British royal family news shows that the UK’s royal clan is beloved the world over. Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 70th year on the throne in June with a Platinum Jubilee and received accolades from leaders the world over.
The royal family are regarded as British cultural icons but who is actually in charge at the end of the day? Let’s find out!
Royal Family News – The Queen Is Called Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth is the monarchical head of state of the United Kingdom and the leader of the royal family. She is also the leader of 14 Commonwealth nations, including Jamaica. Her Majesty has four children, eight grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren.
But not all royal offspring are created equally in terms of naming and titles. The use of the title Royal Highness can only be used by the children of a monarch, the children of the eldest child of the Prince of Wales, and male-line grandchildren of a monarch, and their wives.
To be more specific, the core group of senior royals includes: Queen Elizabeth, Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. This is the group that is responsible for representing the queen when carrying out royal duties
Royal Family News – What’s In A Name?
Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall are the children of the Queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, but they are not styled as a prince nor princess. That is because their mother made the decision to forego the names, wanting them to be free to live their lives unencumbered.
Likewise, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn, children of the Earl and Countess of Wessex, did not accept princess nor prince titles because their parents wanted them to have more modest titles.
When it comes to the name game, wives of male members of the royal family share their husbands’ title and style, with princesses by marriage having the title prefixed to their husband’s name. For example, the wife of Prince Michael of Kent is Princess Michael of Kent.
And, in an incredibly generous perk, royals typically forgo the toaster as a marriage gift and go all out by granting dukedoms.
Royal Family News – What Do The Royals Do?
So, what exactly do the royal family members do with their time? They attend official royal events of course! Annual events include the State Opening of Parliament, Trooping the Colour, and the National Service of Remembrance.
Historian Robert Lacey says that investitures of the honours recipients are the most important thing the queen does.
Be sure to catch up on everything happening with the royal family. Come back here often for royal family news and updates.