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Вопрос 10: Why is the Queen the fifth longest serving British monarch?

The Queen is the fifth longest serving British monarch

Only four other kings and queens in British history have reigned for 54 years or more. These are:

Queen Victoria 1837-1901 (63 years)

King George III 1760-1820 (59 years)

James VI of Scotland, 1567-1625, James I of England 1603- 25 (58 years)

King Henry III 1216-1272 (56 years)

Вопрос 11: How often does the Queen have audience with the Prime Minister? How many and what Prime Ministers has she given regular audiences over the reign?

Every Tuesday the Queen is visited by the Prime Minister

As Head of State, The Queen maintains close contact with the Prime Minister, with whom she has a weekly audience when she is in London.

Over the reign, Her Majesty has given regular Tuesday evening audiences to 10 Prime Ministers.

They are:

Winston Churchill 1951-55

Sir Anthony Eden 1955-57

Harold Macmillan 1957-63

Sir Alec Douglas-Home 1963-64

Harold Wilson 1964-70 and 1974-76

Edward Heath 1970-74

James Callaghan 1976-79

Margaret Thatcher 1979-90

John Major 1990-97

Tony Blair 1997-2007

Gordon Brown 2007 - 2010

David Cameron 2010 -

Вопрос 12: What do you know about the succession to the throne and the Ceremony of Coronation?

Prince Charles is presently heir to the British throne. He will not become king until his mother, Queen Elizabeth, abdicates (gives up the throne), retires or dies. When either of these happen, Prince Charles may abdicate and pass the throne to his eldest son Prince William.

What is the title of the heir to the British throne?

The heir to the throne is always called the Prince of Wales. The title was introduced by King Edward l in 1301, after the conquest of Wales.

If the eldest child of the monarch is female, will she become heir to the throne?

Yes, if she does not have any brothers.

No, if she has a brother.

In Britain the crown normally passes from monarch to eldest son. As King George VI had no son, it passed to his elder daughter, now Queen Elizabeth II. If a monarch has sons, they take precedence over daughters: thus, although HR The Princess Royal is older than her brothers HRH The Duke of York and HRH The Earl of Wessex, they (and their children) precede her in the order of succession.

Who can be heir to the British throne?

Succession in the United Kingdom is governed by the Act of Union 1800, which restates the provisions of the Act of Settlement 1701 and the Bill of Rights (1689). Only Protestant heirs of Princess Sophia, granddaughter of James I, may succeed to the British throne. Neither Catholics, nor those who marry a Catholic, nor those born out of wedlock, may remain in the line of succession.

The current Royal Line of Succession is:

(see also the Royal Family Tree )

HRH The Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales (1948), eldest son of HM Queen Elizabeth II

HRH Prince William of Wales (1982), elder son of HRH The Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales

HRH Prince Henry of Wales (popularly referred to as Prince Harry), (1984), younger son of HRH The Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales

Coronation of the British monarch

The coronation ceremony takes place in Westminster Abbey. Since the British sovereign is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and his or her coronation does not take place in a cathedral—which would be the domain of a bishop—but at Westminster Abbey, which is a Royal Peculiar (a church directly under the monarch). The king or queen enters the abbey in procession, and is seated on a "Chair of Estate" as the Archbishop of Canterbury goes to the east, south, west and north of the building asking if those present are willing to pay homage to their new ruler. Once the attendees respond affirmatively, the Archbishop administers the Coronation Oath, and a Bible is presented by both the Archbishop (representing the Church of England) and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Once this is done, the actual crowning can take place.

The monarch is crowned while seated upon the ancient St. Edward's Chair, or Coronation chair, which includes the Scottish Stone of Scone. A canopy is held over the new ruler's head, while the Archbishop anoints him or her with holy oil on the hands, breast and head, concluding with a special blessing. Spurs and the Sword of State are presented, followed by the Sovereign's Orb (which is immediately returned to the altar), the Sceptre with the Dove and the Sceptre with the Cross. Once this is done, the Archbishop of Canterbury places the Crown of St. Edward upon the monarch's head. If a queen consort is present, she is crowned at this point in a simple ritual.

Afterwards, the new ruler is seated upon the throne, and receives homage from various members of the British clergy and nobility. Holy Communion is given to the sovereign, who then enters St. Edward's Chapel as the Te Deum is sung, where he or she exchanges St. Edward's Crown for the Imperial State Crown and exits the church wearing the crown and carrying the Sceptre with the Cross and Orb as "God Save the King (or Queen)" is sung.[99]

The ceremony as conducted in 1953 also functioned as the coronation rite for the realms within the Commonwealth which recognise Elizabeth II as their monarch, by the text of the administered oath including the seven separate Commonwealth kingdoms in existence as the time, as well as a general statement regarding other territories.[N 13]

The Prince of Wales, a title traditionally held by the heir to the British throne, may go through a ceremony of his own known as the Investiture of the Prince of Wales, though such a ritual is not required to hold this title or the privileges that come with it. The ceremony, when held, may take place in Wales or in England (the most recent investure took place at Caernarvon Castle, Wales), and includes the placement of a coronet upon the prince's head.