Geography and environment of Great Britain

 

 

     4.2 The Queen's role in the Commonwealth

 

 

     This is an important symbolic and unifying role. As Head, The Queen personally reinforces the links by which the Commonwealth joins people together from around the world.  During her reign, The Queen has visited every country in the Commonwealth and made many repeat visits. One third of The Queen's total overseas visits are to Commonwealth countries. The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and other members of the Royal Family are also regular visitors to the Commonwealth. The Queen keeps in touch with Commonwealth developments through regular contact with the Commonwealth Secretary General and his Secretariat. This is the Commonwealth's central organisation. Modern communications technology allows The Queen to speak to every part of the Commonwealth through her annual Christmas and Commonwealth Day messages.

     Every two years a meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government is held, at locations throughout the Commonwealth. The Queen is normally present in the host country, during which she has a series of private meetings with the Commonwealth countries' leaders. The Commonwealth Games are a major sporting occasion which brings together young people from all over the world in friendly competition. Instead of the Royal standard, The Queen uses special flags when she visits the Commonwealth. She has a personal flag - an initial E and crown within a chaplet of roses - for use at Commonwealth meetings [9, p.200].

     For over 55 years, The Queen has been Head of the Commonwealth. This is an important symbolic and unifying role. As Head, Her Majesty personally reinforces the links by which the Commonwealth joins people together from around the world

One of the ways of strengthening these connections is through regular Commonwealth visits. During her reign, The Queen has visited every country in the Commonwealth and made many repeat visits. One third of The Queen's total overseas visits are to Commonwealth countries. The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and other members of the Royal Family are also regular visitors to the Commonwealth. Queen keeps in touch with Commonwealth developments through regular contact with the Commonwealth Secretary-General and his Secretariat. This is the Commonwealth's central organisation. Based in London, it co-ordinates many Commonwealth activities. Her Majesty also has regular meetings with Heads of Government from Commonwealth countries.

     Each year, The Queen attends the Commonwealth Day celebrations in London. Since 1977 year, Commonwealth Day has been celebrated throughout the Commonwealth on the second Monday in March. The Queen attends an inter-denominational service held in Westminster Abbey, followed by a reception hosted by the Commonwealth Secretary-General. Modern communications technology allows The Queen to speak to every part of the Commonwealth through her annual Christmas and Commonwealth Day messages. Both messages are delivered by The Queen as Head of the Commonwealth to the peoples of the Commonwealth as a whole. They are special in that they reflect Her Majesty's personal views and are not drafted on ministerial advice.

     Every two years a meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government is held, at locations throughout the Commonwealth. The Queen is normally present in the host country, during which she has a series of private meetings with the Commonwealth countries' leaders. The most recent was held from 27 to 29 November 2009 in the city of Port of Spain in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The most recent meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government took place in 2011 in Perth, Australia.

     The Commonwealth Games are a major sporting occasion which brings together young people from all over the world in friendly competition. The Queen often attends the Commonwealth Games to open or close them - most recently, the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. In all these different ways The Queen, though not part of the machinery of government in the Commonwealth, acts as a personal link and human symbol of the Commonwealth as an international organisation. The Commonwealth Games Baton Relay. The Queen’s Baton Relay has been an important pre-cursor to the Commonwealth Games since the Cardiff 1958 games. The relay symbolises the gathering of people from across the Commonwealth at the four-yearly event. The relay traditionally begins with a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Commonwealth Day. There, Her Majesty entrusts the baton containing her ‘message to the athletes’ to the first honorary relay runner. The relay concludes at the Opening Ceremony, as the final relay runner hands the baton back to Her Majesty, or her representative, and the message is read aloud. At that moment the relay ends and the Games begin. Over the years, The Queen’s Baton Relay has evolved into a powerful symbol of the unity and diversity of the Commonwealth of Nations [10, p.46].

 

 

     4.3 The role of the British Monarchy in the UK

 

 

     Monarchy is the oldest form of government in the United Kingdom. In 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. Although 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. As 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 recognises success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service. In all these roles The Sovereign is supported by members of their immediate family [11, p.11].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     5 Ceremonial and social duties of the British Royal Family

 

 

     The coronation of the new Sovereign follows some months after his or her accession, following a period of mourning and as a result of the enormous amount of preparation required to organise the ceremony. The coronation ceremony has remained essentially the same over a thousand years.For the last 900 years, the ceremony has taken place at Westminster Abbey, London. The service is conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, whose task this has almost always been since the Norman Conquest in 1066 year. Present are representatives of the Houses of Parliament, Church and State. Prime ministers and leading citizens from the Commonwealth and representatives of other countries also attend., the Sovereign undertakes to rule according to law, to exercise justice with mercy - promises symbolised by the four swords in the coronation regalia (the Crown Jewels) - and to maintain the Church of England. The Sovereign is then 'anointed, blessed and consecrated' by the Archbishop, whilst the Sovereign is seated in King Edward's chair After receiving the orb and sceptres, the Archbishop places St Edward's Crown on the Sovereign's head. After homage is paid by the Archbishop of Canterbury and senior peers, Holy Communion is celebrated.

     Unless decided otherwise, a Queen consort is crowned with the King, in a similar but simpler ceremony. If the new Sovereign is a Queen, her consort is not crowned or anointed at the coronation ceremony. After the present Queen was crowned The Duke of Edinburgh was the first, after the archbishops and bishops, to pay homage to her. The Queen's Coronation took place on 2 June 1953 following her accession on 6 February 1952.

     Gun salutes are customarily fired, both on shore and at sea, as a sign of respect or welcome. Just as a salute with the open hand was used historically to show that no weapon was concealed in the palm, so the firing of cannon as a salute indicated the friendly intent of an empty chamber. Today gun salutes mark special occasions on certain days of the year, many of them with Royal associations. On these days, Royal salutes are fired from locations in London and authorised stations in the United Kingdom. The number of rounds fired in a Royal salute depends on the place and occasion. The basic Royal salute is 21 rounds. In Hyde Park an extra 20 rounds are added because it is a Royal Park. At the Tower of London 62 rounds are fired on Royal anniversaries (the basic 21, plus a further 20 because the Tower is a Royal Palace and Fortress, plus another 21 'for the City of London') and 41 on other occasions. The Tower of London probably holds the record for the most rounds fired in a single salute: 124 are fired on 10 June when The Queen's official birthday (62 rounds) coincides with The Duke of Edinburgh's birthday (also 62 rounds). Military saluting stations are London, Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, Cardiff and Hillsborough Castle in County Down, Northern Ireland. In London, salutes are fired in Hyde Park and at the Tower of London. On State Visits, at the State Opening of Parliament and for The Queen's Birthday Parade, Green Park is used instead of Hyde Park. The salute is fired by The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery. The first round is fired at noon At the Tower of London, the salute is fired by the Honourable Artillery Company at 1.00 pm. Gun salutes also occur when Parliament is prorogued by the Sovereign, on Royal births and when a visiting Head of State meets the Sovereign in London, Windsor or Edinburgh.

    Beating Retreat has its origins in the early years of organised warfare when the beating of drums and the parading of Post Guards heralded the closing of camp gates and the lowering of flags at the end of the day.An order from the army of James II of England, dated to 18 June 1690 year, had his drums beating an order for his troops to retreat and a later order, from William III in 1694 year, read:

    "The Drum Major and Drummers of the Regiment which gives a Captain of the Main Guard are to beat the Retreat through the large street, or as may be ordered. They are to be answered by all the Drummers of the guards, and by four Drummers of each Regiment in their respective Quarters".

    Beating Retreat still continues today and takes place on Horse Guards Parade each year for two successive evenings in June. The ceremony has evolved into a colourful pageant of military music and precision drill carried out by the the Mounted Bands of the Household Cavalry and the Massed Bands of the Household Division. The salute is taken by a member of the Royal Family [12, p.11].

    The Chelsea Flower Show has become a regular fixture in the Royal calendar since it was first held in 1913 year following the success of an international horticultural exhibition organised by the Royal Horticultural Society in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, the previous year. Since then it has been an annual event (with the exception of some years during the First and Second World Wars) and takes place in late May.

    The Queen, as Patron of the Royal Horticultural Society, regularly attends the opening of the show, which begins with Press Day on the Monday followed by two private views for RHS members. Her Majesty is often accompanied by other members of the Royal Family. It is then open to the public until the final day, which is Saturday. The aim of the exhibitions is to encourage amateur gardeners of all standards to try to achieve similar displays in their own gardens.

    One of the most outstanding displays in the shows history was the Coronation Empire Exhibition in 1937 year. Created to celebrate the Coronation of King George VI, exhibits included plants representing different parts of the Commonwealth.

    Holyrood 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, plus a number of regional engagements. This year Holyrood Week runs from 30 June to 6 July 2011.

    The week always begins with the Ceremony of the Keys, the ceremony at which The Queen is received in the city of Edinburgh by the City Chamberlain. Her Majesty is given the keys of the city and is welcomed to 'your ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland'.

    An Investiture ceremony is held in the Great Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse to enable Scottish residents whose achievements have been recognised in the twice-yearly Honours List to collect their honours from Her Majesty in their home country. The Queen may undertake engagements connected to the Scottish Parliament. This year Her Majesty will visit the Parliament building at Holyrood and address Members of the Scottish Parliament to mark the start of the fourth session.

    Each year, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh entertain around 8,000 guests from all walks of Scottish life at a Garden Party in the spectacular grounds of the Palace, which stands at the end of Edinburgh's Royal Mile. The guests enjoy tea in the gardens accompanied by music from regimental bands and The Royal Scottish Pipers Society. King George V and Queen Mary held the first garden party in the grounds of Holyroodhouse and the tradition has been maintained ever since.

    The Royal Company of Archers, The Queen's official bodyguards whilst Her Majesty is in Scotland, are on duty at the garden party; they form avenues down which The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh proceed, and look after guests in the tea tents.

    Since its appointment as the Sovereign’s Body Guard in Scotland in 1822 year for the visit to Edinburgh of George IV, the Royal Company of Archers has served as bodyguard to each successive monarch. In this role today it is available for duty anywhere in Scotland at the request of The Queen on any State and ceremonial occasion which may be taking place.

    The Holyrood Week programme may also include the Thistle Service at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. The Order of the Thistle represents the highest honour in Scotland and is presented to Scottish men and women who have held public office or who have contributed in a particular way to national life. The service celebrates the Order, its history and its current members.

    The remainder of the week is taken up with less formal visits. In past years The Queen has opened a new university campus and visited a water treatment works and a contemporary art gallery. The Duke of Edinburgh may attend events linked to The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, such as a dinner or a Gold Awards ceremony at the Palace of Holyroodhouse

    Royal Ascot. Ascot Racecourse was founded by Queen Anne in 1711 year and since that time, a further eleven monarchs have leant their patronage to the Royal race course. The Royal Meeting, held annually in the third week in June, is steeped in tradition and pageantry and is interwoven into the very fabric of British culture.

    In 2011 year, Royal Ascot takes place from 14 to 18 June. For full details, visit the Royal Ascot website.

    The five-day meeting commences on a Tueday and each day begins with the Royal Procession - the arrival of The Queen and the Royal party in horse-drawn landaus, which parade along the track in front of the race- goers. The Royal Procession dates back to the 1820s and the reign of King George IV, at which time it was referred to as the Royal Parade or Royal Drive.

    The Royal Enclosure is at the heart of Royal Ascot. Entry to the enclosure is by sponsorship from an existing member who has attended in four previous years. Within this area, gentlemen are required to wear morning dress with a top hat and ladies must wear formal day wear. The origin of this tradition can be traced back to around the time of the running of Ascot’s most famous race, The Gold Cup, which was inaugurated in 1807 year and remains to this day the most important long distance horse race on the flat anywhere in the world. At that time, Beau Brummell, a close friend of the Prince Regent, decreed that men of elegance should wear 'waisted black coats and white cravats with pantaloons'. The Queen takes a close personal interest in the running of Ascot and is kept informed of the order of running and the development of the racing programme at the Royal Meeting.

    The Duke of Devonshire has held the formal role of 'Her Majesty’s Representative at Ascot' since 1997 year and is responsible for all aspects of the Royal Enclosure and the Royal Family's attendance at Ascot.

    Ascot racecourse has been redeveloped twice during The Queen's reign; the first redevelopment was completed in 1964 and the second in 2006, when Her Majesty formally re-opened the new complex. During the second redevelopment, the 2005 Royal Meeting was staged at York Racecourse.

    The Queen has owned 20 winners at Royal Ascot, most recently Free Agent, who won the Chesham Stakes on 21 June 2008 [13, p.185].

 

 

     5.1 Receptions and Theme Days

 

 

     Her Majesty holds receptions throughout the year at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Guests are drawn from all walks of life. Some receptions have a theme, such as ‘Women in Business’ or ‘Maritime Britain’. At other times, the guests may be sporting team members who have been particularly successful, or Commonwealth teams who are competing in the United Kingdom. On the 8 december 2011, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh held a reception to recognise Exploration and Adventure at Buckingham Palace. View the multimedia blog. In May 2011 The Queen, with The Duke of Edinburgh, held a reception to recognise young people working in the British Performing Arts at Buckingham Palace. In 2009 Her Majesty gave reception at Buckingham Palace to mark the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth London Declaration Guests are invited by The Master of the Household on behalf of Her Majesty, and they are usually asked to arrive for 6.00 pm. Drinks are served by Household staff and canapés, made in the Royal kitchens, are served. The Queen, accompanied by other members of the Royal Family [14, p.200].

 

 

     5.2 Charities and Patronages

 

 

     An important part of the work of The Queen and the Royal Family is to support and encourage public and voluntary service. One of the ways in which they do this is through involvement with charities and other organisations. These range from well-known charities such as the British Red Cross to new, smaller charities like Kids Company, to regiments in the Armed Forces. About 3,000 organisations list a member of the Royal Family as patron or president. The Queen has over 600 patronages and The Duke of Edinburgh over 700.

    

 

     5.3 Royal involvement with charities

 

 

     The practice of members of the Royal Family lending their names to organisations through formal patronages is thought to have existed since the 18th century. The first recorded patronage was George II’s involvement with the Society of Antiquaries, an organisation concerned with architectural and art history, conservation and heraldry. The society still exists today and retains its Royal patronage through The Duke of Gloucester’s involvement. Other organisations have enjoyed a long history of Royal association. The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies has benefited from Royal involvement since the reign of William IV. Today, The Queen is Patron of the charity and The Duke of Kent is its President. The Queen is also Patron of the Mothers’ Union, a role which was first held by Queen Victoria in 1898. Members of the Royal Family are invited to become patrons by a wide range of charities and organisations. Between them, members of The Royal Family hold approximately 3,000 patronages of charitable organisations. The Queen’s patronages alone number around 600, a large number of which were inherited from her father, George VI, on her Accession. Patronages generally reflect the interests of the member of the Royal Family involved.  The Duchess of Cornwall is President of the National Osteoporosis Society. Both her mother and grandmother died as a result of the brittle bone disease. Princess Alexandra, who undertook a nursing course at Great Ormond Street Hospital after leaving school, is Patron of both the Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service and Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service. Many of The Prince of Wales’s patronages stem from his passions for the environment and the arts, whilst Prince William’s involvement with the Centrepoint charity reflects his long-standing interest in homelessness and the people affected by it.

     Every member of the Royal Family receives hundreds of requests each year from organisations asking for their support.   The benefits of Royal patronages are twofold. They add status to an organisation, and visits and involvement from a Royal Patron can often bring much needed publicity. For this reason, members of the Royal Family tend to limit their patronages to a manageable number to ensure that they can give each organisation a significant amount of their time. Royal Patrons only very occasionally take on completely new charities. The Queen’s patronage carries the most weight, and Her Majesty receives the most requests for patronages of all the members of the Royal Family. Applications for the patronage of any member of the Royal Family are submitted to the appropriate Private Secretary who will pass on requests which they deem may be of interest to their principal. If the member of the Royal Family concerned thinks that one of these requests would be rewarding or important to take on, then they will usually ask for more research to be undertaken so that an informed decision can be made. It is then decided whether or not that particular member of the Royal Family will take on the patronage. A range of factors are taken into consideration. These include that the organisation making the request is reputable and well-established and has a good financial track record. Once it has been decided that the patronage will be taken on, the duration of the patronage must be decided. There is no set length. Sometimes members of the Royal Family might take on a patronage relating to a specific campaign or event which only lasts a finite length of time. Other times patronages are for life [15, p.10].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     6 The role of the Monarchy in the Commonwealth

 

 

     6.1 The role of the Sovereign

 

 

     The British Sovereign can be seen as having two roles: Head of State, and 'Head of the Nation'. As Head of State, The Queen undertakes constitutional and representational duties which have developed over one thousand years of history. There are inward duties, with The Queen playing a part in State functions in Britain. Parliament must be opened, Orders in Council have to be approved, Acts of Parliament must be signed, and meetings with the Prime Minister must be held. There are also outward duties of State, when The Queen represents Britain to the rest of the world. For example, The Queen receives foreign ambassadors and high commissioners, entertains visiting Heads of State, and makes State visits overseas to other countries, in support of diplomatic and economic relations. As 'Head of Nation', The Queen's role is less formal, but no less important for the social and cultural functions it fulfils. These include: providing a focus for national identity, unity and pride; giving a sense of stability and continuity; recognising success, achievement and excellence; and supporting service to others, particularly through public service and the voluntary sector. These roles are performed through different types of engagement. By means of regular visits through every part of the United Kingdom, The Queen is able to act as a focus for national unity and identity. Through her engagements and walkabouts, The Queen is able to meet people from every walk of life. The Queen's unifying role as Sovereign is also shown in her special relationships with the devolved assemblies in Scotland and Wales. In addition, at times of national celebration or tragedy, The Queen publicly represents the nation's mood - for example, at annual commemoration of the war dead on Remembrance Sunday, or at celebrations for a national sporting victory. The Queen also has an essential role in providing a sense of stability and continuity in times of political and social change. The system of constitutional monarchy bridges the discontinuity of party politics. While political parties change constantly, the Sovereign continues as Head of State, providing a stable framework within which a government can introduce wide-ranging reforms. With more than five decades of reading State papers, meeting Heads of State and ambassadors and holding a weekly audience with the Prime Minister, The Queen has an unequalled store of experience upon which successive Prime Ministers have been able to draw. The Queen is able to recognise success and achievement in a personal way. These include honours, awards, visits, patronage and sponsorship. At Investitures, for example, The Queen honours individuals for public service or outstanding achievement [16, p.142].