Web has been used for the past five years to provide a global audience with
information about the Royal Family. During this period British monarchs
have also played a vital part in promoting international relations,
retaining ties with former colonies in their role as Head of the
Commonwealth.
GEORGE V (1910-36)
George V was born June 3, 1865, the second son of Edward VII and
Alexandra. His early education was somewhat insignificant as compared to
that of the heir apparent, his older brother Albert. George chose the
career of professional naval officer and served competently until Albert
died in 1892, upon which George assumed the role of the heir apparent. He
married Mary of Teck (affectionately called May) in 1893, who bore him four
sons and one daughter. He died the year after his silver jubilee after a
series of debilitating attacks of bronchitis, on January 20, 1936.
George ascended the throne in the midst of a constitutional crisis: the
budget controversy of 1910. Tories in the House of Lords were at odds with
Liberals in the Commons pushing for social reforms. When George agreed to
create enough Liberal peerages to pass the measure the Lords capitulated
and gave up the power of absolute veto, resolving the problem officially
with passage of the Parliament Bill in 1911. The first World War broke out
in 1914, during which George and May made several visits to the front; on
one such visit, George's horse rolled on top of him, breaking his pelvis -
George remained in pain for the rest of his life from the injury. The
worldwide depression of 1929-1931 deeply affected England, prompting the
king to persuade the heads of the three political parties (Labour,
Conservative and Liberal) to unite into a coalition government. By the end
of the 1920's, George and the Windsors were but one of few royal families
who retained their status in Europe.
The relationship between England and the rest of the Empire underwent
several changes. An independent Irish Parliament was established in 1918
after the Sinn Fein uprising in 1916, and the Government of Ireland Act
(1920) divided Ireland along religious lines. Canada, Australia, New
Zealand and South Africa demanded the right of self-governance after the
war, resulting in the creation of the British Commonwealth of Nations by
the Statute of Westminster in 1931. India was accorded some degree of self-
determination with the Government of India Act in 1935.
The nature of the monarchy evolved through the influence of George. In
contrast to his grandmother and father - Victoria's ambition to exert
political influence in the tradition of Elizabeth I and Edward VII's
aspirations to manipulate the destiny of nations - George's royal
perspective was considerably more humble. He strove to embody those
qualities, which the nation saw as their greatest strengths: diligence,
dignity and duty. The monarchy transformed from an institution of
constitutional legality to the bulwark of traditional values and customs
(particularly those concerning the family). Robert Lacey describes George
as such: ". . . as his official biographer felt compelled to admit, King
George V was distinguished 'by no exercise of social gifts, by no personal
magnetism, by no intellectual powers. He was neither a wit nor a brilliant
raconteur, neither well-read nor well-educated, and he made no great
contribution to enlightened social converse. He lacked intellectual
curiosity and only late in life acquired some measure of artistic taste.'
He was, in other words, exactly like most of his subjects. He discovered a
new job for modern kings and queens to do - representation."
EDWARD VIII ( JANUARY-DECEMBER 1936)
As Prince of Wales, Edward VIII (reigned January-December 1936) had
successfully carried out a number of regional visits (including areas hit
by economic depression) and other official engagements. These visits and
his official tours overseas, together with his good war record and genuine
care for the underprivileged, had made him popular.
The first monarch to be a qualified pilot, Edward created The King's Flight
(now known as 32 (The Royal) Squadron) in 1936 to provide air transport for
the Royal family's official duties.
In 1930, the Prince, who had already had a number of affairs, had met and
fallen in love with a married American woman, Mrs Wallis Simpson. Concern
about Edward's private life grew in the Cabinet, opposition parties and the
Dominions, when Mrs Simpson obtained a divorce in 1936 and it was clear
that Edward was determined to marry her.
Eventually Edward realised he had to choose between the Crown and Mrs
Simpson who, as a twice-divorced woman, would not have been acceptable as
Queen. On 10 December 1936, Edward VIII executed an Instrument of
Abdication which was given legal effect the following day, when Edward gave
Royal Assent to His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act, by which
Edward VIII and any children he might have were excluded from succession to
the throne. In 1937, Edward was created Duke of Windsor and married Wallis
Simpson.
During the Second World War, the Duke of Windsor escaped from Paris,
where he was living at the time of the fall of France, to Lisbon in 1940.
The Duke of Windsor was then appointed Governor of the Bahamas, a position
he held until 1945. He lived abroad until the end of his life, dying in
1972 in Paris (he is buried at Windsor). Edward was never crowned; his
reign lasted 325 days. His brother Albert became King, using his last name
George.
GEORGE VI (1936-52)
George VI, born December 14, 1895, was the second son of George V and
Mary of Teck. He was an unassuming, shy boy who greatly admired his brother
Edward, Prince of Wales. From childhood to the age of thirty, George
suffered with a bad stammer in his speech, which exacerbated his shyness;
Lionel Logue, an Australian speech therapist, was instrumental in helping
George overcome the speech defect. George married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
in 1923, who bore him two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret. He died from
cancer on February 6, 1952.
Due to the controversy surrounding the abdication of Edward VIII, popular
opinion of the throne was at its lowest point since the latter half of
Victoria's reign. The abdication, however, was soon overshadowed by
continental developments, as Europe inched closer to yet another World War.
After several years of pursuing "appeasement" policies with Germany, Great
Britain (and France) declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. George,
following in his father's footsteps, visited troops, munitions factories,
supply docks and bomb-damaged areas to support the war effort. As the
Nazi's bombed London, the royal family remained at Buckingham Palace;
George went so far as to practice firing his revolver, vowing that he would
defend Buckingham to the death. Fortunately, such defense was never
necessary. The actions of the King and Queen during the war years greatly
added to the prestige of the monarchy.
George predicted the hardships following the end of the war as early as
1941. From 1945-50, Great Britain underwent marked transitions. The Bank of
England, as well as most facets of industry, transportation, energy
production and health care, were brought to some degree of public
ownership. The birth pangs of the Welfare State and the change from Empire
to multiracial Commonwealth troubled the high-strung king. The political
turmoil and economic hardships of the post-war years left the king
physically and emotionally drained by the time of his death.
In the context of royal history, George VI was one of only five monarchs
who succeeded the throne in the lifetime of his predecessor; Henry IV,
Edward IV, Richard III, and William III were the other four. George, upon
his ascension, wrote to Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin concerning the state
of the monarchy: "I am new to the job but I hope that time will be allowed
to me to make amends for what has happened." His brother Edward continued
to advise George on matters of the day, but such advice was a hindrance, as
it was contradictory to policies pursued by George's ministers. The "slim,
quiet man with tired eyes" (as described by Logue) had a troubled reign,
but he did much to leave the monarchy in better condition than he found it.
ELIZABETH II (1952-PRESENT)
Elizabeth II, born April 21, 1926, is the eldest daughter of George VI
and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. She married Philip Mountbatten, a distant cousin,
in 1947; the pair have four children: Charles, Prince of Wales, Anne,
Andrew and Edward. She has reigned for forty-six years, and appears capable
of remaining on the throne for quite some time.
Monarchy, as an institution in Europe, all but disappeared during the two
World Wars: a scant ten monarchs remain today, seven of which have familial
ties to England. Elizabeth is, by far, the best known of these, and is the
most widely traveled Head of State in the world. Her ascension was
accompanied by constitutional innovation; each independent, self-governing
country proclaimed Elizabeth, Queen of their individual state. She approves
of the transformation from Empire to Commonwealth, describing the change as
a "beneficial and civilized metamorphosis." The indivisibility of the crown
was formally abandoned by statute in 1953, and "Head of the Commonwealth"
was added to the long list of royal titles which she possesses.
Elizabeth's travels have won the adulation of her subjects; she is
greeted with honest enthusiasm and warm regard with each visit abroad. She
has been the master link in a chain of unity forged among the various
countries within the Commonwealth. Hence, the monarchy, as well as the
Empire, has evolved - what once was the image of absolute power is now a
symbol of fraternity.
Elizabeth has managed to maintain a division between her public and
private life. She is the first monarch to send her children to boarding
schools in order to remove them from the ever-probing media. She has a
strong sense of duty and diligence and dispatches her queenly business with
great candor, efficiency and dignity. Her knowledge of current situations
and trends is uncannily up to date, often to the embarrassment of her Prime
Ministers. Harold Wilson, upon his retirement, remarked, "I shall certainly
advise my successor to do his homework before his audience." Churchill, who
had served four monarchs, was impressed and delighted by her knowledge and
wit. She possesses a sense of humor rarely exhibited in public where a
dignified presence is her goal.
Elizabeth, like her father before her, raised the character of the
monarchy through her actions. Unfortunately, the actions of her children
have tarnished the royal name. The much publicized divorces of Charles from
Diana and Andrew from Sarah Ferguson have been followed by further
indiscretions by the princes, causing a heavily-taxed populace to rethink
the necessity of a monarchy. Perhaps Elizabeth will not reign as long as
Victoria, but her exceptionally long reign has provided a bright spot in
the life of her country.
THE MONARCHY TODAY
THE QUEEN'S ROLE
The Queen is the United Kingdom's Head of State. As well as carrying out
significant constitutional functions, The Queen also acts as a focus for
national unity, presiding at ceremonial occasions, visiting local
communities and representing Britain around the world. The Queen is also
Head of the Commonwealth. During her reign she has visited all the
Commonwealth countries, going on 'walkabouts' to gain direct contact with
people from all walks of life throughout the world.
Behind and in front of the cameras, The Queen's work goes on. No two days
in The Queen's working life are ever the same.
QUEEN'S ROLE IN THE MODERN STATE
Until the end of the 17th century, British monarchs were executive
monarchs - that is, they had the right to make and pass legislation. Since
the beginning of the eighteenth century, the monarch has become a
constitutional monarch, which means that he or she is bound by rules and
conventions and remains politically impartial.
On almost all matters he or she acts on the advice of ministers. While
acting constitutionally, the Sovereign retains an important political role
as Head of State, formally appointing prime ministers, approving certain
legislation and bestowing honours.
The Queen also has important roles to play in other organisations,
including the Armed Forces and the Church of England.
QUEEN AND COMMONWEALTH
The Queen is not only Queen of the United Kingdom, but Head of the
Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 54 independent countries.
Most of these countries have progressed from British rule to independent
self-government, and the Commonwealth now serves to foster international co-
operation and trade links between people all over the world.
The Queen is also Queen of a number of Commonwealth realms, including
Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
ROYAL VISITS
Visits to all kinds of places throughout the United Kingdom, Commonwealth
and overseas are an important part of the work of The Queen and members of
the Royal family. They allow members of the Royal family to meet people
from all walks of life and backgrounds, to celebrate local and national
achievements and to strengthen friendships between different countries.
Many of the visits are connected to charities and other organisations with
which members of the Royal family are associated. In other cases, royal
visits help to celebrate historic occasions in the life of a region or
nation. All visits are carefully planned to ensure that as many people as
possible have the opportunity to see or meet members of the Royal family.
THE QUEEN'S WORKING DAY
The Queen has many different duties to perform every day. Some are
familiar public duties, such as Investitures, ceremonies, receptions or
visits within the United Kingdom or abroad. Away from the cameras, however,
The Queen's work goes on. It includes reading letters from the public,
official papers and briefing notes; audiences with political ministers or
ambassadors; and meetings with her Private Secretaries to discuss her
future diary plans. No two days are ever the same and The Queen must remain
prepared throughout.
CEREMONIES AND PAGEANTRY
The colourful ceremonies and traditions associated with the British
Monarchy are rich in history and meaning and fascinating to watch. In some,
The Queen takes part in person. In others - such as Guard Mounting or Swan
Upping - the ceremony is performed in The Queen's name. Many of the
ceremonies take place on a regular basis - every year or even every day -
which means that British people and visitors to London and other parts of
the United Kingdom may have an opportunity to see some of these interesting
events take place.
THE QUEEN'S CEREMONIAL DUTIES
The Queen has many ceremonial roles. Some - such as the State Opening of
Parliament, Audiences with new ambassadors and the presentation of
decorations at Investitures - relate to The Queen's role as Head of State.
Others - such as the presentation of Maundy money and the hosting of
garden parties - are historical ceremonies in which kings and queens have
taken part for decades or even centuries.
ROYAL PAGEANTRY AND TRADITIONS
In addition to the events in which The Queen takes part, there are many
other ceremonies and traditions associated with the British Monarchy. Some
of these have military associations, involving troops from the present
Armed Forces as well as the members of the historical royal bodyguard, the
Yeomen of the Guard. Others are traditions which are less well known than
the colourful pageantry but are interesting in their own right. Some - such
as the customary broadcasts by the Sovereign on Christmas Day and
Commonwealth Day - are fairly recent in origin, but have rapidly become
familiar and popular traditions.
ROYAL SUCCESSION
When a sovereign dies, or abdicates, a successor is immediately decided
according to rules which were laid down at the end of the seventeenth
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