Monarchy in Britain

For many people Queen Elizabeth is a symbol of monarchy, because for centuries England, and later the whole of the United Kingdom, has been united under the sovereign. This continuity was broken only after the Civil War, by the republic of 1649 to 1660. Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. In practice this means that the main part of the political power is in the hands of Parliament, and The Queen is the nominal head of the state although she has some functions. These functions are: opening and closing Parliament; approving the appointment of the Prime Minister; giving her Royal Assent to bills; giving honours, such as peerages, knighthoods and medals. The Queen is also the head of the Commonwealth, the head of the Church of England and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The Queen takes part in state affairs, for example, she meets the Prime Minister every week and receives copies of all Cabinet papers. However she is expected to be impartial, or ‘above politics’, and any advice she may offer the Prime Minister is kept secret.

Queen Elizabeth’s reign has been marked by vast changes in the lives of her people and in the power and prestige of her nation. The process of decolonization began in 1947 with the independence of India, Pakistan and Ceylon. An association of the British Empire and Britain called the Commonwealth was formed. Beginning in the mid-1950s, there has been constant turmoil in Northern Ireland. On the home front, the nation suffered economic difficulties after World War II. Many industries were nationalized, and in 1973 Great Britain became a member of the European Economic Community. Throughout this period Elizabeth’s primary role has been a symbol of unity and continuity within the Commonwealth of Nations; Elizabeth and her husband frequently visited the Commonwealth states.

Queen Elizabeth II is one of the richest women in the world. Her money comes from two sources: government funds and her own wealth, which is considerable. Her state salary pays for her servants and transport. Every year The Queen publishes the Civil List, where her expenses are printed. These expenses must be approved by Parliament, which has had the effective control of the monarch’s finances since the 17^th century. The Civil List is set by Parliament as a fixed annual amount of 7.9 million pounds for a period of up to 10 years.

TASK 1. Give the exact translation of the following:

• Royal Assent
• the Commonwealth of Nations
• the Church of England
• the Commander-in-Chief
• the European Economic Community
• the Civil List

TASK 2. Find in the text the words that mean the following: