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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 Mother, and 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 (106687), and before that from Egbert, King of *Wessex 80239. 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 powers 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 beyond party politics. She is also head of the *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.

Changing public attitudes

During *World War II, when London was bombed, *George VI and his queen (the present Queen Mother) won great public admiration by staying in London throughout the war. The present Queen has also been much respected and her concern for the Commonwealth has strengthened the monarchy.

For many years, people expected the royal family to have high moral standards and to display all the ideals of family life, an attitude which developed in the time of Queen *Victoria. Until recently, the public rarely saw the royal family except on formal occasions. They remained aloof (= distant) and dignified, and any family problems were kept private. The younger royals, however, have lived more public lives and attracted enormous media interest. Royal marriage problems and love affairs became headline news. Alongside a hunger for yet more revelations, traditional respect for the royal family began to decline. The reported treatment of *Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of *York, especially after the breakdown of their marriages, brought criticism on the Queen and older members of the family. The family were again criticized for their apparent reluctance to share in the public's grief after the death of Princess Diana.

All this caused people to question the role of the monarchy. Many people began to think that the royal family was out of touch with modern attitudes. Some felt that they should be more open about their problems and not try to be different. Others thought that the royal family should express the nation's feelings, that in effect they should become a people's monarchy. Many people liked the combination of glamour and human concern that Princess Diana brought to the royal family and did not want this human touch to be lost.

In response to the criticism the royal family is trying to be more open and the Queen wants to meet a wider range of people. The royal family had already established its own Way Ahead group to consider the monarchy's future. It also has its own Internet site. Since 1993, the Queen has paid *income tax on her private wealth and on the part of the *Privy Purse used for personal expenses. Her official expenses and the upkeep of the royal palaces are paid for through the *Civil List.

The future of the monarchy

The constitutional position of the monarchy has also suffered. It has been suggested that the monarchy is undemocratic and unnecessary. Legal experts argue that getting rid of the monarchy would create serious constitutional difficulties. Defenders of the monarchy claim that the royal family, nicknamed 'the firm', pays for itself because it attracts tourists and business to Britain. Others say it is an expensive luxury. Many people have no strong feelings. They are used to the present system and, though they might like some aspects of the monarchy to be more modern, they would be reluctant to see any radical changes.

At present, the heir to the throne is the sovereign's eldest son, even if his or her first child is a daughter. Other sons take precedence in the order of succession before any daughters. There has been talk of this being changed so that the eldest child, male or female, would succeed to the throne and the others would follow in order of age. The present order of succession is as follows:

1 The Prince of Wales

2 Prince William of Wales

3 Prince Henry of Wales

4 The Duke of York

5 Princess Beatrice of York

6 Princess Eugenie of York

7 Prince Edward

8 The Princess Royal (Princess Anne)

9 Peter Phillips

10 Zara Phillips

(Princess Anne's children)