The Modern Monarchy of Britain Essay - 1676 Words

When one thinks of Britain, perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is the iconic figures of the Royal Family. This hallowed line of descendants makes up the British Monarchy, serving above the people of the Commonwealth under the control of Britain. With such fanfare and dignity come an equally great responsibility. While the structure and ceremonial hype surrounding the British Monarchy has remained nearly unchanged since its creation, the role and powers of Britains current Monarchy is significantly different. The British Monarchy is composed of a King or Queen and their family, whose heirs inherit the throne when the King or Queen dies. The current Royal family is known as the â€Å"House of Windsor† and was created in 1917†¦show more content†¦Each of the children of these members receives a formal title when her or she is married, and until that point is a Prince or Princess (Hoey 4). When the King or Queen dies, the family follows a distinct order of success ion. The Monarchy follows a â€Å"male primogeniture† system, in which oldest sons are chosen over younger sons, and male children are chosen over females, regardless of age (â€Å"About the British Royal Family†). Should there be no direct male heir, a female is made Queen. The spouses of male children who become King are permitted to take the title of Queen; however, the spouses of female children who become Queen are not allowed to take the title of King. Instead, they are given an honorary title of Prince (â€Å"The Monarchy†). The obviously most important member of the Royal Family is the King or Queen. Currently, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary holds the title of Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her sixtieth anniversary of her coronation on February 6, 2012, making her the second longest ruling Monarch behind Queen Victoria (â€Å"The Queen and the UK†). Elizabeth is only the sixth Queen to ever rule over the British Monarchy. She is able to trace her family line back to the first king of England, being the thirty-second great granddaughter of King Alfred (Simpson). Worth approximately  £350 million, the Queen also controls severalShow MoreRelatedBritish Monarchy - Should They Stay or Should They Go? Yona Oshrat1594 Words   |  7 PagesBritish monarchy - Should they stay or should they go? Yona Oshrat The nurse Jacintha Saldanha was looking after Prince William’s wife Kate – who was suffering from morning sickness – when two Australian DJs called the hospital impersonating The Queen and Prince Charles. Believing the call was genuine she then transferred the call to the ward where Kate was staying where another nurse gave information about Kate’s condition. The nurse found hanged after the hoax call to the hospital - she committedRead MoreEssay about The British Monarchy700 Words   |  3 PagesThe British Monarchy Nowadays, some scandals and salacious gossip that surrounded the royals seriously undermined the symbolism of the constitutional monarchy, which indirectly influenced the current political situation. The issue to be discussed, as to if the advantages of the UK having a constitutional monarchy are greater than the disadvantages boils down to one fundamental question: if the present system of the government of the UK adapt to the present societyRead MoreThe British Monarchy1476 Words   |  6 Pages1. THE BRITISH MONARCHY IS AN OUTDATED GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE THAT HAS NO PLACE IN THE MODERN WORLD A monarchy is  political system based upon the undivided sovereignty or rule of a single person. The term applies to states in which supreme authority is vested in the monarch, an individual ruler who functions as the head of state and who achieves his position through heredity. Succession usually passes from father to son or follows other arrangements within the family or the monarchical dynastyRead MoreEssay on Great Britain Rise as the Global Leader of the 18th Century781 Words   |  4 PagesWhen examining the bloody and often tumultuous history of Great Britain prior to their ascent to power, one would not have predicted that they would become the global leader of the 18th century. Prior to the Treaty of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years War, the Spanish and the Holy Roman Empire held much of the power in Europe. Only with the suppression of Catholicism and the development of national sovereignty did Great Britain have the opportunity to rise through the ranks. While much of continentalRead MoreCommon Sense : Thomas Paine1050 Words   |  5 Pagescolonies in 1776. Paine strayed away from dense and scholarly writing and wrote in the language of the people, often citing the bible. The pamphlet provided clear justification and explained the advantages of the need for independence from Great Britain. Thomas Paine argues in his instant best seller, for independence from England and for the creation of a democratic republic. Paine begins proving his argument by differentiating between government and society. Paine states, â€Å"Society in every stateRead MoreReasons For New Independence 948 Words   |  4 Pagesfirst came to America they still when by the English government and did not create there own. Also how he dislikes monarchies and how he views government should be or how he proposes it. He also talks how people who are rulers of monarchies have the power like God there devine right to be in the place that they are in. Then he goes into how America can not recosol ties with Great-Britain due to that in the future there will be more problems than there are at the moment and it could cause problems forRead MoreComplications Of The French Revolution1364 Words   |  6 PagesThe French Revolution (1789-1799) had significant, far reaching implications. In Britain it permeated every level of society. Not only did politicians change their allegiances, but moderate reformers were radicalised, and Bri tish society was completely divided into supporters and detractors of the Revolution. It also resulted in a drastic politicisation of Ireland, changing the nature of politics completely. The British government was threatened by the French Revolution because they saw what wasRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence : An Influential Text892 Words   |  4 PagesThe reasons for such an influential text as the Declaration of Independence can be defined in its written structure. First listed were the most important abuses and usurpations the colonists felt they had suffered at the hands of Great Britain. The 27 grievances forced the British to not only face their own crimes, but for the rest of the world to face them as well. To bolster the evidence of the colonies’ failed attempts at nonviolent reconciliation, requests for previous negotiations were expressedRead MoreThe Enlightenment s Influence On The French Revolution885 Words   |  4 Pagesother countries also. The Fren ch Revolution was directly inspired and influenced by the Enlightenment. Revolutionaries in France built their cause around the ideals of the Age of Reason. Reason, reform and modernity took hold mainly in Germany, Great Britain and of course, France. The Enlightenment was not able to permeate the small middle class in Austria, Italy, Poland-Lithuania, Spain and Russia because their governments were easily able to suppress any new ways of thinking (Hunt, 4081). They did notRead MoreThe Degree of Success of Reza Shah Pahlavi after the 1925 Coup1542 Words   |  7 Pageshave little authority over his country as it was in effect governed by the ruling powers Britain and Russia. However in October 1917 the balance of power was altered with the victory of the Bolsheviks in Russia, forcing them to withdraw: â€Å"Britain determined to protect its oil interests and to contain the new threat of Bolshevism, increased its†¦role in Iranian Affairs.†[1] Britain thus decided that it needed more control over Iran’s government and this led to her support