British Monarchy in the past and today

British Monarchy

in the past

and

today

Цели урока

Развитие базовых компетенций, используя различные блоки дисциплин гуманитарного цикла. Развитие умения выделять общее и культурно-специфическое в моделях развития различных стран и цивилизаций, социальных слоёв общества. Учить признавать право разных культурных моделей,а, значит, и формируемых на их основе представлений о нормах жизни, верованиях, на их существование.

Buckingham Palace

• Buckingham Palace has been the official London residence of Britain’s sovereigns since Queen Victoria moved there in July 1837. It was originally a town house that was owned from the beginning of the 18 th century by the Duke of Buckingham who lived there . In 1677 king George III bought the Palace as a present for his wife .

The Royal Family

• Many members of the Royal Family undertake official duties in Britain and abroad .Their various responsibilities reflect traditions ,their own interests and Britain’s formal imperial status. The Queen and her family are a symbol that people can identify with .
• The monarchy has not always been popular . During the late 19 th century there was a growing republican sentiment, but personality and family image of the Queen , her father and grandfather have removed that feeling .The Queen is probably the wealthiest woman in the world , most of her money coming from family investments rather than the state . Her state salary (the Civil list ) pays for her servants and transport . In recent years the Queen has become a roving ambassador for Britain , and if we calculate the increase in trade after a royal visit abroad , the nation probably makes a profit from her activities , and that does not take into account the income from tourism in Britain generated by the monarchy and great state events .
• Just how popular is she ? In the late 1980s a newspaper conducted an opinion poll. People were asked ,”If there were no monarchy , who would you vote for as a President ?” More than 80 per cent chose the Queen .Prince Charles came second, closely followed by his father ,Prince Philip. The Prime minister of the day was the fourth –with 2 per cent of the votes .

HENRY VII

• Henry VII is less known than either Henry VIII or Elizabeth I . But he was far more important in establishing the new monarchy than either of them . He built a huge fleet of merchant ships . Henry VII firmly believed that business was good for the state .

HENRY VIII

• Charles Dickens wrote :” Henry VIII has been favoured by some Protestant writers , because the Reformation was achieved in his time .But the mighty merit of it lies with other men and not with him . The plain truth is that he was a most intolerable ruffian, a disgrace to human nature , a lot of blood upon the history of England “.

HENRY VIII

• Henry VIII was unlike his father .He was cruel and wasteful with money .He spent so much money on maintaining a royal court and on wars ,that his father’s saved money was soon gone .
• Henry disliked the power of the Church in England: it was an international organization ,so he could not control it .The power of the Catholic Church in England could work against
• Henry ‘s authority.
• Henry VIII had 6 wives . In 1510 Henry had married Catherine of Aragon. But by 1526 she had still not had a son who could be the heir to the throne after Henry’s death.
• He asked the Pope to allow him to divorce
• Catherine and marry Anne Boleyn.

Henry III was unlike his father .He was cruel and wasteful with money .He spent so much money on maintaining a royal court and on wars ,that his father saved money was soon gone .

Henry disliked the power of the Church in England: it was an international organization ,so he could not control it .The power of the Catholic Church in England could work against

Henry ‘s authority.

Henry III had 6 wives . In 1510 Henry had married Catherine of Aragon. But by 1526 she had still not had a son who could be the heir to the throne after Henry’s death.

He asked the Pope to allow him to divorce Catherine. The Pope did not wish to anger Charles V , the king of Spain , and he forbade Henry ‘s divorce .

Henry was extremely angry .He persua

ELIZABETH I

Queen Elizabeth I whose name has become a synonym for the era which she dominated (1558-1603) was born in 1533 to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. She was the last of Tudor monarchs. She received an excellent classical education . People rejoiced when Elizabeth became queen after her elder sister Mary’s death in1558.People often called her Good Queen Bess .

ELIZABETH I

• During Elizabeth ‘s reign England became a great sea power .English sailors ,the most famous of which are Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh , made raids on the Spanish colonies in America and captured Spanish ships that carried treasure from the New World to Spain .
• Elizabeth’s court became a center of culture for English musicians, poets and artists . The English were proud of their queen .

- George III Born:1738 Died:1820 Reigned:1760-1820 Succeeded his grandfather George II , following the death in 1751 of his father, Frederick Prince of Wales. -In 1761 married Princess Charlotte. -Bought Buckingham House (now Palace) .

Victoria

Reigned:1837-1901 Born:1819

Died:1901

The only child of Edward,

Duke of Kent( the son of GeorgeIII.)

and the last member of the

Hanoverian dynasty.

-In 1840 married her first cousin

Prince Albert.

-Gave birth to 9 children:

4 boys and 5girls.

-The longest reigning British monarch

for over sixty-three years.

VICTORIA

• Queen Victoria was also popular in Europe. She became known as the Grandmother of Europe after marrying members of her family into many royal houses of Europe . Among her grandchildren were Emperor William II of Germany ,and Alexandra, wife of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia .

ELIZABETH II

Elizabeth II.

-Today Elizabeth II.is reigning in London

Born:1926

Reigned from:1952

-Elder daughter of

King George VI. and

Queen Elizabeth.

-In 1947 married Prince Philip of Greece

(The Prince Philip of Edinburgh);

-The Prince Charles is the eldest

of their four children-Crowned

in Westminister Abbey on II. June 1953

Monarchy

• Queen’s birthday British Royal

• Summer birthday 21 April 1926: actual birthday since 1805: normally held on the second Saturday in June
• Summer birthday 21 April 1926: actual birthday
• since 1805: normally held on the second Saturday in June
• The Family’s Surname: Windsor Changed from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor in 1917
• Changed from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor in 1917

Reason: In 1917, King George V renounced all the German

titles belonging to him and his family and adopted the name of his castle, Windsor, because of WWI and anti-German sentiment

• Duties: Head of State (representative), Head of the Armed Forces (declare war), Head of the Church of England (appoints bishops and archbishops), Government Duties (signature needed), Represents the Nation (at times of sorrow), Royal Garden Parties, Visits (various places)

A Popular Monarchy

During the 20th century the monarchy became still more popular than in the times of Queen Victoria in the 19th century .

George V ,the grandson of Victoria , had started a tradition of attending the annual football Cup Final match at Wembley Stadium .

Christmas speech of the monarch has also become a tradition since 1932 .

During the Second World War George VI and his wife won great admiration of the British people for refusing to leave Buckingham Palace even in had bombed . Since 1952 , when Elizabeth II became queen , the popularity of the monarchy has been steadily growing .

Is Royal Family Worth the Money They receive ?

• How many palaces has the English Royal family ?
• Who pays for the maintenance of the royal helicopters , planes and yachts ?
• What did Napoleon mean when he called England the “nation of the shopkeepers “?
• Why do the advocates of monarchy believe that the royal family is worth the money they receive?
• What duties are connected with the position of the Queen?

Is Royal Family Worth the Money They receive ?

• 1What evolution has the institute of monarchy undergone during its long history ?
• What rights has the English monarch as the head of state ?
• How do the advocates of the institute of monarchy explain the necessity to limit the rights of the Sovereign ?
• What do the opponents of this institute say about this practice ?
• How much does the royal court receive by the Civil List ?

What role does the pageantry of the royal court play in the British political life ?

On what occasion are the Royal Garden Parties held ?

What is the main function of the institute of the monarchy nowadays ?

• A topic for an essay :
• “ Will monarchy as a government institution survive in Great Britain in the 21st century ?