Buckingham Palace has prepared a secret plan in case of the Queen's death. The record-breaking kings who sat on the throne the longest The English monarch died in 1952
Queen Elizabeth II on her 85th birthday (photo: TT)
No matter how sad it may sound, but Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions Overseas Queen, Defender of the Faith cannot live forever.
Since her ascension to the throne in 1952, Queen Elizabeth II has seen 12 British prime ministers and outlived 12 US presidents. Now she is 88 years old. At some point, hopefully not soon, the reign of Queen Elizabeth II will come to an end.
But what happens next?
For at least 12 days (death, funeral and wake) Britain will stop. This will cost the state billions in losses in the economy. Stock markets and banks will close indefinitely.
The funeral and the subsequent coronation of the first heir will be officially declared holidays, each of which will be a powerful blow to the UK's GDP, not to mention organizational costs.
The grief that gripped the inhabitants of Britain in 1997 was dubbed by journalists as the “Princess Diana Syndrome” (photo: telegraph.co.uk) National mourning for the Queen will be a shock that Britain has not seen in the last 70 years. There will be both trivial events (the BBC will cancel all comedy shows, for example) and events of cultural significance (Prince Charles will be able to change his name, and the lyrics of the national anthem will be amended).
The death of the Queen Mother and the death of Princess Diana at one time caused waves of public hysteria. But the death of the first person in British society for many decades will be a real tsunami.
The vast majority of Britons simply cannot imagine their life without Queen Elizabeth II.
It will be a strange, vague period of time.
The first hours after the Queen's death
Buckingham Castle (photo: travellingandfood.com) Much depends on the cause of the queen's death. If they are predictable (prolonged illness, for example), then a detailed plan of action and an official statement will be prepared in advance. But if it happens unexpectedly, as in the case of Princess Diana, then the course of events can easily get out of hand.
In any case, most employees of Buckingham Palace and related institutions will be sent home immediately. The Crown Court has a list of instructions for employees in this case.
It is assumed that the news of the Queen's death will be distributed through the main British television channels. All BBC feeds will show one live broadcast. Independent TV channels will not be required to interrupt their regular broadcasts, but they will certainly do so.
The Air Force had to come to a conclusion after being caught off guard in 2002 by the news of the death of the Queen Mother. Host Peter Sissons was subsequently heavily criticized for delivering the mourning tidings while wearing a red tie. Since then, the Air Force wardrobe has always had black ties and suits ready to be worn at any time.
BBC TV presenters regularly go through "drills" in which they are suddenly asked to make harsh, deliberately false statements. These recordings, of course, are not broadcast anywhere.
BBC History Video: News of the death of the Queen Mother, 2002
All entertainment programs will be canceled
The last death of a British monarch occurred in 1952. For the period of mourning, the BBC has suspended all entertainment programs and is ready to do the same at any time.
CNN already has a series of documentaries from the Queen's life ready to go on the air immediately, especially on the occasion of mourning.
If the Queen's death is announced in working time, then the London Stock Exchange is likely to close immediately.
The mournful message will have to be voiced by the Department of Culture (although it is not excluded that it will come directly from Buckingham Palace). The international reaction and flow of condolences is still hard to predict.
Whatever happens formally, on the day of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the whole of Great Britain will be in shock and will in fact cease to function as a state.
Brief resurrection of the British Empire
Half-mast flag of Great Britain. Buckingham Palace, death of Margaret Thatcher, 2013 (photo: stuff.co.nz) Given the international position of the queen, the news of the royal death is likely to be the number one news in the world. Great Britain has its representations in every corner the globe, and not only through consulates, but also thanks to the former colonies and Commonwealth countries, which informally, but swear allegiance to the British crown. The British Empire once covered a quarter of the earth's landmass and the death of the Queen will be a brief surreal period when the British can once again feel like part of the empire thanks to the attention of absolutely all their former subjects.
Of course, the national flag will be flown at half mast in all British consulates and the reception of citizens will be cancelled. Officials will dress and behave according to the procedures during the period of national mourning. Visitors will be able to leave their words of condolences in special books.
But there is still a lot of uncertainty as to what will actually happen. In the 60 years that have passed since the last death of the British monarch, society has changed dramatically.
Behind closed doors in the palace
Royal Chapel at St. James's Palace (photo: dailymail.co.uk) After the majority of Buckingham Palace staff have gone home and local tourist attractions have closed to the public, a meeting of the Accession Council will be held at St James's Palace, at which, in the absence of unforeseen circumstances, the name of the Queen's successor, Prince Charles, will be announced. The meeting will be attended by members of the Privy Council, the Lords, the Mayor of London and the High Commissioners of some Commonwealth countries.
At the council, the new monarch (presumably Charles) will utter the words of the oath of allegiance to Parliament and the Church of England. He will also become the new Supreme Governor of the Church (Catholics cannot take the throne). At the end of the oath, the council will make a "Proclamation of Accession", after which Britain will officially have a new monarch.
Prince Charles may change his name
Charles, Prince of Wales (photo: onenewspage.com) It is also worth paying attention to the possibility of Prince Charles giving up the crown in favor of his son, Prince William, by changing his own name, which has been repeatedly discussed in the media.
Such a bold but thoughtless move could well lead to a constitutional crisis in the UK. But, most likely, this will not happen. Yes, and Prince William himself has repeatedly stated the unacceptability of the transfer of the crown in this way. William will simply become the new Prince of Wales (his father's current title).
Prince Charles will not necessarily become "King Charles". Upon ascension to the throne, members of the royal family may choose a "throne name" from any of their Christian middle names. Thus, Prince Charles Philip Arthur George may take the name "King Philip", "King Arthur" or "King George".
Farewell to the queen
Farewell to the Queen Mother, 2001 (photo: zimbio.com) While discussions continue, the Queen's coffin will be prepared for public access so that those who wish can pay their respects.
The deceased queen will lie in Westminster Hall. Upon the arrival of the coffin, a short ceremony will take place, after which the public will be able to say goodbye to the queen and pay her respects. Access to the farewell hall will be open only for one hour a day.
When the Queen Mother's coffin lay in Westminster Hall, her grandchildren stood guard at the coffin for some time. This ritual is called the Vigil of the Princes. Something similar happened during the farewell to King George V. Although the “Vigil of the Princes” is not an official part of the ceremony, it is more likely to be included in the farewell program for Queen Elizabeth II.
Prince Charles at the funeral of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, 2002 (photo: telegraph.co.uk) More than 200,000 members of the public honored the memory of the Queen Mother with their presence. The scale of mourning for Elizabeth II will easily overshadow these figures.
The period of farewell to the queen will be a massive hysterical outpouring of grief. It will not be a gloomy moment of silence - it will be a blow to the psyche of the nation. When Princess Diana died, hundreds of thousands of people came to Buckingham Palace to lay flowers. According to some estimates, the number of bouquets exceeded a million.
At least 20 million entries will appear in condolence books. The lines to them will stretch for hours and kilometers. On the streets, people will become visible, losing touch with reality. Store owners will be forced to close their premises to avoid incurring the wrath of the grieving crowd.
Queen's funeral
Princess Diana's coffin (photo: Daily Mail) The body of Elizabeth II will lie in Westminster Hall until the day of the funeral. The Daily Mail believes that they will take place 12 days after the Queen's death.
It will probably be the largest funeral of all time. Most world leaders will honor the Queen's memory with their presence.
On the day of Princess Diana's funeral, more than a million people lined the route of the funeral procession and 30 million Britons watched the funeral on TV. Worldwide, the audience totaled 2.5 billion viewers.
The ceremony at Westminster Abbey will be officiated by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the second most senior figure in the Church of England after the monarch.
Television audience of mourning ceremonies
Queen's final resting place
If Elizabeth II has already decided on the place of her rest, then in this case it is either the Sandrigem estate or Balmoral Castle in Scotland. These two places are remarkable in that they belong to the queen personally, and not to the palace.
The queen is at rest, the new king is on the throne. It's all? Of course not
Coin with the image of Queen Elizabeth II sample 2015 (photo: gmanetwork.com) In the days, weeks and months following the funeral, a lot of changes will take place in the country.
New coins will immediately begin to be minted, for which the British Mint already has the corresponding blanks with a portrait of Charles. Of course, it will not be possible to replace the entire supply of currency overnight, but within a few years it will certainly happen.
The British national anthem "God Save the Queen" will be replaced by "God Save the King".
There will be a new inscription on police helmets. They currently contain the Queen's initials. In addition, an update of military symbols will be required.
British police helmets will get new royal symbols (photo: telegraph.co.uk) All Britons will have to change their passport as it contains lines mentioning Her Majesty.
Postage stamps with the image of the Queen will be out of circulation.
These changes actually mean more than meets the eye. When Elizabeth II was crowned, her number on the throne - II - caused discontent among the Scots, since Elizabeth I never ruled Scotland.
After the traces of the reign of Elizabeth II are gradually erased, the queen will be immortalized in monuments. The fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square is currently home to temporary statues and works of art, but former London mayor Ken Livingston has repeatedly said that the plinth is reserved for Queen Elizabeth II.
How will it all end for the Commonwealth?
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is a staunch monarchist (photo: 2gb.com) The death of the Queen will no doubt have far more profound consequences than new postage stamps. However, it is quite possible that it will spell the end for the Commonwealth as we now know it.
The Commonwealth is an organization of 53 countries where the British monarch is officially head of state, including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand, and Barbados. These are the remnants of the British Empire, which in the modern world has remained in the form of trade and political relations between the former British colonies. Many of these countries became part of the British Empire against their will, and almost all of them have long since declared their independence.
The death of Elizabeth II may be a reason for some Commonwealth countries to end their alliance with England once and for all.
Another supporter of the monarchy, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (photo: citynews.ca) Australia, for example, in 1999 held a referendum on the republican status of the state. Ultimately, the Republicans won 45% of the vote. Australian support for the monarchy may have come from a personal attachment to the queen herself, but if there is no object of adoration, then a decision to part ways can easily arise.
The exit of the Commonwealth countries from the union with England also largely depends on the time period of the death of the queen. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper are staunch monarchists and do their best to suppress any manifestations of republicanism before their very eyes. But if the queen leaves this world after the aforementioned prime ministers leave their seats, then the resurgent Republicans may find a more receptive audience.
Republican UK?
Depending on the manner in which Charles ruled, the Republicans could also become more active in Britain. But there is still no chance that the UK will become a republic in the foreseeable future. Support for the monarch is deeply rooted in the psyche of the people: 66% of respondents see their state as a monarchy, and only 17% choose a republic.
Long time to live!
On September 9, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II will break the record set by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria to become the longest-lived British monarch of all time!
Queen Elizabeth II is the world's oldest reigning monarch (photo: Wikimedia) (Bird in Flight publishes a fragmentary retelling of the article - the original can be read at The Guardian.)
Most of the plans for dealing with the death of the British Queen - and Buckingham Palace has such plans, and the government, and the BBC - assume that Her Majesty will die after a short illness. All her family and doctors will be there at this moment. When the Queen Mother left this world at noon on Easter Sunday 2002 at her home in Windsor, she had time to call all her friends and even give away some of her horses.
This time for last days The Queen's senior physician, gastroenterologist Professor Hugh Thomas, will be in charge. He will look after the patient, control access to the room, and also decide what information to make public.
Of course, there will be reports on the queen's condition - not much, but enough. “Queen Victoria is in severe physical pain along with symptoms of great concern,” announced the royal physician, James Read, two days before her death in 1901. "The life of the king is moving peacefully towards its decline" was the last message of Dr. George V Lord Dawson on January 20, 1936. Immediately after this, Dawson injected the king with 750 milligrams of morphine and a gram of cocaine (a dose that could kill him twice) to alleviate the monarch's suffering, as well as to accurately record the time of death and give The Times newspaper the opportunity to print the news by the next morning.
Her eyes will close and Charles will become king. His brothers and sisters will kiss his hand. First official The one who hears the news will be Sir Christopher Gade, the Queen's private secretary.
Gade will call the prime minister. 65 years ago, when the last time the monarch (George VI) died, a message about his death was transmitted to Buckingham Palace under the code phrase "Hyde Park Corner" in order to avoid leaking information. For Elizabeth II, what will happen is called "London Bridge". The Prime Minister will be woken up and the secret line official will utter only one phrase: "London Bridge has collapsed." From the Foreign Office's Global Response Center, whose location is highly classified, the sad news will be sent to 15 countries outside Britain, where the Queen is also head of state, and 36 Commonwealth countries, for which she has served as a symbolic figure for decades.
The Prime Minister will be woken up and the secret line official will utter only one phrase: "London Bridge has collapsed."
For some time, the news of her death will be available only to the narrowest circles and gradually, like the waves of an earthquake, it will spread wider and wider. First, governors general, ambassadors and prime ministers will learn about it. Cupboards will be opened and taken out to prepare, mourning sleeves exactly three and a quarter inches wide.
The rest of us learn about death much earlier than in the past. On the morning of February 6, 1952, the body of George VI was discovered at 7:30 am. The BBC announced his death only four hours later. When Princess Diana died in a Paris hospital, journalists who accompanied Foreign Minister Robin Cook on his visit to the Philippines found out about the incident 15 minutes later. For many years, the BBC was the first to announce the death of a monarch, but its monopoly has sunk into oblivion. When the queen dies, the news of what happened will be sent to both the Press Association and the media of other countries at the same time. At the same time, a footman in mourning robes will appear at the door of Buckingham Palace, walk across the dull pink gravel of the courtyard, and pin a dark, black-edged sign to the gate. In an instant, the palace website will be reduced to one gloomy page showing the same text on a dark background.
The screens will light up. The tweets will spread all over the world. The BBC activates RATS, a Cold War messaging system designed in case the enemy destroys the entire infrastructure. Some of the staff heard it in action during the tests, but most know only about its existence. “Every time a strange noise is heard in the newsroom, someone will always ask: “Is this her, right?” A reporter friend told me.
For the people this news will find in traffic jams, the source will be the radio. British commercial radio stations have a network of "blue lights" that light up in the event of a national disaster. As soon as the lights flash, the DJ will know that in a few minutes he will need to switch the air to the news broadcast, and before that, change the current music to a more neutral one. Every radio station, down to hospital radio, has two playlists: "Mood 2" (sad) and "Mood 1" (very sad). "If you ever hear Sabers of Paradise - Haunted Dancehall (Nursery Remix), something terrible has happened," wrote BBC radio producer Chris Price.
Some journalists still can't get used to the fact that the media has prepared action plans in the event of the death of royals. For 30 years, for example, BBC news teams have worked out scenarios every Sunday morning for the death of the Queen Mother from a fish bone stuck in her throat. And once the scenario of the death of Princess Diana in a car accident on the M4 (one of the main highways in England) was also worked out.
BBC news crews worked out scenarios every Sunday morning for the death of the Queen Mother from a fish bone stuck in her throat.
The main goal of rehearsals is to have a speech ready that will at least approximately correspond to the moment. “It is with great sadness that we make the following announcement,” said John Snugge, the BBC presenter who told the world about the death of George VI. According to the former head of the BBC, about the same words will be used for the Queen. Rehearsals for her are different from rehearsals for other members of the royal family. “She is the only monarch in the world known to most of us. People treat her differently,” John explains.
When people think of modern-day royal death in Britain, they inevitably think of Diana. Farewell to the queen will be more monumental. It may not be as emotional, but the scope will be wider and the consequences more impressive.
To some extent, people will be stunned by the scale of what happened. The procedure for a royal funeral is familiar to the British (the plan for Diana's funeral was called "The Bridge over the Tay" and was originally intended for the Queen Mother). But the death of a British monarch and the ascension of a new head of state is a ritual only a few can remember: three of the Queen's last four prime ministers were born after she ascended the throne. When the queen dies, both houses of parliament will be recalled, people will be released from work earlier, and aircraft pilots will announce the sad news to their passengers.
Even more difficult for the nation will be the realization of the fact that the last link between it and the former greatness of the empire has been lost. One of the historians who gave me an interview and who, like many others, wished to remain anonymous, said: “Oh, she will take everything. We were told that Churchill's funeral was a requiem for Britain as a great power. But in fact, everything will end with the departure of Elizabeth.
“We were told that Churchill's funeral was a requiem for Britain as a great power. But in fact, everything will end with the departure of Elizabeth.
Films with her participation will remind us how different was the country that she inherited. One piece of newsreel will be played over and over again - from her 21st birthday in 1947, when the young queen was vacationing with her parents in Cape Town. She was 6,000 miles from home, but within the British Empire. The princess is sitting at the table at the microphone. The shadow of a tree plays on her shoulder. "I declare that my entire life, whether long or short, will be dedicated to serving you and serving our great imperial family to which we all belong."
And yet this taboo of discussion masks a parallel reality - the next big event in the life of the British nation is actually scheduled by the minute. A 92-year-old woman - the queen will enter that age in April - has an average of 3 years and 3 months to live, according to the Bureau of National Statistics. Elizabeth II is nearing the end of her reign at a time of maximum uncertainty about Britain's place in the modern world; at a time when, due to internal political tensions, the kingdom is close to destruction. Her death will also unleash internal destabilizing forces: Camilla, who will become queen, the new old king, and the bleak future of the Commonwealth countries - largely of her own invention (the title of queen "head of the Commonwealth" is not hereditary). For example, in Australia, both the prime minister and the leader of the opposition support the country's transition to a republican system.
Coping with all these difficulties will be the next main task of the Windsors. This is partly why the royal funeral and all subsequent ceremonies will be so massive. The order of succession is only part of the job. Often the monarchs themselves took part in organizing the ceremonies. Queen Victoria compiled a list of the contents of her coffin in 1875. The funeral of the Queen Mother was rehearsed for 22 years. And Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, personally compiled the summer and winter menus for his memorial dinner. “'London Bridge' is the blueprint for the Queen's departure. It's part of the story," one of her courtiers remarked.
Unforeseen circumstances should not be and will not be. If the Queen dies abroad, BAe 146 from the Queen's Squadron will take off from Norholt with a coffin on board. The Royal Undertakers at Leverton & Sons always have a so-called "coffin on call" ready for royal emergencies. George V and George VI were buried at Sandringham Manor, Norfolk. If the queen dies visiting their graves there, her body will be delivered to London by car within a couple of days.
But the most elaborate plans are made in case the Queen dies at Balmoral in Scotland, where she spends three months of the year. This will set off a wave of exclusively Scottish rituals. First, the Queen's body will rest in the smallest of her palaces - Holyrood in Edinburgh, guarded by royal archers in their traditional eagle-feathered hats. The body would then be carried along the so-called royal mile to St. Giles' Cathedral for service, and then placed aboard the royal train at Waverley station for a sad voyage along the east coast.
If the Queen dies abroad, BAe 146 from the Queen's Squadron will take off from Norholt with a coffin on board.
Each of the scenarios involves the return of the Queen's body to the throne room at Buckingham Palace, which overlooks the northwest corner of the courtyard. There will be an altar, a veil, a royal standard, and four grenadiers: bearskin hats tilted down, rifles pointed at the floor. Personnel hired by the queen over 50 years ago will scurry through the corridors, following procedures that he knows by heart.
"Your professionalism takes precedence over emotion because there is work to be done," said one of the royal funeral veterans. There will be no time for mourning, nor for thinking about what lies ahead. Charles will bring many of his own staff with him once he begins to rule. “Keep in mind,” said one courtier, “we are all here and so we are working much more than the time allotted to us.”
Outside, the news teams will gather in designated areas opposite the Canada Gate, near the start of Green Park. “In front of me is a book with instructions 5-6 centimeters thick,” one of the television directors who will cover the ceremony said during our telephone conversation. - Everything is planned. Everyone knows what to do." Flags will be lowered across the country, and the silence will be interrupted from time to time by the ringing of bells.
In 1952, "Big Tom" called from the top of St. Paul's Cathedral every minute for two hours after the news was announced. The bells of Westminster Abbey also rang, as well as the Sevastopol bell, taken from the Crimea during the Crimean War and ringing only on the occasion of the death of the monarch. In 1952, he called 56 times - once for every year of the life of George VI.
The first plans for London Bridge date back to the early 1960s, and since then 2-3 meetings have been held every year, invariably involving participants from different fields (police, fire, army, television) and changing locations. The plan is updated every time, removing all previous versions. Various specific knowledge is also shared with the participants. For example, the slow march from St James's Doors to Westminster Hall takes exactly 28 minutes. Or, for example, the coffin should have a false lid to fit all the royal jewels.
In theory, everything is carefully planned. But there are things that will require Charles' decision just a few hours after the queen's death. “Everything must be approved and signed by the Duke of Norfolk and the King,” one of the officials told me. AT last years much of the London Bridge work focuses on the process of Charles's ascension to the throne. “In fact, two things will happen at the same time: farewell to one monarch and the ascension to the throne of another,” said one of Charles's advisers. The new king's first address to the nation is scheduled for the evening of his mother's death.
In the first 48 hours, the phones of all major state institutions will be torn with calls - the last time the monarch died so long ago that most national organizations will be at a loss. And although the official advice for everyone is the same as last time - to continue minding your own business, not everyone will follow it. If the queen dies during the Royal Ascot race, it will be cancelled. The Marylbone Cricket Club said they were insured against such an event. The National Theater will cancel performances if the sad news arrives before 4 p.m. and continue them if later. All games, including golf, in the royal parks will be cancelled.
On D+1 (the day after the Queen's death), the flags will be raised again and at 11 a.m. Charles will be proclaimed king. The Council of Succession, convened in the main hall of St. James's Palace, long preceded Parliament. The council of spiritual and temporal lords has its origins in the Great Anglo-Saxon Assembly over a thousand years ago. Theoretically, all 670 current members of the Privy Council, from Jeremy Corbyn to Ezekiel Alebois, the former prime minister of the Solomon Islands, are invited, but the hall in the palace can only accommodate about 150 people. In 1952, the Queen was one of only two women present at her own proclamation.
Senior civil servant Richard Tilruk will read the official proclamation of accession, and Charles, as the new king, will perform his first duty, vowing to protect the crown of Scotland and mentioning the heavy duty that now fell on his shoulders. After his speech, trumpeters from the Kingsguard will leave the cathedral and blow thrice in honor of the new monarch, and Thomas Woodcock, King of Arms of the head of the Garter (the official salary in this position of £49.07 has not changed since 1830), will begin the ritual speech of the proclamation of King Charles III. In 1952, the event was covered with just four cameras. This time the TV audience will be in the billions.
But the announcements are just getting started. From St. Jace's Cathedral, the King of Arms of the Garter and half a dozen heralds, dressed like actors from an expensive production of Shakespeare, will solemnly march to the statue of Charles I in Trafalgar Square, which is considered the center of London, and read the news again. In Hyde Park, a 7-minute salute from 41 guns will be given. “There is not a single concession to modernity in this ceremony,” one former courtier told me. Tricorne hats and horses will be everywhere. Therefore, one of the things that TV people are afraid of is smartphones: every second person in the crowd will hold a phone, which can spoil the historical picture.
Every second in the crowd will hold a smartphone, which can spoil the historical picture.
After Charles's proclamation at St James's Cathedral, the new monarch will embark on a national tour, stopping in Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff to attend funeral services for his mother and new role meet with the heads of states subordinate to him.
Over the years, the art of royal spectacle was more characteristic of other dynasties: Italians, Russians and Habsburgs. British ritual events have always been a complete failure. For example, at the funeral of Princess Charlotte, the undertakers were drunk. Ten years later, during the funeral of the Duke of York in St. George's Chapel, it was so cold that George Conning, the Foreign Secretary, caught rheumatic fever, and the Bishop of London died altogether. “We never saw such a motley, such an awkward, such a disgustingly made-up dead man,” people told The Times correspondent at the funeral of George IV in 1830. At Victoria's coronation a few years later, too, there wasn't much to write about. The clergy were confused in words, the singing itself was terrible, and the royal jewelers made the coronation ring on the wrong finger. “In some nations, solemn ceremonies are a gift to the nation,” wrote the Marquess of Salisbury in 1860. “In England, everything is exactly the opposite.”
A death freak, Queen Victoria planned her own funeral with style. But it was her son, Edward VII, who contributed greatly to the revival of royal ceremonial. He turned state opening parliament and military exercises into celebrations with exquisite outfits and jewelry, and also resurrected the medieval ritual of lying in state, when the body of the deceased monarch is displayed in the building so that people can say goodbye. In 1932, George V started a tradition that continues to this day by giving the nation's first royal Christmas speech over the radio, which was written for him by Rudyard Kipling.
Elizabeth II, for all her practicality and lack of sentiment, perfectly understands the theatrical power of the crown. “I have to be seen to be believed in,” she once said. And, no doubt, her funeral will cause a massive emotional wave. “It seems to me that the death of the queen will increase patriotic sentiment,” one historian told me. “And as a result, it will increase support for Brexit.”
“It seems to me that the death of the queen will increase patriotic sentiment,” one historian told me. “And as a result, it will increase support for Brexit.”
The wave of these feelings will help to cope with some of the uncomfortable facts of the transfer of the throne. Camilla's restoration as Duchess of Cornwall was a quiet success for the monarchy, but her rise as queen will show just how far it can go. Since 2005, when Camilla married Charles, her official status has always been "princess consort". A status that has no historical or legal significance. But all this will change with the death of Elizabeth. By law, Camilla will become queen - a title always awarded to the wives of kings. There are no other options. According to current plans, King Charles will present his wife to the public as queen the day after the death of his mother.
The Commonwealth countries are another snag. In 1952, during the last change of monarch in the structure of the British Empire, at that time there were only eight members of the new organization. Sixty-five years later, it has 36 republics, which the queen faithfully visited throughout her reign and which now contain a third of the world's population. But the problem is that the status of the head of the Commonwealth is not inherited and there is no procedure for electing the next head.
For several years, the palace had quietly tried to secure Charles's succession as head of the bloc in the absence of any other obvious option. Julia Gillard, the former prime minister of Australia, said last October that Christopher Geidt, the Queen's private secretary, visited her in February 2013 to ask her to support the idea. Canada and New Zealand have since adopted this course, although the title itself is unlikely to be included in the list of titles to be listed at the proclamation of King Charles. This will be part of a low-key international lobbying that will begin as London fills with diplomats and presidents in the days after the Queen's death.
During the nine days leading up to the funeral, thousands of final preparations will take place. Soldiers will march along planned procession routes. Prayers will be rehearsed once again. At D+1, Westminster Hall will be closed and cleaned to a shine, and its stone floor will be covered with a kilometer and a half of carpets. Candles will be brought from the abbey. The streets around will turn into places for ceremonies. 10 bearers of the royal coffin will be selected, who will begin to train somewhere in barracks far from human eyes. The number of porters is determined by the material of the coffin - it is customary for members of the royal family to be buried in coffins made of lead. Diana's coffin, for example, weighed a quarter of a ton.
It is customary for members of the royal family to be buried in lead coffins. Diana's coffin, for example, weighed a quarter of a ton.
At D+4, the coffin will be carried to Westminster Hall, where it will lie for four days in a hearse draped in purple cloth. King Charles will return from his UK tour to lead the mourners. The orb, the scepter and the imperial crown will be fixed on the coffin, and the soldiers will stand guard. Then the doors will be opened to the crowd, and a stream of people will pour in, interrupted only for an hour a day. About 300 thousand people came to say goodbye to George VI. The line itself stretched for 6 kilometers. In the case of the queen, the palace expects at least half a million applicants.
Under the chestnut roof of the hall, everything will seem fantastically ordered, measured and calculated to the centimeter, because it will be so. Four soldiers will stand motionless in shifts of 20 minutes, and two soldiers will be side by side in reserve, always ready to change. The officer, the eldest of the four, will stand at the feet of the late queen, while the youngest will be placed at her head. The wreaths on the coffin will be updated every day. When Churchill was lying in this hall in 1965, the ballroom of the nearby St Ermin's Hotel was turned into a replica of Westminster Hall so that soldiers could hone their movements before going on duty. In 1936, the four sons of George V revived the tradition of The Prince's Vigil, when members of the royal family arrive unannounced and also stand guard, replacing soldiers.
Before dawn on the ninth day, the day of the funeral, in a quiet hall, all jewelry will be removed from the coffin and given to be cleaned. In 1952, it took three jewelers about two hours to clean the jewelry from the dust accumulated during this time. For the majority of the population, this day will be a day off. Shops will be closed. The stock exchange will not open either. And the night before, services will be held in churches throughout the country.
At exactly 9 am, the silence will be broken by the ringing of Big Ben. The distance from Westminster Hall to the abbey is only a few hundred meters. This ritual will seem familiar to everyone, despite being relatively new: the Queen will be the first British monarch since 1760 to be buried in the abbey. Two thousand guests will be waiting for the procession inside.
When the coffin reaches the doors of the abbey at 11 o'clock, the whole country will be quiet. Railway stations will stop announcing flights. Buses will stop and their drivers will step onto the side of the road. In 1952, at this time, all passengers of the London - New York flight rose from their seats and bowed their heads, flying over Canada at an altitude of over 5 kilometers.
Inside the abbey, the archbishop will speak. When the coffin arrives, it will be placed on the green cart used to bury the Queen's father, his father, and his father's father. 138 sailors from the Royal Navy will carry the coffin through the streets. The tradition began in 1901 when the horses involved in the funeral procession for Queen Victoria intended to escape, and a group of young sailors stepped in to take their place.
In 2002, a Lancaster bomber and two Spitfires flew over the Queen Mother's motorcade, flapping their wings in respect. From Hyde Park Corner, the hearse will travel 37 kilometers on the way to Windsor Castle, where the bodies of all British monarchs are buried. The queen's staff will be waiting for her, standing on the lawn. Then the gates of the monastery will close and the cameras will stop broadcasting. Inside the chapel, an elevator will descend into the royal crypt and King Charles will drop a handful of red earth from a silver bowl.
Translation by Ton Travkin.
Last Wednesday, September 9, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II broke the record of her great-great-grandmother Victoria and became the longest-reigning queen in British history. At the moment, Elizabeth II has been on the throne for over 63 years.
At the same time, it should be noted that the British king is very far from the record holder among living monarchs - King Rama IX of Thailand. And both of them - to the absolute champion Sobuza II of Swaziland, who not only managed to sit on the throne for more than 82 years, but also become the father of numerous offspring over the years.
Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952. She has ruled the country longer than all the kings and queens in the history of Britain and any living European monarch.
Sobuza II of Swaziland
Sobuza II, the king of the state of Swaziland in southern Africa, is the absolute record holder in terms of reign: he led his people from 1899 to 1982, ascending the throne at the age of four months. Under Sobuza, the country achieved complete independence and economic prosperity. The king was also extremely loving: he had 70 wives, 210 children, and at the time of his death - more than 1000 grandchildren.
Bernard VII, Lord of Lippe
The landgrave of the dwarf state of Lippe, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire, is the longest-reigning European monarch. He became Lord of Lippe shortly after he was one year old and reigned from 1429 to 1511 for 81 years and 234 days. Moreover, he did not sit out in the castle, but actively participated in disputes and feuds with neighbors, for which he received the well-deserved nickname "Militant". The current king of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, is in one line a descendant of the glorious Bernard.
Bhagwat Singh
Maharaja Bhagwat Singh ruled Gondal from 1869 to 1944 for a total of 74 years and 87 days. Formally, his possessions were independent, although in fact they were under British control. Bhagwat Singh was a typical enlightened monarch: he received a medical degree from the University of Edinburgh, reformed the administration of the principality, built schools, engineering colleges and hospitals, made education free of charge, established a university where men and women were admitted. A modern irrigation system was built in Gondal, railways, carried telegraph and electricity. In addition, Bhagwat Singh published the first dictionary of the Gujarati language. In 1887 he was knighted.
Rama IX, King of Thailand
King Rama the Great, aka Bhumibol Adulyadej, is the longest-reigning monarch of the living. He took the throne in 1946 and has been ruling for over 69 years. Bhumibol was born in the US state of Massachusetts from the marriage of Prince Mahidol and a commoner and is the only monarch of the world who can claim US citizenship by birthright. The king in Thailand has a predominantly ceremonial status, so it is difficult to say how much Rama IX influences the processes taking place in the country. Bhumibol Adulyadej owns a patent for creating artificial clouds, plays the saxophone and is fond of photography. Recently, the press service of the royal court announced the illness of the monarch - he was diagnosed with dropsy of the brain.
Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein
Johann ruled from 1858 to 1929 - 70 years and 91 days. Under him, Liechtenstein became an independent and neutral state. Prince Johann disbanded the army (at that time it numbered 80 people), established a parliament, a constitution and a government. But in the memory of his descendants, he remained mainly as a philanthropist and philanthropist, who did a lot for the development of science in Austria-Hungary. Johann never married, passing the crown to his brother.
Louis XIV, King of France
Louis XIV of Bourbon, known as the "Sun King", was one of the most brilliant monarchs in French history. He ruled from 1643 to 1715 - 72 years and 110 days. Under him, France became the most powerful power in Europe. He centralized the administration of the state, created a strong army and navy, waged numerous wars and annexed large territories. Although the French troops were mostly victorious, the constant campaigning eventually exhausted the kingdom.
Franz Joseph I, head of Austria-Hungary
Franz Joseph took the Habsburg throne in 1848 when his father abdicated. He called himself "the last monarch of the old school." Under Franz Joseph, the Habsburg power became a dual monarchy, and he was simultaneously the emperor of Austria, the king of Bohemia and the king of Hungary. The emperor patronized geographical research, science and culture flourished under him. Franz Joseph I died in 1916, not seeing the collapse of his "patchwork empire" and having ruled for 67 years and 355 days. Franz Josef Land in the Arctic Ocean, now part of Russia, is named after him.
Hirohito, Emperor of Japan
Hirohito ascended the throne in 1926, becoming the 124th Emperor of Japan. He chose the throne name Showa, which means "Enlightened World". Nevertheless, it was under Hirohito that Japan entered the Second world war in which it suffered a crushing defeat. The victors forced the emperor to publicly declare his renunciation of his divine nature, although they did not deprive him of power. After the war, Hirohito did a lot to restore Japan's prestige and strengthen diplomatic ties. He died in 1989, having reigned for 62 years and 13 days.
Basil II Bulgar Slayer
Basil II was the emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 960 to 1025. He waged numerous wars, defending the borders of the country, made punitive campaigns and annexed new lands to Byzantium. For his campaigns against the Bulgarians, he received the nickname Bulgar Slayer: after the battle of Strymon, the emperor ordered that 15,000 captured Bulgarians be blinded. Vasily led an ascetic life and never married. It was during the time of Emperor Vasily II that Russia was baptized, his sister Anna became the wife of Prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavovich. The Bulgar Slayer died in 1025, after 65 years and 237 days of reign.
Queen Victoria
Until September 9, 2015, Victoria was the longest-reigning British monarch: she was crowned in 1837 and died in 1901 after 63 years and 216 days. Under Queen Victoria, the British Empire reached its zenith of power, becoming the strongest state in the world. Almost continuously, the soldiers of the empire fought colonial wars, ever wider pushing the boundaries of Victoria's possessions, and by the time of her death she ruled a fourth part of the land. The Queen and her husband Albert had nine children who married with representatives of other royal families, thanks to which Victoria earned the nickname "grandmothers of all Europe." One of Victoria's granddaughters was Alexandra Fedorovna, wife of Nicholas II.
Kangxi, Emperor of China
Emperor Xuanye of the Qing Dynasty came to the throne in 1661 at the age of six, choosing Kangxi ("Prosperity and Effulgence") as his reigning motto. He sat on the throne for 61 years and 316 days - a record period in Chinese history. The time of his reign is considered the golden age of the Chinese Empire: Kangxi strengthened the power of the emperor, annexed new lands to the Celestial Empire, and patronized the sciences and arts. Under him, Confucianism flourished in the empire, many books were published in which the history of the country was presented in a favorable light to the ruling dynasty.
Pedro II of Brazil
Pedro became Emperor of Brazil in 1831 at the age of five and held the throne until 1889. He reigned 58 years and 222 days and gained fame as a patron of sciences and arts. Under him, Brazil fought three successful wars with its neighbors. Despite his popularity among the people, Pedro was a gentle and indecisive person: for example, he himself was an opponent of slavery, but did not dare to abolish it. This was done only in 1888, when the emperor sailed to Europe for treatment, and his regent daughter signed the corresponding decree. In the end, Pedro was overthrown by Republican officers, who were supported by wealthy planters, abdicated and spent the rest of his life in exile.
George III, King of Great Britain
George III, the first British-born king of the Hanoverian dynasty, took the throne in 1760 and reigned until 1820, thus spending 59 years and 96 days on the throne, becoming the third longest reigning British monarch. Under him, Great Britain lost the American colonies, but won the Napoleonic Wars. But the king never found out about this: in 1811 he became completely blind and went crazy, and his son-regent ruled the country. George died in 1820, until the very end he was considered a legitimate monarch. He went down in British history as the largest king with many children: he had nine sons and six daughters.
Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah, King of Malaysia
The history of the reign of Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah is extremely confusing, which is associated with a peculiar political system in Malaysia: the king is elected here for five years. In 1958, Abdul became the sultan of one of the Malaysian sultanates - Kedah, in 1965 - the viceroy of Malaysia, in 1970 - the king, in 1975 he lost this post, in 2006 he again became the viceroy, and since 2011 year again is the king of all Malaysia. Be that as it may, he has occupied the ancestral throne for more than 57 years and is the third longest reigning monarch of the living. He loves golf, football, jazz and is a big fan of Frank Sinatra.
Ivan IV the Terrible
Ivan Vasilyevich, who became the Grand Duke of All Russia in 1533 and died already the king in 1584, ruled for a total of 50 years and 116 days. Although he occupies a modest 182nd place in the list of the longest-reigning monarchs, Ivan the Terrible sat on the Russian throne more than any other ruler. He gained fame as one of the most controversial rulers in all of Russian history: under him the first Zemsky Sobor was convened, military and administrative reforms were carried out, the borders of the Russian state were significantly expanded, Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberia were conquered. At the same time, he established the oprichnina, defeated Novgorod and organized mass executions.
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Elizabeth II is healthy, everything is in order with her. However, preparations have already begun in the UK for her death. To begin with, a code word was determined. It is he who will be informed to all who should, when this unpleasant event occurs. What for? So that no one guesses ahead of time. So, the death of Elizabeth's father, King George VI, was signaled with the words "Hyde Park Corner".
According to the British newspaper, Buckingham Palace has prepared several options for the development of events. It is believed that most likely the queen will die after a short illness. An example is the death of the Queen Mother in 2002. She managed to call some friends to say goodbye and give away her beloved horses. If everything goes like this, then next to Elizabeth will be the closest family members and her doctors. To control access to Her Majesty will be the chief gastroenterologist Professor Thomas. He will decide what information can be shared with the public.
The Queen's personal secretary, Christopher Geidt, should be the first to know about her departure. He will deliver this sad news to the Prime Minister, using the code words "London Bridge is falling." Then the information will go to 15 independent states, where Elizabeth II is also the queen, and to the countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations.
Ordinary subjects of her Majesty learn about the death much faster than it was before. So, on February 6, 1952, George VI was discovered by his lackey at 7:30 am. The BBC announced the death of the king almost 4 hours later, at 11:15. And when Princess Diana died (it happened at 4 in the morning in Paris), after 15 minutes it was known to the journalists who accompanied the then British Foreign Secretary in the Philippines.
For many years, the right to be the first to report deaths in the royal family belonged to the BBC. However, this tradition is now broken. The message will be sent to information Agency England Press Association and then spread to the media around the world.
All English TV presenters will be required to wear a black suit with a black tie. Residents of the United Kingdom will be allowed to go home from work. Aircraft pilots will announce the sad news to passengers. Flags will be lowered across the country, bells will ring. When the previous English monarch died, the bell in London's St. Peter's Cathedral rang every minute for two hours. The Sevastopol bell in Windsor Castle (removed by the British during the Crimean War) struck 56 times - the number of years in the life of George VI.
By the way, British journalists even indicated the expected date of death of Elizabeth II: "According to the National Statistical Service, a British woman who has reached 91 years old - and that is how much the Queen will turn in April - on average can live another 4 years and 3 months." Given that the Queen Mother's funeral has been "rehearsed" for 22 years, it is not surprising that Buckingham Palace is now ready for the departure of her daughter, Elizabeth II. They say that all nine days of mourning are scheduled almost by the minute.
Monarchy
Britain is a country of traditions, and one of the strongest traditions is the monarchy. Looking at the modern British monarchy, we are faced with a clear contradiction between the basic law and reality.
Subjects of Her Royal Majesty
If you formally follow the letter of the law, the queen has almost absolute power, and the country at the same time looks completely undemocratic. The American constitution declares that the government is formed by the people and serves the people. In Britain, not only is there not a single law that would state anything like that, but there is no official legal concept of "the people." Residents of Britain are officially "subjects of Her Royal Majesty". At the same time, in accordance with one of the principles of English law, the monarch is above the law, that is, he can perform actions and deeds that are not provided for by law and even punishable.
Every autumn, Queen Elizabeth II gives a speech to Parliament in which she says exactly what "her government" should do over the next year. And according to the constitution, this is really her government. She is free to appoint anyone to the role of head of this government. This is her prime minister. Other ministers are appointed in the same way. These are her ministers, and if she is unhappy with any of them, then he is simply fired. The same applies to Parliament. According to the letter of the law, he "serves the Crown" (and not at all the "country", not the "people"). It is the Queen who calls Parliament. She dissolves it before the next elections. No decision of Parliament has the force of law until the Queen agrees to it. And the Queen personifies the law in court. If in the United States the police detain a person and turn him over to the courts, the court formally brings charges on behalf of the people. In other countries, the indictment may be on behalf of the state. In Britain, the charge is brought "in the name of the Crown". And if the defendant is found guilty, he is sent to one of Her Majesty's prisons.
Parade "Truping? De? Color"
Reality
Of course, in reality everything is different. The Queen cannot appoint the Prime Minister at her own discretion. She must find a candidate who will be supported by a majority of the House of Commons (the elected House of Parliament). According to the law, "her government" can levy taxes only with the consent of this chamber, and if the prime minister does not have the support of a majority there, the government's activities will be blocked. Therefore, the Queen chooses for this role the leader of the strongest party in the House of Commons. And he appoints the rest of the government, although formally he only advises the Queen who to appoint to these posts.
Saint James Palace
Similar is the relationship between the Queen and Parliament. Before the next election, the Prime Minister asks the Queen to allow the dissolution of Parliament, but it is inconceivable that the Queen would refuse this request. Theoretically, the monarch has the right not to approve the bill that passed through Parliament, but in practice this has not happened since 1708. Royal approval of the law is so formal that the Queen almost never does it personally; documents are signed for her by a trusted person.
Thus, the actual power of the Queen is severely limited. The message with which she opens the session of Parliament is prepared for her in advance. The Queen does not hide this fact and reads the message verbatim. If she strongly disagreed with a provision, she could interrupt her statement and ask the Ministers to correct the wording accordingly. This limits its formal ability to influence the activities of the government.
Westminster Palace. The Royal Gallery through which the monarch passes for the formal opening of Parliament
And yet the Queen performs several important functions. Politicians and lawyers usually emphasize three of them. The first is that the Queen represents the government. This means that people can be arbitrarily critical of the actions of the government and even demand its resignation, without in any way contradicting their patriotism. The change of government does not violate the stability in the country. Other countries have to come up with other symbols for these purposes. The second important function of the Queen is to ensure that the government does not become dictatorial. If the government succeeds in passing through parliament (of which the ministers are also members) a very unpopular or obviously harmful law for the country, the Queen may refuse to approve this law. If the incumbent Prime Minister loses the general election, ceases to lead a powerful party in the House of Commons, and again asks the Queen to dissolve Parliament (in order to trigger a new election), the Queen may refuse this request and dismiss the Prime Minister. However, within the framework of modern democracy, various forces balance each other without this. Finally, the Queen represents the country and participates in many different ceremonies and meetings that take up a lot of time. Thanks to this, the government can devote more time to solving pressing issues.
Buckingham Palace. white living room
Royal insignia. The so-called Honors List is published twice a year. People whose names are on this list are invited to Buckingham Palace and are given various titles by the Queen, such as Knight of the Garter, Knight of the Bath. As a result, various combinations of letters are added to the names of these people, for example KOG (Knight of the Order of the Garter). Life peerages are also complaining, which secures a seat in the House of Lords. Historically, in this way the monarch celebrated those who especially distinguished themselves in the service. Today, the Prime Minister decides who gets what titles. And although the titles themselves no longer have any specific meaning, for many, receiving the title personally from the Queen is a great honor. Basically, the titles are complained to politicians and statesmen, but sometimes they are received by businessmen, athletes, musicians, etc.
Buckingham Palace. Throne room
The park laid out by Christopher Wren
Power of love. For two recent centuries the people invariably demand high moral standards from their monarchs. In 1936, this forced Edward VIII, the uncle of Elizabeth II, to abdicate in order to marry the American Mrs. Simpson. She was twice divorced and also did not belong to the British aristocracy. The government and the church insisted that Edward refuse to marry and remain king. But he preferred marriage, and then settled abroad with his wife. Despite the resulting constitutional crisis, Edward subsequently received the title of Duke of Windsor and until the end of his days enjoyed the popularity and sympathy of the British.
St. James Palace. tapestry hall
royal regalia
Banqueting? house. Rubens painted ceiling
Monarchists and anti-monarchists
The question of whether there should be a monarchy or not has not been seriously debated for more than two centuries. A very small number of people in Britain can be classified as pronounced monarchists or anti-monarchists in the usual sense of these words. Most Britons view the existence of the monarchy with either neutrality or unspoken approval. Along with this, the question of how the monarchy should be organized is discussed. The queen continues to maintain her popularity, but the numerous problems of the royal family have greatly cooled the enthusiasm of the British. This is especially noticeable if we compare the magnificent celebrations on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the reign of Elizabeth with much more modest celebrations on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of her reign. The fact is that since the time of Queen Victoria, people want to see in the life of the royal family a model of the life of a truly Christian family. Some politicians, including conservative members of parliament who traditionally support the monarchy, raise the question of how much the monarchy costs the country and how justified such expenses are. In response to such speeches and the apparent cooling of the British towards the monarchy, Elizabeth II, exempted from paying taxes, decided to pay taxes on her personal income. Some members of the royal family stopped receiving money from parliament for entertainment expenses. Shortly after the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the reign, part of Buckingham Palace was opened to the public. The purpose of this move was to raise funds for the renovation of Windsor Castle. This gives an idea of how the lifestyle of the royal family is changing. It becomes less majestic and less distant.
Kensington Palace
Windsor castle. Moser Hall
Windsor castle
Plantagenets, Lancasters, Yorkies...
The current Queen Elizabeth II has been reigning for fifty-four years. This is one of the few examples of royal longevity in British history. Queen Victoria reigned the longest - 64 years. And the shortest was the reign of Edward VIII - a little less than 11 months. After Parliament refused to grant permission for his marriage to a divorced American from Baltimore, W. Simpson, he abdicated in favor of his brother George V. And this is not the only conflict in British history between personal feelings and royal duties. When dad didn't agree to a divorce Henry VIII, he broke with Rome, which led to the founding of the Anglican Church. The role of monarchs in the life of their country is also not the same. But in any case, the change of monarchs and dynasties creates a chronological outline of the history of Britain.
Hampton Palace Court
Royal House in Greenwich
The Romans were in Britain until the beginning of the 5th century. There is little reliable information about what happened over the next two centuries. Traditionally, 449 is considered the year in which Britain was invaded by Germanic tribes who came as settlers, not as robbers. They were followed by other Teutonic tribes, and these migrations continued for about a century and a half. The tribes that came to Britain at this time are called by a common name - the Anglo-Saxons. Unlike the Franks who invaded Gaul, they did not establish their settlements next to the more advanced Celts and did not assimilate their culture. They kept their own language, developed their own culture and named the new land in their own way - England, the land of the Angles. Gradually, numerous small areas united and formed the kingdoms: Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Sussex, Essex, Wessex and Kent.
Wessex dynasty
871 - 899 Alfred of Wessex
It is natural to count the royal dynasties starting with Alfred of Wessex. It was he who managed to successfully resist the Scandinavians, defeat them at Edington in 878 and conclude a pact on the partition of England. And his successors later conquered the territories occupied by the Scandinavians.
899 - 924 Edward the Elder
924–939 Æthelstan
939–946 Edmund I
959–975 King Edgar
975–978 Edward the Martyr
Period of Danish raids on England.
1016–1042 Knut, leader of the Danes
1042–1066 Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor, the youngest son of Æthelred II, returned the throne to the Wessex dynasty after its conquest by the Scandinavians.
Norman dynasty
1066–1087 William the Conqueror
Edward the Confessor died without an heir. The throne was taken by Harold. But the Duke of Normandy, William, who claimed the kingdom, invaded England in the autumn of 1066 and on October 14 defeated Harold and his army at Hastings. Harold was killed. The royal council recognized William's rights to the throne. England was conquered with extraordinary speed. Since then, William has been called the Conqueror. The Norman Conquest changed the entire course of English history.
1087–1100 William the Red (II)
Second son of William the Conqueror.
1100–1135 Henry I
Younger brother of William II.
1135–1154 Stephen Grandson of William the Conqueror. Henry I died without leaving a direct male heir, but took the word from the barons that they would recognize his daughter, Matilda. Breaking their promise, the barons crowned Stephen.
Brighton. royal pavilion
Plantagenet dynasty
1154–1189 Henry II
Son of Matilda, known as Heinrich Plantagenet. Since Stephen's son died, the throne passed to Henry by treaty.
1189 - 1199 Richard I the Lionheart
State institutions functioned so well that the son and heir of Henry II during the entire period of his reign visited England only twice, and then for several months. The rest of the time he spent in the 3rd Crusade and in Europe.
1199–1216 John
Brother of Richard.
1216–1272 Henry III
Took the throne ten years old.
1272–1307 Edward I
The origin of the title is associated with the name of Edward I Prince of Wales. He conquered Wales, nominally a possession English king, divided it into counties and annexed it to England in 1284. In the same year, at Carnarvon Castle in Wales, Edward had a son. In 1301 he was granted the title of Prince of Wales, which he held until he became King Edward II. Since then, the title of Prince of Wales has usually been held by the eldest sons of the king - heirs to the throne.
1307–1327 Edward II
Edward was forced to abdicate in January 1327; in September of the same year he was killed.
1327–1377 Edward III
1377–1399 Richard II
The throne was taken by the grandson of Edward III. His father, Edward the Black Prince, died during the life of Edward III.
Chinese corridor at the Royal Pavilion
Lancaster dynasty
In 1397, Richard II attempted to establish an autocracy. Two years later, while Richard was in Ireland, his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford, also called Henry of Lancaster, who had been sent into exile by him, landed in England. Richard hurried back, but it was too late. Taken into custody, he was imprisoned in the Tower, where on September 30, 1399 he signed an act of renunciation. Richard died in captivity at Pontefract in February 1400. A new dynasty came to power.
1399–1413 Henry IV
1413–1422 Henry V
Son of Henry IV. Under the terms of the treaty at Troyes in 1420, Henry became regent of France under King Charles VI, and after his death he was to take the French throne. However, he died in 1422, two months before the death of Charles VI.
1422–1461 Henry VI
Son of Henry V Was proclaimed king eight months old.
Brighton. Royal Pavilion Banquet Hall
Linlisgow Palace near Edinburgh
Palace of Holyroodhouse. official residence royal family in Scotland
York dynasty
1461–1483 Edward IV
Son of Richard, Duke of York, who led the opposition against Lancastrian rule. This war of dynasties was called the Wars of the Scarlet and White Roses. Richard died at the Battle of Wakefield. The struggle was continued by his son Edward, who declared Henry VI deposed, and proclaimed himself the new king.
Henry VI managed to restore his own power for a short time (October 3, 1470 - April 11, 1471).
1483–1483 Edward V
Son of Edward IV. He became king at the age of 12, after the death of his father, and was soon deposed by his uncle Richard, his father's younger brother. In the same year, he and his younger brother were killed.
1483–1485 Richard III
falkland castle
Tudor dynasty
A dynasty that ruled England from 1485 to 1603. The Tudors came from the island of Anglesey off the coast of Wales. Their lineage goes back centuries. The Tudor period covers just under a century and a quarter between the accession to the throne of Henry VII on August 21, 1485, and the death of his granddaughter Elizabeth on March 24, 1603. These years are often called the beginning of the heyday of modern England, and 1485 is a turning point in the transition from the Middle Ages to the New Age. The greatest achievement of the Tudors was the unification of the English under a well-ordered monarchy, so that England could take her place in Europe as a strong nation-state.
1485–1509 Henry VII
Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond. Conquered the throne with the sword, defeating Richard III. He is a representative of the line of the first Lancasters, descended from John of Gaunt, the fourth son of Edward III. In 1486 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV of York. Thus the red rose of Lancaster and White Rose The Yorks merged to form the Tudor dynasty. The fact that Henry was born in Wales, where his father belonged to the Welsh nobility, made it possible to establish closer ties between Wales and England.
1509–1547 Henry VIII
1547–1553 Edward VI
Son of Henry VIII by his third wife, Jane Seymour. He ascended the throne at the age of nine and died at 16.
1553–1558 Mary Tudor (Mary I)
Daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. She escaped from the troops sent to capture her after the death of Edward and was proclaimed queen.
1558–1603 Elizabeth I
Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.
Stuart dynasty
The last Tudor monarch, Elizabeth I, was succeeded by her cousin James VI, King of Scotland, who ascended the English throne as James I. With him the Stuart dynasty came to power.
1603–1625 James I
After Elizabeth's death, the crown passed to James VI of Scotland, son of Mary of Scotland and descendant of Henry VII through his daughter, Margaret, wife of James IV. While remaining James VI of Scotland, the new monarch became known as James I of England.
1625–1649 Charles I
1649–1660 are the years of the republic. Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector of England from 1653 until his death in 1658. The post was inherited by his son Richard. However, in the absence of his father's prestige and the support of the army, on May 24, 1659, he resigned his position. The newly elected parliament voted for the King, the House of Lords and the House of Commons to rule the country, and on May 8, 1660, Charles II was proclaimed king.
1660–1685 Charles II
He was proclaimed king as a result of the restoration of the monarchy, but he himself counted his reign from the day his father was executed.
1685–1688 James II
Charles II had many mistresses, but never had a legitimate heir. Therefore, the throne was inherited by his younger brother Jacob.
1689–1702 William III of Orange and Mary II (from 1689 to 1694)
The birth of a son by James II meant that after the death of the king, the throne would be inherited not by Mary, wife of William of Orange and daughter of James, but by his son, who would undoubtedly be raised as a Catholic and future absolute monarch. This forced him to seek help from William, who was the son-in-law and at the same time the nephew of the king. He landed in England in November 1688. James II fled to France, and the Parliament? Convention offered William and Mary the crown.
1702–1714 Anna
Youngest daughter of James II. The main event during the years of her reign was the conclusion in 1707 of the union of England and Scotland, which led to the formation of a single state - Great Britain.
Hanoverian House
1714–1727 George I
In order to prevent any move aimed at returning the Jacobites to power, the English Parliament passed an act of succession in 1701, according to which, in the event of the death of William and his heiress Anna, the crown was to pass to the granddaughter of James I Sophia, Elector and Dowager Duchess of Hanover, and her heirs. Sophia, like Queen Anne, died in 1714. The throne was taken by her son, who took the title of King George I. He did not speak English. In 1721, Walpole took over the cabinet and became the de facto ruler of Britain.
1727–1760 George II
Son of George I. Took the throne after the death of his father. Walpole retained the post of Prime Minister until 1742, but he no longer had the former power.
1760–1820 George III
Grandson of George II. During his reign (January 1, 1801) Ireland was united with Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. From the book History of State and Law foreign countries: Cheat sheet author author unknown
From the book Theory of State and Law: Cheat Sheet author author unknown From the book Encyclopedia of the Lawyer of the author17. FORM OF GOVERNMENT. MONARCHY The form of government is the organization supreme power state-va, characterized by a special source of power and a special mutual relationship of the highest bodies of the state-va among themselves. The main forms of government are monarchy and republic. Extraordinary forms
From the book Philosophical Dictionary author Comte Sponville AndréDUALISTIC MONARCHY DUALISTIC MONARCHY (lat. dualis - dual) - a kind of constitutional (limited) monarchy, characterized by the separation of the legislative power from the executive. Dualistic and parliamentary forms of government are based on
From the book All About Great Britain author Ivanova Julia AnatolievnaConstitutional monarchy CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY - a form of government in which the monarch, although he is the head of state, however, unlike an absolute or unlimited monarchy, his power is limited by the constitution. K.m. usually subdivided into dualistic and
From the author's bookLimited monarchy, see Constitutional monarchy.
From the author's bookParliamentary monarchy A PARLIAMENTARY MONARCHY is one of two types of constitutional monarchy (along with a dualistic monarchy). It is characterized by the fact that the monarch performs his functions nominally. Government under P.m. formally and actually responsible to
From the author's book From the author's bookMonarchy Britain is a country of traditions, and one of the strongest traditions is the monarchy. Looking at the modern British monarchy, we are faced with a clear contradiction between the basic law and reality. Subjects of Her Royal Majesty If formally
From the author's bookThe British monarchy in the persons of ANNA (Anne) (1665-1714). Queen of Great Britain and Ireland 1702-1714. Youngest daughter of James II and Anne Hyde. The last of the Stuart dynasty. She was born February 6, 1665. Anna was brought up in Protestant traditions. Therefore, during the so-called.
