The British Royal Family
(Продолжение. Начало см. № 9,2014 г.)
The Queen's Style and Titles
The development of the royal style and titles can be traced back through a variety of changes reflecting historical events in the kingdoms of England and Scotland, in the union of those kingdoms in 1707, in the union with Ireland in 1801, and in the development of the Commonwealth. The Queen's title in the United Kingdom 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 form of the royal title is varied for the other member nations of the Commonwealth in which the Queen is head of State to suit the particular circumstances of each; all these forms include, however, the phrase "Head of the Commonwealth".
Succession
The title to the crown derives both from statute and from common law rules of descent. The English Act of Settlement 1700 laid down that only Protestant descendants of princess Sophia - a granddaughter of King James I (1603-1625) - are eligible to succeed. This was confirmed by the Union of Scotland Act 1707. Under the Statute of Westminster 1931, the succession can be altered only by common consent of all the members of the Commonwealth of which the Queen is Sovereign.
The sons of the Sovereign and their descendants have precedence over daughters in succeeding to the throne, but daughters take precedence over the descendants of the Sovereign's brothers. A daughter who succeeds to the throne becomes Queen Regnant and acquires the Crown's powers as though she were king. While the wife or consort of a king takes her husband's rank and style, the constitution has never given any special rank or privileges to the husband of a Queen Regnant. However, in practice he may be granted honours by the Crown and has traditionally played an important role in the life of the nation.
Accession
The Sovereign succeeds to the throne as soon as his or her predecessor dies and there is no interregnum. (The automatic succession is summed up in the phrases, "The King is dead; long live the King!"). He or she is at once proclaimed at an Accession Council to which all members of the Privy Council are summoned. Members of the House of Lords, the Lord Mayor and aldermen and other leading citizens of the City of London, and the High Commissioners in London of member states of the Commonwealth are also invited to attend. The duration of Parliament is not affected by the death of a monarch. Coronation
The Sovereign's coronation follows the accession, after an interval. It does not affect the legal powers of the Crown (King Edward VIII, for instance, was never crowned but reigned for nearly a year). It is a ceremony which has remained es-
sentially the same over a thousand years. It consists broadly of recognition and acceptance of the new monarch by the people; the taking by the monarch of an oath of royal duties; the celebration of holy Communion followed by anointing and crowning; and the rendering of homage by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal. The service used at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 was derived from that used at the coronation of King Edgar at Bath in 973.
The coronation service, customarily conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, takes place at Westminster Abbey in the presence of representatives of the Peers, the Commons and all the great interests in the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister and leading citizens of the Commonwealth countries, and representatives of other countries.
The Royal Family's Style and Titles
The first son of a reigning monarch is the Heir Apparent to the throne. He is by birth Duke of Cornwall in the peerage of England, and Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick and Baron of Renfrew of Scotland. He is also Lord of the Isles and Prince and Great Steward, or Seneschal, of Scotland. The titles Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester have usually been conferred on the sovereign's eldest son although in each case the titles are created. Prince Charles received the titles in 1958.
There is no style for an Heir or Heiress Presumptive - an individual who would succeed to the throne if the Sovereign had no son. Usually princes in that position are royal dukes. However, an Heiress Presumptive has no claim to the Duchy of Cornwall and cannot become Princess of Wales.
All the monarch's children are awarded the title Royal Highness, as are the children of the monarch's sons. The wives of Royal Highnesses also enjoy the title.
The House of Windsor
The present Royal Family belonged to the House of Saxo-Coburg and Gotha until 1917 when, in the circumstances of the First World War, it was considered appropriate for the King to have an English rather than a German name. It was therefore proclaimed that Queen Victoria's descendants in the male line would adopt the name Windsor. In 1952 Queen Elizabeth II declared that she and her children should be known as the House and Family of Windsor, and that her descendants - other than female descendants who married and their descendants - should bear the name of Windsor. In 1960 the Queen declared that those of her descendants through the male line who were not royal should bear the name Mountbatten-Windsor. However, she and her children would continue to be known as the House and Family of Windsor.
Regency
The law provides for a regent to be appointed to perform the royal functions if the monarch is totally incapacitated, unavailable, or under 18 on succeeding to the throne. The declaration that the monarch is incapable or unavailable must be made by at least three of the following: his or her consort, the Lord Chancellor, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Lord Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls - the last two are senior judges. The regency continues until a further declaration is made.
Regents may exercise almost all powers of a monarch. They may not, however, assent to a bill changing the order of succession to the throne or repealing the legislation securing the Scottish religion and church. If a regent were required at present it would be the Prince of Wales, and then those in succession to the throne who are of age.
The last occasion on which a regent was appointed was during the reign of King George III (1760-1820). The Prince Regent was then Prince of Wales who later became King George IV.
Counsellors of State
If the Queen is suffering from partial incapacity or is absent abroad for more than a few days she may appoint Counsellors of State. She may delegate certain functions in Britain, the dependencies, and other territories to them. Any two Counsellors of State may sign routine documents; they cannot, for example, dissolve Parliament - except on the Queen's express instructions - nor create peers.
At present Counsellors of State are appointed from among the following: the Duke of Edinburgh and the four adults next in succession.
The Queen's Representatives
The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of the United Kingdom, but have a special relationship with it because of their ancient connections with the Crown. In each the Queen is represented by a Lieutenant-Governor.
In each of the other Commonwealth countries of which the Queen is head of State, she is represented by a Governor-General. He or she is appointed by her on the advice of the ministers of the country concerned and is completely independent of the British Government. In British dependencies the Queen is represented by Governors, or in some cases by Commissioners, Administrators or Residents, who are responsible to the British Government for the government of the countries concerned.
The Monarchy and the Commonwealth
Queen Elizabeth II is not only Queen of Britain and its dependencies but also of the following: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Solomon Islands, and Tivalu.
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Сведения об авторах: Артемова Анна Федоровна, д-р филолог. наук, профессор, зав. кафедрой теории и практики перевода, Пятигорский государственный лингвистический университет.
Леонович Олег Анатольевич, канд. филолог. наук, профессор кафедры теории и практики перевода, Пятигорский государственный лингвистический университет.
E-mail: leonarte@yandex.ru
Ключевые слова: British royal family, royal style and title, succession, accession, coronation.
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