The future of the monarchy

For the last 250 years, the British monarchy as an institution has only rarely been a burning political issue. Only occasionally has there been debate about the existence of the monarchy itself. Few people in Britain could be described as either 'monarchists' or 'anti-monarchists', in the sense in which these terms are often used in other countries. Most people are either vaguely in favour or they just don't care one way or the other. There is, however, a great deal of debate about what kind of monarchy Britain should have. During the last two decades of the twentieth century, there has been a general cooling of enthusiasm. The Queen herself remains popular. But the various marital problems in her family have lowered the prestige of royalty in many people's eyes. The problem is that, since Queen Victoria's reign, the public have been encouraged to look up to the royal family as a model of Christian family life.

It is, in fact, on the subject of money that 'anti-royalist' opinions are most often expressed. In the early nineties even some Conservative MPs, traditionally strong supporters of the monarchy, started protesting at how much the royal family was costing the country. For the whole of her long reign Elizabeth II had been exempt from taxation. But, the Queen decided that she would start paying taxes on her private income. In addition, Civil List payments to some members of the royal family were stopped. (The Civil List is the money which the Queen and some of her relatives get from Parliament each year so that they can carry out their public duties.)

For most people the most notable event marking Queen Elizabeth's 40th anniversary was a television programme about a year in her life which showed revealing details of her private family life.

In the following year parts of Buckingham Palace were, for the first time, opened for public visits (to raise money to help pay for the repairs to Windsor Castle). These events are perhaps an indication of the future royal style - a little less grand, a little less distant.

III. Find in the text the synonyms to:

a) to administer the government; to choose; to be sick and tired with something; to discharge somebody ; to deliver a report; infinity; matrimonial problems; advocates; tax-free; remarkable occasion

Find the antonyms to:

b) to appoint; to justify; convocation; feasible; to consent; to win the elections; shortcomings; to be against something; to raise the prestige; the opponent

IV. Say whether these statements are true or false:

1) Nothing that Parliament has decided can become law until the Queen has agreed to it.

2) In fact, the Queen can choose anyone she likes to be Prime Minister.

3) When the Queen opens Parliament each year she reads the speech which

makes up herself.

4) The monarch is the personal embodiment of the government of the country.

5) The British monarchy is more important to the system of government than to

the economy of the country.

6) There are no debates about the existence of the monarchy in Britain.

7) The “anti-royalist” opinions are most often expressed on the subject of

money.

V. Answer the questions:

1) What was the position of British monarch used to be?

2) How are British people legally described?

3) Who of the royal family do you most sympathize with?

4) Why is the reality different from the theoretical foundations of monarchy in

Britain?

5) Why does the British Prime Minister goes on “to advise” and “request” the

Queen when everybody knows that he or she is really telling her what to do?

6) What three main functions of the monarch are often mentioned?

7) What is the monarchy for the British people today?

8) What advantages can such institution as monarchy give to the country?

9) Why has the prestige of the royal family been lowered in recent decades?

10) Should the lives of the “royals” provide a source of entertainment for the

public or not?

VI. Comment on the following:

1) “However, all these advantages are hypothetical.”

2) “In reality the Queen has almost no power at all.”

3) “The future royal style is a little less grand; a little less distant”

VII. Find additional information of the members of royal family and share it with your groupmates.

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