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Read the texts about the British Queen for more information about Great Britain.

'By the sudden death of my dear father I am called upon to assume the duties and responsibility of sovereignty. '

These were the words of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in her simple yet moving Accession Speech of 8 February 1952, just 36 hours after she had learnt that her father King George VI had died in his sleep. So, at the age of 25, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the first child of Prince Albert and Elizabeth, Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) became the forty-second sovereign of England since William the Conqueror, yet only its sixth Queen Regnant.

 

The Queen's Working Day

When The Queen is in residence at Buckingham Palace, every day is a working day, both for her and for the Duke of Edinburgh. They meet for a quick breakfast at half-past eight when they will discuss each other's daily programme but, unless they have joint engagements, they frequently do not see each other again until late evening. By 9.30 am Her Majesty is at her desk ready to start the day's routine.

A digest of the day's newspapers will have been prepared for her by the Press Secretary with items of particular interest marked or cut out. When Parliament is sit­ting, a report on the previous day's proceedings will have been delivered by the Vice-Chamberlain of the Household.

One of Her Majesty's three Private Secretaries will then arrive with the morning's post. Letters from children are usually passed to one of the ladies-in-waiting for a reply and certain official correspondence may be sent on to the appropriate government department for action. But there are always plenty that require her own attention. Another frequent duty of The Queen is the sending of around 2,000 centenary telemessages each year to people who reach their hundredth birthday.

Throughout the working day a number of visitors will call ranging from incom­ing or outgoing diplomats to Her Majesty's dressmakers, who may arrive to discuss the wardrobe for a forthcoming overseas tour.

Once a month a meeting of the Privy Council is held in order that the Royal Assent may be given to various items of government legislation. At the end of the morning Her Majesty usually lunches alone and then in the afternoon she will often have an engagement in the London area. On her return she may well hold important domestic discussions with the Master of the Household, for Her Majesty is not only the Sovereign but also mistress of the house – the largest house in the country. Towards the end of the day there is always another pile of official papers, government documents and reports to be read, initialed or acted upon.

 

ROYAL TRAVEL

The Queen has occupied the throne for over 40 years and has travelled more widely than any other British monarch. Every year she undertakes at least two major overseas State Visits, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, with shorter official tours in between, such as visiting Normandy in 1994 for the fiftieth anniversary of the D-Day landings.



Her Majesty (HM) has made great use of the Royal Yacht Britannia, which was launched by her in 1953, the year of the coronation, and which has since travelled over 1,000,000 miles. Britannia has served as a royal residence and a setting for official entertainment by The Queen and members of the Royal Family, and has also been used for the promotion of British commercial interests overseas.

The Royal Yacht has the distinction of being the last ship in the Royal Navy whose sailors slept in hammocks. In June 1994 it was announced that HM Yacht Britannia would be de-commissioned in 1997 in view of her age and the expense of maintaining her. She is the second oldest ship in the Royal Navy, only Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory, being older.The role of The Queen's Flight is to provide air transport for The Queen, members of the Royal Family and certain senior government ministers. It consists of three BAe 146 medium-range jet aircraft and two Wessex helicopters.

Whenever the Queen or any other member of the Royal Family travels on land, either by road or rail, the arrange­ments are made by the Crown Equerry, whose office is located in the Royal Mews. The Crown Equerry is responsi­ble for the 30 horses used in State processions and which are kept in the royal stables, as well as for the magnificent collection of State coaches and carriages. He also looks after the five Rolls-Royce limousines kept in the Mews. Whenever Her Majesty is travelling in one of her official cars a solid-silver mascot depicting St George and the Dragon is fixed to the limousine bonnet.

A favourite method of travel for all the Royal Family is the Royal Train which is owned and operated by British Rail. Prince Charles designed part of the interior of his quarters and the Duke of Edinburgh frequently uses the train for business meetings for one of his many organizations. All royal journeys are charged to the Privy Purse (The Queen's treasury) who reimburse British Rail for every mile travelled.


Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1211


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