
wives or husbands and their children, including Princes William and Henry. The
Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, and her children are usually also included. The
wider family, who gather on ceremonial occasions, includes the Queen’s cousins
and their children. The present royal house (= ruling family) is the House of
Windsor, popularly known as “the Windsors”. Elizabeth II is descended from
William I (1066-87), and before that from Egbert, King of Wassex. The ruling
house has changed several times over the centuries.
The Role of the Monarchy
The monarch or sovereign (=king or queen) originally had sole power. Over time,
the sovereign’s power have been reduced and, though the present Queen is still
head of state and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, she “acts on the
advice of her ministers”, and Britain is in practice governed by “Her Majesty’s
Government”. The Queen has various duties connected with government, such as
formally opening a new session of parliament and giving the royal assent to new
laws. She is also Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The main role
of the Queen is as a representative of Britain and the British people. She is a
symbol of the unity of the nation. She is also head of Commonwealth and works to
strengthen the links between member countries. Other members of the royal family
assist the Queen in her duties, often in less formal ways. They act as patrons of
British cultural organizations and support the work of charities and good causes.
During the 20th century the monarchy became still more popular than in the times
of Queen Victoria in the 19th century. George V, the grandson of Victoria, had
started a tradition of attending the annual football Cup Final match at Wembley
Stadium. On Christmas Day, 1932, he spoke to the people of Britain and the
Commonwealth on the radio. Since then the Christmas speech of the monarch has
also become a tradition. During the Second World War George VI and his wife
won great admiration of the British people for refusing to leave Buckingham
Palace even after it had been bombed. Since 1952, when Elizabeth II became
queen, the popularity of the monarchy has been steadily growing.
The Loss of Empire. The British Commonwealth of Nations.
For centuries British sailors and merchants travelled all over the world,
discovered new lands and claimed them for England. Large territories in North
America, Africa, the whole continent of Australia, New Zealand, India and a lot of
islands in the ocean got under British rule. Thus, gradually, in the course of
centuries, the huge British Empire came into being. At the end of the First World
War the British Empire was bigger than ever before and covered a quarter of the
entire land surface of the world. However, there were signs that the Empire was
coming to an end. After World War II, with the growth of international liberation
movement in the world, the countries which were dependent of Great Britain and
formed parts of the British Empire, began claiming independence. Public opinion
was changing, and more and more people were beginning to realize that
colonialism was wrong and that all nations had the right for self-government. The
independence movement in colonies was rapidly growing. In 1945 the British left
India, in 1950s Britain began to give up its other possessions. Between 1945 and
1955 500 million people in former British colonies became completely
selfgoverning. As a result of this movement, the British Empire fell apart.
However, centuries-long economic, cultural and political ties of these former
colonies with Great Britain were too strong for them to break away from each
other, and it was found advisable to maintain the old ties. A new organization was
established: the British Commonwealth of Nations, including about 50 independent
states which were formerly parts of the British Empire. The Queen is the official
head of the Commonwealth. The British Commonwealth of Nations encourages
trade and friendly relations among its members. All the former colonies were
invited to join the Commonwealth as free and equal members. This system of co-
operation has proved to be successful, because it is based on the kind of friendship
that allows all members to follow their own policies without interference.
