Monarchy |
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75 What powers does the Queen have?
75 What powers does the Queen have? The Crown, which represents both the
Sovereign (the person on whom the Crown is constitutionally conferred) and
the Government, is the symbol of supreme executive power. The Crown is
vested in the Queen, but in general its functions are exercised by
Ministers responsible to Parliament and thus Britain is governed by Her
Majesty’s Government in the name of the Queen. However, the Queen’s
involvement is still required in many important acts of
government. Privy Council:
76 Why does the Queen have two birthdays? The Queen was
actually born on 21 April, but it has long been customary to celebrate the
Sovereign’s birthday on a day during the summer. Since 1805 the
Sovereign’s ‘official’ birthday has been marked by the Trooping the Colour
ceremony, normally held on the second Saturday in June.
77 Who is next in line to the throne after Prince Charles? Line of Succession
78 Why is the heir to the throne called the Prince of Wales? The Heir Apparent
has, since the institution of the title by King Edward I in 1301, usually
been ‘created’ Prince of Wales. Edward I led the conquest of independent
Wales between 1277 and 1283. He subsequently proclaimed his son, Edward,
born at Caernarfon in Wales in 1284, the Prince of Wales. There is no
succession to the title, which is only renewed at the Sovereign’s
pleasure. The present Prince of Wales is the 21st in line - counting
several who were never formally invested! Prince Charles was created
Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle on July 1st 1969.
79 What does ‘Royal’ mean in the context of Royal Borough of... Royal Society of...? The use of the word ‘Royal’ in connection with a society, borough or
organisation indicates that they were founded or established by, or are
under the patronage of, a Sovereign or royal person.
Since the Middle Ages, tradespeople who have acted as suppliers of
goods and services to the Sovereign have received the honour of formal
recognition. In the beginning this patronage took the form of royal
charters given collectively to various trade guilds; later the
relationship between the Crown and individual tradespeople was formalised
by the issue of royal warrants.
81 What are the words of the National Anthem? The British national anthem
originated in a patriotic song first performed in 1745. There is no
authorised version - the words used are a matter of tradition. On official
occasions it is usual to sing the first verse only, the words of which are
as follows:
82 What is the origin of the mottoes ‘Dieu et mon droit’ and ‘Honi soit qui mal y pense’? ‘Dieu et mon droit’
(French for ‘God and my right’) is the motto of the Sovereign. The words
were the countersign (military password) chosen by King Richard I before
the battle of Gisors in 1198, meaning that he was no vassal of France, but
owed his royalty to God alone. The French were defeated in battle, but the
password was not adopted as the royal motto of England until the time of
Henry VI and has since been retained by his successors. The motto appears
below the shield on the Royal Coat of Arms.
83 What does the Royal Crest represent? The Royal crest - a lion bearing the
Royal crown - is used as a device to denote articles of personal property
belonging to the Queen, or to denote goods bearing the Royal Warrant. The
crest is taken from the Royal Coat of Arms, where it is placed above the
shield and helmet.
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