Text 1. Monarchy in Britain

Great Britain is a monarchy, but the Queen of Britain is not absolute but constitutional. Her powers are limited by the Parliament. The Parliament is the supreme legislative authority in Britain. Queen’s power is hereditory and not elective.

In practice the Monarch has no actual power: they say¹ the Monarch reigns but does not rule. The Prime Minister is the virtual ruler of the country. The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the party that obtains a majority in the House of Commons. That party which has majority of seats in the House of Commons is called the Government and the other is the Opposition. The leader of the party in the opposition occupies a salaried office of the Leader of the Opposition. The Government may hold office for five years.

All the affairs of the state are conducted in the name of the Queen, but really the Prime Minister is responsible for every measure submitted to Parliament.

The Queen summons, prorogues and dissolves Parliament². Normally she opens each session with a speech from the throne outlining the Government’s programme. It is her duty to make appointments to all important state offices, including those of judges, officers in the armed forces, diplomats. She must, in theory at least, see all Cabinet documents. The Queen has the power to conclude treaties, to declare war and make peace.

The Queen has her own Privy Council³. The Cabinet developed from this Council, which used to be body of advisers of English monarches. As the system of Cabinet developed the Privy Council declined in importance. The Privy Council consists of members of the royal family, the archbishops⁴, colonial governors and senior ministers. There are about 300 of them altogether. The committee of the Privy Council, the Judicial Committee, however, is the final court of appeal for the British – a Royal court.

Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1952 after the death of her father, King George VI. She has four children: one daughter and 3 sons. The Queen’s heir is Charles, Prince of Wales. He was born in 1948, educated in Cambridge, served in the Royal Navy⁵. Now he is involved in various aspects of public life, in particular industry and government.

The Royal family is the principal aristocratic house in Britain, closely connected with other members of the hereditory aristocracy and with big finance interests. The Queen is known to be among the wealthiest women in the world.

Notes:

¹ they say – говорят

² summons, prorogues and dissolves Parliament – созывает, прерывает и распускает парламент

³ Privy Council – Тайный совет

⁴ archbishops – архиепископы

⁵ Royal Navy – Королевский флот, ВМС Великобритании