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	<!--The following dablink was composed after discussion at ]. As the format is common to all the Commonwealth realm monarchy articles, please discuss any desired changes at the aforementioned talk page.-->
	{{dablink\|This article is about the monarchy of the ], one of 16 that share a common monarch; for information about this constitutional relationship, the other Commonwealth realm monarchies, and other relevant articles, see ]; for information on the reigning monarch, see ].<br>For information on the family of the British monarchs see ].}}
	{{Infobox monarchy
	\| font_color = black
	\| royal_title = Queen
	\| realm = the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
	\| coatofarms = UKofGBandNI COAs.png
	\| coatofarms_article = Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
	\| image = Elizabeth II greets NASA GSFC employees, May 8, 2007 edit.jpg
	\| incumbent = ]
	\| his/her = Her
	\| heir_apparent = ]
	\| first_monarch = ]
	\| date = ], ]
	}}
	{{PoliticsUK}}
	The '''monarchy of the United Kingdom''' (the '''British monarchy'''), is a system of government in which a hereditary ] is the ] of the United Kingdom and its ]. The terms ''British monarch'' and ''British monarchy'' may mean different things in different contexts beyond the United Kingdom (see ]).

	The present monarch is ], who has reigned since ], ]. The ] is her eldest son, ] and ]. They and the Queen's husband and ], ], undertake various public duties in accordance with their positions.

	Elizabeth II is ] and also reigns as head of state of 15 other ] countries. This developed from the former colonial relationship of these countries to Britain, but they are now independent and the monarchy of each is legally distinct.

	==Context==
	===Monarchical lineage===
	The British ] can trace its ancestral lineage back to the ] and the early ]. By the year 1000, the petty kingdoms of early medieval Britain had resolved into the kingdoms of ] and ]. From 1603, when the Scottish king inherited the English throne, both kingdoms were ruled by a single monarch, and in 1707 the kingdoms were merged to create the ] and, essentially, the monarchy of the United Kingdom today.

	===Usage of terms===
	In 1931 the unitary British monarchy throughout the ] split into legally distinct crowns for each of the ]s. In realms other than the United Kingdom the terms ''British monarch'' and ''British monarchy'' are still frequently applied in legal fields to ].<ref></ref><ref></ref> For historical and political reasons and of convenience, the same two terms are commonly used in reference to the independent ] and ] of each of the other Commonwealth realms beyond the United Kingdom, at variance with those countries' official national ] and ] for each.

	==Modern status==
	===International and domestic aspects===
	Fifteen states within the 53-member ], former territories of the ], are in a ] relationship with the United Kingdom<ref>Zines, ''The High Court and the Constitution'', 4th ed. (1997) at 314: "The Queen as monarch of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand is in a position resembling that of the King of Scotland and of England between 1603 and 1707 when two independent countries had a common sovereign"; the relationship between England and Scotland during those years is described as a ].</ref><ref>{{cite journal\|title = The Status of the British Commonwealth in International Law\|author = P. E. Corbett\|journal = The University of Toronto Law Journal\|volume = 3\|Number = 2\|date = 1940\|pages 348–359\|url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0042-0220%281940%293%3A2%3C348%3ATSOTBC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-J}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal\|title = The End of Dominion Status\|author = F. R. Scott\|journal = The American Journal of International Law\|volume = 38\|number = 1\|date = January 1944\|pages = 34–49\|url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-9300%28194401%2938%3A1%3C34%3ATEODS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-B}}</ref><ref> HCA 30; ] ]; S179/1998 and B49/1998]</ref>; these 16 countries are known as the ]s, each of the Commonwealth realms is sovereign and independent of the others.<ref>The ] ruled in 1982 while "there is only one person who is the Sovereign within the British Commonwealth... in matters of law and government the Queen of the United Kingdom, for example, is entirely independent and distinct from the Queen of Canada." HCA 30; ] ]; S179/1998 and B49/1998]</ref>

	====Development of shared monarchy====
	Prior to 1926 the British Crown reigned over the ] collectively, the ]s and ] being subordinate to the United Kingdom. The ] gave the Dominions the right to be considered equal to Britain, effectively creating a system whereby a single monarch operated independently in each ]. The monarchy thus ceased to be an exclusively British institution, although it is often still referred to as "British" for legal and historical reasons and for convenience.

	The first indication of this shift in ] was the ], and the concept was solidified by the ]. According to the latter, which has been likened to a treaty amongst the Commonwealth realms,<ref>Justice Rouleau in a 2003 ] wrote that "Union under the... Crown together with other Commonwealth countries constitutional principle." </ref> the personal union relationship is such that any change to the laws governing succession to the throne in any realm requires the unanimous consent of all the realms. Thus, neither the United Kingdom nor any other realm can unilaterally change the rules of succession, unless they explicitly remove themselves from the shared monarch relationship.

	On all matters pertaining to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland the monarch is advised solely by her British ].

	====Succession====
	{{Main\|Succession to the British Throne\|Coronation of the British monarch}}

	Succession is governed by several enactments, the most important being the '']'' and '']''. The rules of succession may be changed by an ].

	Succession is according to the rules of ], under which sons inherit before daughters, and elder children inherit before younger ones of the same sex. The Act of Settlement, however, restricts the succession to the natural (i.e. non-]) legitimate descendants of ] (1630–1714), a granddaughter of ].

	The ''Bill of Rights'' and ''Act of Settlement'' include religious restrictions, which were imposed because of the English people's mistrust of ] during the late 17th century. Most importantly, only individuals who are ] at the time of the succession may inherit the Crown. A person who has at any time professed Roman Catholicism, or has ever married a Roman Catholic, is also prohibited from succeeding. An individual who is thus disabled from inheriting the Crown is deemed ''naturally dead'' for succession purposes, and the disqualification does not extend to the individual's descendants. In recent years there have been efforts to remove the religious restrictions (especially the specific rules relating to Roman Catholicism), but the provisions remain in effect.

	Upon a "demise in the Crown" (the death of a sovereign) his or her heir immediately and automatically succeeds, without any need for confirmation or further ceremony (hence the phrase "]"). Nevertheless, it is customary for the accession of the sovereign to be publicly proclaimed by an ] that meets at ]. After an appropriate period of mourning has passed, the monarch is ] in ], normally by the ]. A coronation is not necessary for a sovereign to reign; for example, ] was never crowned.

	After an individual ascends the throne, he or she reigns until death. There is no provision for a monarch to abdicate; the only monarch to do so, ] (1936), was authorised by a special Act of Parliament, ]. Numerous reigns have ended due to irregular or extralegal procedures; several monarchs have been killed, deposed, or forced to abdicate, chiefly during the 14th and 15th centuries. The last monarch involuntarily removed from power was ], who fled the realm in 1688 during the ]; Parliament deemed him to have abdicated.
	].]]

	====Regency====
	{{Main\|Regency Acts\|Counsellor of State}}
	Under the ], and Regency Act 1953, the powers of a monarch who has not reached the age of 18 or who is physically or mentally incapacitated must be exercised by a ]. A physical or mental incapacity must be certified by at least three of the sovereign's spouse, the ], the ], the ], and the ]. The declaration of three of the same people is necessary to terminate the regency and to allow the monarch to resume power.

	When a regency is necessary, the next qualified individual in the line of succession automatically becomes regent. The regent must be at least 21 years old (18 years for the ] or ]), be a British subject and be ]d in the United Kingdom. Special provisions were made for Queen Elizabeth II by the ], which states that ] (the Queen's husband) may act as regent in certain circumstances. The only individual to have acted as regent was the future ], who took over whilet his father, ], was considered insane (1811–1820).

	During a temporary physical infirmity or an absence from the kingdom, the sovereign may temporarily delegate his or her functions to ], the monarch's spouse and the first four qualified people in the line of succession. The qualifications for Counsellors of State are the same as those for regents. The present Counsellors of State are: ], ], ], ] and ].

	====Finances====
	{{Main\|Privy Purse}}

	Parliament meets much of the sovereign's official expenditure from public funds. The ] covers most expenses, including those for staffing, state visits, public engagements, and official entertainment. The size of the Civil List is fixed by parliament every ten years; any money saved may be carried forward to the next ten-year period. The Civil List expenditure in 2003 was approximately £9.9 million. In addition, the sovereign receives an annual Property Services Grant-in-Aid (£15.3 million for ] 2003–2004) to pay for the upkeep of the royal residences, and an annual Royal Travel Grant-in-Aid (£5.9 million for ] 2003–2004). The Civil List and the Grants-in-Aid are paid from public funds.

	Until 1760 the monarch met all official expenses from hereditary revenues, including the profits of the ]. ] agreed to surrender the hereditary revenues of the Crown in return for the Civil List, and this arrangement persists. In modern times, the profits surrendered from the Crown Estate have by far exceeded the Civil List and Grants-in-Aid provided to the monarch. For example, the Crown Estate produced over £170 million for the Treasury in the financial year 2003–2004, whereas parliamentary funding for the monarch was less than £40 million during the same period. The monarch continues to own the Crown Estate, but cannot sell it; the estate passes from one sovereign to the next.

	The sovereign also owns the ] as private inherited property. Like the Crown Estate the Duchy is held in trust, and cannot be sold. The revenues of the Duchy of Lancaster need not be surrendered to the Treasury; they form part of the ], and are used for expenses not borne by the Civil List. The ] is a similar estate held in trust to meet the expenses of the monarch's eldest son.

	The sovereign is subject to indirect taxes such as the ] (VAT), but is exempt from ] and ]. Since 1993 the Queen has voluntarily paid taxes on personal income. As the Civil List and Grants-in-Aid are used solely for official expenditure, they are not taken into account when calculating taxes.

	===Assets===

	The ] (the royal property portfolio) is one of the largest property owners in the United Kingdom, with a portfolio worth over ]7 billion ($14.35 billion) in 2007.<ref name="nytimeswindows"></ref>

	In 1999 ''Eurobusiness magazine'' listed the Windsors' assets as: <ref></ref>
	*Cash and investments - £520m
	*Art collection - £1bn
	*Jewellery - £130m

	===Constitutional role===
	In the uncodified ] political power is ultimately exercised by the ], of which the Sovereign is a non-partisan component, along with the ] and the ], and by the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The monarchy is a ] one, the Sovereign's role limited to non-partisan functions such as being the ]. This role has been recognised since the 19th century; in ''The English Constitution'' (1867) ] identified the monarchy as the "dignified part" rather than the "efficient part" of government. Political power is exercised today through Parliament and by the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The sovereign is the ] of the ] ], although spiritual leadership of the Church is the responsibility of the ].

	Whenever necessary, the Sovereign is responsible for appointing a new Prime Minister (with an option to appoint none at all,<ref name=ATPubLOxford>Tomkins, Adam, ''Public Law'' (N.Y.: Oxford Univ. Press (Clarendon Law ser.), ]).</ref> which, politically, is extremely unlikely); the appointment is formalised at a ceremony known as ]. In accordance with unwritten constitutional conventions, the Sovereign must appoint the individual most likely to maintain the support of the House of Commons, usually the leader of the party that has a majority in that House. If no party has a majority (an unusual occurrence, given the United Kingdom's ] electoral system), two or more groups may form a coalition, whose agreed leader is then appointed Prime Minister. In a "]", in which no party or coalition holds a majority, the monarch has an increased degree of latitude in his or her choice of Prime Minister,{{Specify\|date=June 2007}} but the individual most likely to command the support of the Commons, usually the leader of the largest party, must be appointed. For example, ] was appointed Prime Minister soon after the ], though his Labour Party did not have a majority. It has been suggested that in the same situation, if a minority government tried to dissolve Parliament to call an election early to strengthen its position, the monarch could refuse and allow opposition parties to form a coalition government. Harold Wilson's February 1974 minority government called an early election in ], which gave it a majority.

	The Sovereign appoints and dismisses Cabinet and other ministers, on the Prime Minister's advice - in practice, the Prime Minister, and not the Sovereign, exercises control over the composition of the Cabinet. The monarch may in theory unilaterally dismiss a Prime Minister, but convention and precedent tightly restrict such an action. The last monarch to remove a Prime Minister was ], who dismissed ] in 1834. In practice, a Prime Minister's term comes to an end only with death or resignation. (In some circumstances, the Prime Minister is required to resign; see ].)

	The monarch holds a weekly audience with the Prime Minister and regular audiences with other members of the Cabinet. The monarch may express his or her views, but, as a constitutional ruler, must ultimately accept the Prime Minister's and Cabinet's decisions (subject to the Crown's authority to appoint a new Prime Minister and ministers,<ref name=ATPubLOxford/> itself limited by convention). Walter Bagehot, the 19th-century constitutional writer, summarised this concept: "the Sovereign has, under a constitutional monarchy ... three rights — the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, the right to warn."

	Any member of the Cabinet who wishes to be absent from the United Kingdom for any reason, except for official visits to ] or ] member countries, must seek both the Prime Minister's and the Queen's approval to leave the country, and must at the same time inform "Her Majesty ... of the arrangements made for the administration of the Minister's Department during his or her absence".<ref> (issued formally by the Prime Minister in July 2001)</ref>

	The monarch has a similar relationship with the ] governments of ], ], and ]. The Sovereign appoints the ], on the nomination of the ]. The ], is nominated by the ] and appointed upon approval by the Sovereign. In Scottish matters, the Sovereign acts on the advice of the Scottish Executive. However, as devolution is more limited in Wales, the Sovereign acts on the advice of the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom in Welsh matters. The Sovereign can stike out any Northern Ireland law, though voted by the Assembly, if deemed unconstitutional by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

	The Sovereign is the Head of State in the United Kingdom. ] are made to the Queen, not to Parliament or to the nation. Moreover, '']'' (or ''God Save the King'') is the British ]. The monarch's visage appears on ]s, on ]s, and on ]s issued by the ]. Banknotes issued by other British banks, such as the ] and the ], do not depict the Sovereign.

	====Royal Prerogative====
	{{Main\|Royal Prerogative}}
	The executive authority of the government is theoretically and nominally vested in the Sovereign, collectively known as the ]. The Royal Prerogative includes many powers, such as the powers to dissolve Parliament, regulate the civil service, issue passports, make treaties or send ambassadors, and duties such as the duties to defend the realm and to maintain the ]. As the monarchy is constitutional, the monarch acts within the constraints of convention and precedent, exercising the Royal Prerogative on the advice of ministers. The Prime Minister and ministers are accountable to the House of Commons and, through it, to the people. Parliamentary approval is not required for the exercise of the Royal Prerogative; the Consent of the Crown must be obtained before either House may even debate a bill affecting the Sovereign's prerogatives or interests. Although the Royal Prerogative is extensive, it is not unlimited. For example, the monarch does not have the prerogative to impose and collect new taxes; such an action requires the authorisation of an Act of Parliament.

	According to a parliamentary report, "The Crown cannot invent new prerogative powers."<ref></ref> Many Crown prerogatives have been permanently transferred to Parliament, and more may be in the future.

	The Sovereign is one of the three components of Parliament; the others are the House of Lords and the House of Commons. It is the prerogative of the monarch to summon, ] and ] Parliament. Each parliamentary session begins with the monarch's summons. The new parliamentary session is marked by the ], during which the Sovereign reads the ] in the Chamber of the House of Lords, outlining the Government's legislative agenda. Prorogation usually occurs about one year after a session begins, and formally concludes the session. Dissolution ends a parliamentary term (which lasts a maximum of five years), and is followed by general elections for all seats in the House of Commons. These powers, however, are always exercised on the Prime Minister's advice. The timing of a dissolution is affected by a variety of factors; the Prime Minister normally chooses the most politically opportune moment for his or her party. The Sovereign may theoretically refuse a dissolution, but the circumstances under which such an action would be warranted are unclear.<ref>In 1926, ], ] (representing the British crown in the ]), refused a request by the ] to dissolve a minority parliament, precipitating a ]. See ].)</small></ref> (See ].) No parliamentary term may last more than five years; at the end of this period, a dissolution is automatic under the ].

	All laws are enacted in the monarch's name. The words "BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows," known as the ], form a part of each Act of Parliament. Before a bill can become law, the ] (the monarch's approval) is required. The Sovereign may, in theory, either ''grant'' the Royal Assent (make the bill law) or ''withhold'' the Royal Assent (veto the bill). In practice the Royal Assent is almost always granted; the last monarch to withhold Assent was Anne, who rejected a Scots militia bill in 1708. There is no provision for Parliamentary override of a veto (lack of Royal Assent) comparable to a U.S. Congressional (legislative) override of a President's veto.<ref name=USConst>U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 7.</ref>

	The Royal Prerogative with respect to domestic affairs is extensive. The Crown is responsible for the appointment and dismissal of ministers, Privy Counsellors, members of various executive agencies and other officials. Effectively, however, the appointees are chosen by the Prime Minister, or, for less important offices, by other ministers. In addition, the monarch is the head or ] of the Armed Forces (the ], the ], and the ]). It is the Sovereign's prerogative to declare war, make peace and direct the actions of the military, although the Prime Minister holds ''de facto'' decision-making power over the British armed forces. Many of the Sovereign's prerogative powers are exercised through the ].

	The Royal Prerogative extends to foreign affairs. The Sovereign may negotiate and ratify treaties, alliances, and international agreements; no parliamentary approval is required. A treaty cannot alter the domestic laws of the United Kingdom; an Act of Parliament is necessary in such cases. The Sovereign accredits British ]s and ambassadors, and receives diplomats from foreign states. British ]s are issued in the monarch's name.

	The Sovereign is deemed the ''fount of justice'', and is responsible for rendering justice for all subjects. The Sovereign does not personally rule in judicial cases, but judicial functions are performed in his or her name. For instance, prosecutions are brought on the monarch's behalf, and courts derive their authority from the Crown. The common law holds that the Sovereign "can do no wrong"; the monarch cannot be prosecuted for criminal offences. The ] allows civil lawsuits against the Crown in its public capacity (that is, lawsuits against the government), but not lawsuits against the monarch personally. The Sovereign exercises the "prerogative of mercy," and may ] offences against the Crown before, during, or after a trial.

	The monarch is the '']'', the source of all honours and dignities in the United Kingdom. The Crown creates all peerages, appoints members of the ], grants knighthoods and awards other honours. In practice, peerages and most other honours are granted on the advice of the Prime Minister. Some honours are within the personal gift of the Sovereign, and are not granted on ministerial advice - the monarch alone appoints members of the ], the ], the ] and the ].

	The Sovereign is the ] of the ], the officially ] in England, with the power to appoint archbishops and bishops. The Prime Minister, however, chooses the appointee from a list of nominees prepared by the Crown Nominations Commission. The Crown's role in the Church of England is titular; the most senior clergyman, the ], is the spiritual leader of the Church and of the worldwide ]. The monarch is only an ordinary member, of the ], but he or she holds the power to appoint the ] to the Church's ]. The Sovereign plays no formal role in the ] and the ], neither of which is an established church.

	The ] authenticates important official documents, including ], ]s and ]. It is in the custody of the ]. For matters relating exclusively to Scotland or Northern Ireland, the ] or the ] are used.

	The monarch has the power to claim any ]s, ]s, ]s or ]s that are either washed ashore or captured within {{convert\|3\|mi\|km\|0}} of the British coast. This power comes from a statute from ] in 1324. If you purchase a sturgeon, you still request the honour as an act of loyalty to the crown.<ref>{{cite web \| url = http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page4833.asp \| title = 80 Facts About the Queen \| accessmonthday = August 31 \| accessyear = 2006 \| work = The Official Website of the British Monarchy }}</ref>

	==History==
	===English monarchy===
	Following the Viking raids and settlement of the ninth century, the kingdom of ] emerged as the dominant English kingdom. ] secured Wessex and achieved dominance over western ], but he did not become King of England; the nearest title he assumed was "King of the Anglo-Saxons". It was Alfred's successors of the tenth century who built the kingdom now recognised as England, though even by the reign of ] England was not beyond fracturing into its constituent parts. The 11th century saw England become more stable, despite a number of wars with the Danes, which resulted in a Danish monarchy for some years. When ] conquered England in 1066 he became monarch of a kingdom with probably the strongest royal authority in Europe. The ] was crucial in British history, in terms of both political and social change. The new monarch continued the centralization of power begun in the Anglo-Saxon period, while the ] continued to develop.

	] depicts the Norman Conquest.]]

	William I was succeeded by two of his sons: ], then ]. Henry made a controversial decision to name his daughter ] (his only surviving child) as his heir. Following Henry's death in 1135, one of William I's grandsons, ], laid claim to the Throne, and took power with the support of most of the barons. Stephen's weak rule allowed Matilda to challenge his reign; as a result England descended into a period of disorder known as ]. Stephen maintained a precarious hold on power for the rest of his life, but he agreed to a compromise under which he would be succeeded by Matilda's son ], who accordingly became the first monarch of the ] or ] dynasty as Henry II in 1154.

	The reigns of most of the Angevin monarchs were marred by civil strife and conflicts between the monarch and the nobility. Henry II faced rebellions from his own sons, the future monarchs ] and ]. Nevertheless, Henry managed to expand of his kingdom, most notably with the conquest of Ireland, which had previously consisted of a multitude of rival kingdoms. Henry granted Ireland to his younger son John, who ruled as "Lord of Ireland".

	Upon Henry's death, his elder son Richard succeeded to the throne; he was absent from England for most of his reign, as he was fighting the ] in the ]. When he died, John succeeded him, thereby uniting England and Ireland under a single monarch. John's reign was marked by conflict with the barons, who in 1215 coerced him into issuing the ] (] for "Great Charter") to guarantee the rights and liberties of the nobility. Soon afterwards John repealed the charter, plunging England into a civil war known as the ]. The war came to an abrupt end after John died in 1216, leaving the Crown to his nine-year-old son ]. The barons, led by ], rebelled again later in Henry's reign, beginning the ]. The war ended in a clear royalist victory, and in the execution of many rebels.

	The next monarch, ], was far more successful in maintaining royal power, and was responsible for the conquest of Wales and the attempt to establish English domination in Scotland. However, gains in Scotland were reversed during the reign of his successor, ], who was also occupied with a disastrous conflict with the nobility. Edward II was, in 1311, forced to relinquish many of his powers to a committee of baronial "ordainers"; however, military victories helped him regain control in 1322. Nevertheless, in 1327, Edward was deposed and executed by his wife ] and by his son, who became ]. The new monarch soon also claimed the French Crown, setting off the ] between England and ]. Edward III's campaigns were largely successful, and culminated in the conquest of much French territory. Edward's reign was also marked by the further development of Parliament, which came to be divided into two Houses for the first time. In 1377, Edward III died, leaving the Crown to his ten year-old grandson ]. The new monarch, like many of his predecessors, conflicted with the nobles, especially by attempting to concentrate power in his own hands. In 1399, whilst he was away in Ireland, his cousin ] seized power. Richard was then forced to abdicate and was murdered.

	Henry IV was the grandson of Edward III and the son of ]; hence, his dynasty was known as the ]. For most of his reign, Henry IV was forced to fight off plots and rebellions; his success was partly due to the military skill of his son, the future ]. Henry V's own reign, which began in 1413, was largely free from domestic strife, leaving the king free to pursue the Hundred Years' War in France. Henry V was victorious in his conquest; however, his sudden death in 1422 left his infant son ] on the Throne, and gave the French an opportunity to overthrow English rule. The unpopularity of Henry's regents, and afterwards, Henry's own ineffectual leadership, led to the weakening of the House of Lancaster. The Lancastrians faced a challenge from the House of York, so called because its head, a descendant of Edward III, was ]. Although the Duke of York died in battle in 1460, his eldest son ] led the Yorkists to victory in 1461. The ], nevertheless, continued intermittently during the reigns of the Yorkists Edward IV, ], and ]. Ultimately, the conflict culminated in success for the Lancastrian branch, led by ] (Henry VII), in 1485, when Richard III was killed in the ].

	] was made in approximately 1588 to commemorate the defeat of the ] (depicted in the background).]]

	The end of the Wars of the Roses formed a major turning point in the history of the monarchy. Much of the nobility was either decimated on the battlefield or executed for participation in the war, and many aristocratic estates were lost to the Crown. Moreover, feudalism was dying, and the feudal armies controlled by the barons became obsolete. Hence, the Tudor monarchs easily re-established absolute supremacy in the realm, and the conflicts with the nobility that had plagued previous monarchs came to an end. The power of the Crown reached its zenith during the reign of the second Tudor king, ]. Henry VIII's reign was one of great political change; England was transformed from a weak kingdom into one of the powers of Europe. Religious upheaval also occurred, as disputes with the ] led the monarch to break away from the ] and to establish the ] (the Anglican Church). Another important result of Henry VIII's reign was the annexation of Wales (which had been conquered centuries earlier, but had remained a separate dominion) to England under the ].

	Henry VIII's son and successor, the young ], continued with further religious reforms. Edward VI died in 1553, precipitating a succession crisis. He was wary of allowing his Catholic elder half-sister ] to succeed to the Throne, and therefore drew up a will designating the ] as his heiress, even though no woman had ever reigned over England. Jane's reign, however, lasted only nine days; with tremendous popular support, Mary deposed her, revoked her proclamation as Queen, and declared herself the lawful Sovereign. Mary I attempted to return England to Roman Catholicism, in the process burning numerous Protestants at the stake as heretics. Mary I died in 1558, succeeded by her half-sister ], who returned England to Protestantism.

	===Scottish monarchy===
	In Scotland, as in England, monarchies emerged after the withdrawal of Rome in the early fifth century. The three groups that lived in Scotland at this time were the ] (who inhabited the kingdom of ]), the ] (who lived in several kingdoms in southern Scotland, including the ]), and the ]s, or ] (who would later give their name to Scotland), of the Irish province of ]. ] is traditionally viewed as the founder of united Scotland (or ]). The expansion of Scottish dominions continued over the next two centuries, as other territories such as Strathclyde were subjugated or obtained through dynastic marriage.

	Early Scottish monarchs did not inherit the Crown directly; instead the custom of alternating segments was followed, as in ] and previously among the Picts. The monarchy alternated between two, sometimes three, branches of the House of Alpín. As a result, however, the rival dynastic lines clashed, often violently. The problems relating to succession were especially illustrated by the period from 942 to 1005, during which seven consecutive monarchs were either murdered or killed in battle. The rotation of the monarchy between different lines was abandoned after ] ascended the throne in 1005 having killed many rivals. Thus, when ] succeeded Máel Coluim II in 1034, he did so as ], with no opposition.

	In 1040, Donnchad suffered defeat in battle at the hands of ], the subject of ]'s infamous play ('']''). Later, in 1057, Donnchad's son ] avenged his father's death by defeating and killing Macbeth. The following year, after the murder of Macbeth's step-son ] on ] ], Máel Coluim ascended the throne as Máel Coluim III, becoming the first monarch of the ].

	From 1107 Scotland was briefly partitioned under the will of ], who divided his dominions between his eldest surviving brother ] (who ruled northern Scotland as a king) and his younger brother ] (who ruled southern Scotland as an earl). After Alexander's death in 1124, David inherited his dominions, and Scotland became unified once more. David was succeeded by the ineffective ], and then by ], the longest-reigning King of Scots before the ]. William participated in a rebellion against King Henry II of England; however, the rebellion failed, and William was captured by the English. In exchange for his release, William was forced to acknowledge Henry as his feudal overlord. The English King Richard I agreed to terminate the arrangement in 1189, in return for a large sum of money needed for the Crusades. William died in 1214, and was succeeded by his son ]. Alexander II, as well as his successor ], attempted to take over the Western Isles, which were still under the overlordship of Norway. During the reign of Alexander III, Norway launched an unsuccessful invasion of Scotland; the ensuing ] recognised Scottish control of the Western Isles and other disputed areas.

	Alexander III's death in 1286 brought his three year-old Norwegian granddaughter ] to the throne. On her way to Scotland in 1290, however, Margaret died at sea, precipitating a major succession crisis, during which there were ]. Several Scottish leaders appealed to King Edward I of England to settle the dispute. A court was set up with the Balliol and Bruce "factions" each nominating "assessors". Contrary to popular opinion, Edward did not choose ] to be king. Balliol won the overwhelming support of the majority of assessors. However, Edward proceeded to treat Balliol as a vassal, and tried to exert considerable influence over Scottish affairs. In 1295, when Balliol renounced his allegiance to England, Edward I invaded and conquered Scotland. During the first ten years of the ensuing ], Scotland had no monarch present; however, it was informally led by ]. After Wallace's judicial murder in 1305, ] took over and declared himself king. Robert's efforts culminated in success, and Scottish independence was acknowledged in 1328. However, only one year later, Robert died, and the English again invaded under the pretext of restoring John Balliol's rightful heir, ], to the throne. Nonetheless, during further military campaigns, Scotland once again won its independence under Robert the Bruce's son ].

	In 1371, David II was succeeded by ], the first Scottish monarch from the ] (later Stuart). The reigns of both Robert II and his successor, ], were marked by a general decline in royal power. When Robert III died in 1406, regents had to rule the country; the monarch, Robert III's son ], had been taken captive by the English. Having paid a large ransom, James returned to Scotland in 1424; in order to restore his authority, he used ruthless measures, including the execution of several of his enemies. ] continued his father's policies by subduing influential noblemen. At the same time, however, the ] (the Scottish Parliament) became increasingly powerful, often openly defying the King. Parliamentary power reached its zenith during the reign of the ineffective ]. As a result, ] and his successors tended to avoid calling parliamentary sessions, thereby checking the power of the Estates.

	In 1513, James IV launched an invasion of England, attempting to take advantage of the absence of the English King Henry VIII. His forces met with disaster at ]; the King, many senior noblemen, and over ten thousand soldiers were killed. As James IV's son and successor, ], was an infant, the government was taken over by regents. After he reached adulthood, James ruled successfully until another disastrous war with the English in 1542. James's death in the same year left the Crown in the hands of his six-day-old daughter, ]; once again, a regency was established. Mary, a Roman Catholic, reigned during a period of great religious upheaval in Scotland. Due to the efforts of reformers such as ], a Protestant ascendancy was established. Mary caused considerable alarm by marrying a fellow Catholic, ], in 1565. After Lord Darnley's assassination in 1567, Mary contracted an even more unpopular marriage with the ], who was widely suspected of Darnley's murder. The nobility rebelled against the Queen, forcing her to abdicate and to flee to England (where she was imprisoned and later executed by Elizabeth I). The Crown went to her infant son ], who was brought up as a Protestant. James VI would later become King of England upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I.

	===Personal Union and republican phase===
	]

	Elizabeth's death in 1603 brought about the end of the rule of the House of Tudor. She had no children, and was succeeded by the Scottish monarch ], whose maternal great-grandmother was ]'s older sister. James VI ruled in England as James I after what was known as the "]". Although England and Scotland were in ] under one monarch - James I became the first monarch to style himself "King of Great Britain" in 1604<ref>{{cite web \| url = http://www.heraldica.org/topics/britain/britstyles.htm#1604 \| title = Royal Arms, Styles, and Titles of Great Britain: Westminster, 20 Oct 1604. \| accessmonthday = August 31 \| accessyear = 2006 \| first = François \| last = Velde \| work = Heraldica\|date = 2006-07-12}}</ref> - they remained separate kingdoms. James belonged to the ], a royal house whose monarchs experienced frequent conflicts with the English Parliament. The disputes frequently related to the issue of royal and parliamentary powers, especially the power to impose taxes. The conflict was especially pronounced during the reign of James I's successor ], who provoked opposition by ruling without Parliament from 1629 to 1640 (the "]"), unilaterally levying taxes, and adopting controversial religious policies (many of which were offensive to the Scottish ] and the English ]). In about 1642, the conflict between King and Parliament reached its climax as the ] began. The war culminated in the execution of the king, the overthrow of the monarchy, and the establishment of a ] known as the ]. In 1653 ], the most prominent military and political leader in the nation, seized power and declared himself ] (effectively becoming a military dictator). Cromwell ruled until his death in 1658, when he was succeeded by his son ]. The new Lord Protector had little interest in governing; he soon abdicated, allowing the brief re-establishment of the Commonwealth. The lack of clear leadership led to civil and military unrest, and for a popular desire to restore the monarchy. The ] came about in 1660, when Charles I's son ] was declared king. The establishment of the Commonwealth and Protectorate was deemed illegal; Charles II was declared to have been the ''de jure'' king since his father's death in 1649.

	Charles II's reign was marked by the development of the first modern political parties in England. Charles had no legitimate children, and was due to be succeeded by his Roman Catholic brother, ]. There arose a parliamentary effort to exclude James from the line of succession; the "Abhorrers," who opposed it, became the Tory Party, whereas the "Petitioners," who supported it, became the Whig Party. The Exclusion Bill, however, failed; on several occasions, Charles II dissolved Parliament because he feared that the bill might pass. After the dissolution of the Parliament of 1681, Charles ruled as an absolute monarch until his death in 1685. The Catholic James II accordingly succeeded Charles (who himself converted to Catholicism on his deathbed). James pursued policy of offering religious tolerance to Roman Catholics, thereby drawing the ire of many of his Protestant subjects. Many opposed James's decisions to maintain a large standing army, to appoint Roman Catholics to high political and military offices, and to imprison Church of England clerics who challenged his policies (see ]). As a result, a group of Protestant nobles and other notable citizens known as the ] invited James II's daughter ] and her husband ] to depose the king. William obliged, arriving in England on ] ] to great public support. Faced with the defection of many of his Protestant officials, James fled the realm on ] of the same year. On ] ], the ] declared that James's flight constituted an abdication, and that William III and Mary II (not James II's Catholic son ]) were joint Sovereigns of England and Ireland. The Scottish Estates soon followed suit.

	James's overthrow is normally known as the ], and was one of the most important events in the long evolution of parliamentary power. The ] affirmed parliamentary supremacy, and declared that the English people held certain rights, including the freedom from taxes imposed without parliamentary consent. The Bill of Rights also required future monarchs to be Protestants, and provided that, after any children of William and Mary, Mary's sister ] would inherit the Crown. Mary died childless in 1694, leaving William as the sole monarch. By 1700, a political crisis arose, as all of the Princess Anne's children had died, leaving Anne as the only individual left in the line of succession. Parliament, afraid that the former James II or his Roman Catholic relatives might attempt to reclaim the Throne, passed the ], which placed William's distant Protestant cousin ], in the line of succession. Soon after the passage of the Act, William III died, leaving the Crown to his sister-in-law Anne.

	===After the 1707 Acts of Union===
	]
	After Anne's accession, the succession issue quickly re-emerged. The Scottish Estates, infuriated that the English Parliament did not consult them on the choice of Sophia of Hanover, passed the ], threatening to end the personal union between England and Scotland. The Parliament of England retaliated with the ], threatening to devastate the Scottish economy by cutting free trade. As a result, the Scottish Estates acquiesced to the ], under which England and Scotland were united into a single Kingdom of Great Britain, with succession under the rules prescribed by the Act of Settlement.

	In 1714 Queen Anne was succeeded by the son of the deceased Sophia of Hanover, ], who consolidated his position by defeating ] rebellions in 1715 and 1719. The new monarch was much less active in government than many of his predecessors, preferring to devote much of his time to the affairs of his German kingdoms. Instead, George left much of his power to his ministers, especially to ], who is often considered the first (unofficial) ]. The decline of the influence of the monarch and the rise of the power of the Prime Minister and ] continued during the reign of the next monarch, ], but was halted during that of ]. George III attempted to recover much of the power given up by his Hanoverian predecessors; he also acted to keep the Tories (who favoured royal control in government more than the Whigs) in power whenever possible. George III's reign was also important because of the union of Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom under the ]. At the same time, George III dropped the claim to the French Throne, which had been nominally made by all English monarchs since ].

	]

	From 1811 to 1820 George III was insane, forcing his son, the future ], to rule as Prince Regent. During the Regency and his own reign, George IV continued to maintain what remained of royal authority, instead of ceding it to Parliament and the Cabinet. His successor, ], attempted to do the same, but met with much less success. In 1834, William dismissed the Whig Prime Minister, ], over policy differences, and instead appointed a Tory, ]. In the ensuing elections, however, the Whigs maintained a large majority in the House of Commons; they forced Peel to resign by blocking most of his legislation, thus leaving the King with no choice but to recall Lord Melbourne. Since 1834, no monarch has appointed or dismissed a Prime Minister contrary to the will of the House of Commons. William IV's reign was also marked by the passage of the ], which reformed parliamentary representation and abolished many ]s. Together with others passed later in the century that act led to an expansion of the electoral franchise, and the rise of the House of Commons as the most important branch of Parliament.

	The final transition to a constitutional monarchy was made during the long reign of William IV's successor, ]. As a woman, Victoria could not rule ], so the personal union of the United Kingdom and Hanover came to an end. The ] was an historic one for the United Kingdom, and was marked by great cultural change, technological progress, and the establishment of the United Kingdom as one of the world's foremost powers. In recognition of British rule over India, Victoria was declared ] in 1876. However, the reign was also marked by increased support for the ], due in part to Victoria's permanent mourning and lengthy period of seclusion following the death of her husband in 1861.

	Victoria's son, ], became the first monarch of the ] in 1901. In 1917 the next monarch, ], replaced "Saxe-Coburg-Gotha" with "Windsor" due to the anti-German sympathies aroused by the ]. George V's reign was marked by the separation of Ireland into Northern Ireland, which remained a part of the United Kingdom, and the ], an independent nation, in 1922.

	===Monarchy in Ireland===
	In the 12th century the only ] pope, ], gave a papal bull authorizing King ] to take possession of Ireland. This was because ] at the time was not closely following the practices of the ], and was thereby accused of heretical beliefs. So the pope wanted the English monarch to annex Ireland and bring the Irish church into line with the Catholic Church. The pope granted Ireland to the king of England as a feudal territory nominally under papal overlordship.

	Around 1170 King ] of ] was deposed and his country taken by his arch-enemy King ] of Connaught. Dermot escaped to England and asked Henry for help. Henry refused but agreed to allow him to use a group of Anglo-Norman aristocrats and adventurers, led by ], the earl of Pembroke, to help him regain his throne. Dermot and his Anglo-Norman allies succeeded and he became King of Leinster again. As a reward Dermot let de Clare marry his daughter. Because of this when Dermot died in 1171 de Clare inherited his throne and became King of Leinster. This made Henry afraid that de Clare would make Ireland a rival Norman state or a place of refuge for Anglo-Saxons, so he took advantage of the papal bull giving him possession of Ireland and went to the island with his English armies and forced de Clare and the other Anglo-Norman aristocrats in Ireland and some of the Gaelic Irish chieftains to recognize him as their overlord. Henry was thus ] under nominal papal overlordship.

	This remained the status of Ireland until 1541. By then King Henry VIII of England had broken with the Catholic Church and made England Protestant. This made the pope's granting of Ireland to the English monarch invalid. So he summoned a meeting of the Irish Parliament that year to change his title of sovereignty over the island. There his title was changed from Lord of Ireland to King of Ireland, thus making the island a kingdom in ] with the kingdom of England.

	Ireland continued to have this status until 1800, when the Act of Union merged the kingdom of Great Britain and the kingdom of Ireland into the ]. Ireland continued to be an integral part of the United Kingdom until 1922, when what is now the ] won independence as the ]. Ireland was a separate kingdom with the same monarch as Great Britain in a personal union from its independence in 1922 until 1949, when the Free State became a republic and severed all ties with the monarchy, while ] remained within the Union, thus creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

	===After the Empire===
	]
	Between the ] of 1926 and the passage of the '']'' in 1931 the unitary British Crown that operated over the entire empire was replaced by separate Crowns for each Dominion. Thus, the institution of the monarchy ceased to be exclusively British, the particular British monarchy existing only within the Crown's British jurisdiction, the UK. Reflecting this, while the George VI was one person, he was separately King of the United Kingdom, ], ], and so forth. This "division" was enhanced with the subsequent patriation of each Realm's constitution from the UK over the ensuing decades.

	Formerly every member of the ] was a ]. However, when ] became a republic in 1950, it was decided that it should be permitted to remain in the Commonwealth, even though it would no longer share a common monarch with the other Commonwealth Realms. It was nevertheless decided that the British monarch would be acknowledged as "]" in all Commonwealth member states, whether realms or not. The position is purely ceremonial.

	] was the longest in the history of the United Kingdom.]]
	George V's death in 1936 was followed by the accession of the celebrated ], who caused a public scandal by announcing his desire to marry a divorced American woman, ], even though the Church of England opposed the remarriage of divorcées. Accordingly, Edward announced his intention to ]; the Parliaments of the United Kingdom and of other Commonwealth realms granted his request. Edward VIII and any children by his new wife were excluded from the line of succession, and the Crown went to his brother, ].

	The new monarch served as a rallying figure for the British people during the ], making morale-boosting visits to the troops as well as to munitions factories and to areas bombed by ]. George VI was the last British monarch to hold the title "Emperor of India," a title relinquished when India became independent in 1947.

	George VI's death in 1952 was followed by the accession of the present monarch, ]. Like her recent predecessors, Elizabeth II continues to function as a constitutional monarch. During her reign, there has been some support for the republican movement, especially due to negative publicity associated with the Royal Family (for instance, the divorce of ] and ]). Nevertheless, a large majority of the British public supports the continuation of the monarchy.

	==Residences==
	]
	]
	The Sovereign's primary official residence is ] in the ]. It is the site of most state banquets, investitures, royal christenings and other ceremonies. Visiting heads of state usually stay in Buckingham Palace. Another principal residence is ], the largest occupied castle in the world. It is used principally as a weekend retreat; the monarch also resides there during the ], an annual race meeting that forms a major part of the ]. The Sovereign's principal official residence in Scotland is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, more commonly called ], in ]. The monarch stays at Holyrood Palace for at least one week each year, and when visiting Scotland on state occasions.

	There are other palaces not used as residences by the monarch. The ] was the Sovereign's primary residence until 1530; although it is still officially a royal palace, it is the home of both Houses of Parliament. Thereafter the Sovereign's principal London residence was the ], which was destroyed by fire in 1698, to be replaced by ]. Although replaced as the monarch's primary residence by Buckingham Palace in 1837, St James's is still used for various official functions. For example, foreign ambassadors are accredited to the ], and the Palace is the site of the meeting of the ]. It is not one of the Sovereign's official residences: it is used by other members of the Royal Family. Other residences used by the Royal Family include ], the home of the heir-apparent, ], and ].

	The aforementioned residences belong to the Crown; they are held in trust for future rulers, and cannot be sold by the monarch. The also monarch also owns homes in a private capacity: ] in ], is typically used from ] to the end of January; during parts of August and September the monarch resides in ] in ] in Scotland.

	==Style==
	{{Main\|Style of the British Sovereign}}

	The present Sovereign's full style and title is: '''Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.''' The title '']'' is held by the Queen personally, and is not vested in the British Crown. (However, her father, ], was also recognised as such.) ] first granted the title '']'' to King Henry VIII in 1521, rewarding him for his support of the Papacy during the early years of the ], particularly for his book the ]. Henry VIII later broke from the Roman Catholic Church and established the Church of England; ] revoked the grant, but Parliament passed a law authorising its continued use.

	The Sovereign is known as "His Majesty" or "Her Majesty": in certain formal circumstances, "Most Gracious Majesty" or "Most Excellent Majesty" is used. The form "Britannic Majesty" appears in international treaties and on passports to differentiate the British monarch from foreign rulers. Queens Consort (wives of Kings) and Queens Dowager (widows of Kings) are entitled to the style "Majesty", but husbands of female monarchs are not. Thus the husband of the present Queen, the ], is styled ''Royal Highness''.

	The monarch chooses his or her ], not necessarily his or her first name - ], ] and ] did not use their first names.

	The ordinal used for the monarch takes into account only monarchs since the ]. If only one monarch has used a particular name, no ordinal is used; for example, Queen Victoria is not known as "Victoria I". After the Union of England and Scotland in 1707, numbering was based on previous English monarchs, not Scottish ones. In 1953 Scottish nationalists challenged the right of the Queen to style herself "Elizabeth II", on the grounds that there had never before been an "Elizabeth I" in Scotland. In '']'', the Scottish ] ruled against the plaintiffs, finding that the Queen's title was a matter of her own choice and prerogative. Nevertheless, it was announced that future monarchs would use the higher of the English and Scottish ordinals. Retroactively applying this policy yields no change in numbering.

	Traditionally, the signature of the monarch includes their regnal name but not ordinal, followed by the letter ''"]"'', which stands for ''rex'' or ''regina'' (] for "king" and "queen", respectively). The present monarch's signature is "Elizabeth R". From 1877 until 1948 reigning monarchs also added the letter ''"]"'' to their signatures, standing for ''imperator'' ("emperor" in Latin), due to their status as ]. Queen Victoria, for example, signed her name, "Victoria RI".

	==Arms of Dominion==
	]
	]
	{{Main\|Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom}}

	The ] used by the Sovereign, known as the ], are: ''Quarterly, I and IV Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or (for England); II Or a lion rampant within a double tressure flory-counter-flory Gules (for Scotland); III Azure a harp Or stringed Argent (for Ireland).'' The supporters are ]; the motto is '']'' (] for "God and my Right," which had been the personal motto of Henry VIII and has been the Sovereign's motto since his reign). Ireland is represented somewhat controversially, as most of the island is the independent ], not a part of the United Kingdom - only ], a sixth of the island, is part of the UK.

	In Scotland the monarch uses an alternative form of the Arms of Dominion in which quarters I and IV represent Scotland, II England, and III Ireland. The motto is ''Nemo me impune lacessit'' (] for "No-one provokes me with impunity"); the supporters are the unicorn and lion.

	The monarch's official flag in the United Kingdom is the ], and depicts the Arms of Dominion. (The Royal Standard used in Scotland depicts the Scottish version of the arms.) This flag is flown only from buildings, vessels and vehicles in which the Sovereign is present; elsewhere, the ] is flown. The Royal Standard is never flown at half-mast because there is always a sovereign: when one dies, his or her successor becomes the sovereign instantly.

	==Notes==
	{{reflist}}

	==See also==
	===Other realms===
	* ]

	===United Kingdom===
	* ]
	* ]
	* ] (a list of people)
	* ] (historical overview and current rules)
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]

	==External links==
	*


	{{British topics}}
	{{Commonwealth Realms}}
	{{Heads of state of the European Union Member states}}
	{{Europe heads of state}}
	{{Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom\|United Kingdom, Monarchy in}}
	{{featured article}}

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Revision as of 12:34, 3 April 2008