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The Royal Family






For more than a thousand years Britain has always had kings or queens except for the ten years between 1649 and 1659. In the past, kings had great power and they really helped to make history. They started wars, made laws, and did things in their own way. But gradually more and more power went to Parliament. What does the Queen do now? Why does Britain need monarchy? And does it?

 

Elizabeth II calls the Windsor family a ‘Firm’. She thinks of it as a business rather than a family. And the main business of the royal family is... well, probably being royal. And they are paid for it. The Queen is one of the richest women in the world and yet she gets about 8 million pounds a year to be Queen. But many people agree that she does her job well and she deserves her salary.

Being Queen is a really busy job. Elizabeth II gets up early and begins the day by looking through the newspapers. Then she reads letters from the public (she gets more than 1000 each week), and tells her staff how she would like them to be answered. The Queen has daily meetings with her Private Secretary who helps her to go through her paperwork, and lots of meetings with ambassadors, new judges, and bishops.

In the afternoon Elizabeth II often goes out on public engagements — she gets thousands of invitations each year. She opens new hospitals, bridges and factories.

Once a week, the Queen has a meeting with the Prime Minister and they discuss government business and important things that are happening the country.

In the evening the Queen reads the report of the day from Parliament. She isn’t a politician, and in modern Britain the power belongs to the government, but she must agree to every new law. It’s a formal agreement; no king or queen has refused a new law since 1701!

Being Queen is not a 9 to 5 job, and Elizabeth II has to work from early in the morning until late at night. And people watch her all the time.

Of course, she has some free time, and some private life, but less than most people.

In her spare time Elizabeth II enjoys horse racing, fishing, and walking in the countryside. She also enjoys photography and likes taking photos on her travels.

Many people think that the Royals are useless and monarchy is outdated. But... the British people seem to like them that way. They like to read about the royal family, royal scandals and shocking secrets. They like to watch royal ceremonies, they are proud of the tradition of monarchy. Britain has had kings and queens for a thousand years — probably they’ll have them for another thousand.

According to a survey conducted during the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, six out of ten people in Britain thought the monarchy was not out of date. But young people were less sure. Those aged under 24 were split evenly. One half liked the Royals, the others thought they were not important anymore and said they weren’t happy with the cost of keeping the Royal Family.

Kings and queens expect to be treated differently from other people. So you’d better know some simple rules in case you bump into a member of the royal family.

— Women are expected to curtsy. Men are expected to bow.

— Shake hands if a hand is

offered.

— It’s bad manners to meet royalty with gloves on because, in the past, gloves were associated with warfare.

— Until recently it was thought impolite to turn one’s back on the Queen of England. People would walk backwards out of their presence. In certain ceremonies lords and other officials still do.

 

“What are the British Like”


 


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