How does the king&queen work again?

Question

someone explained it to me once but i completely forgot what he told me!

how does the whole king/queen prince/princess thing work in the UK?

what I mean is how come theres only ever a queen or king and never a queen & king at the same time? things like that...

thanks!

Answer 1

The English throne is hereditary and can only fall to one person in the line of succession.  That person is the sovereign.  It can be a man or a woman.  

Answer 2

There are often a King and Queen at the same time, but in most such cases, the Queen is simply the King's wife and has no authority.  In the convrse situation, when there's a reigning Queen, it simply isn't the custom in the UK for her husband to be called King, although some monarchies in the past have had a King Consort as the husband of a Queen.  Great Britain did once have a pair of reigning monarchs at the same time, William III and Mary II.  She was the daughter of James II, and when James was deposed and she, as his oldest daughter, was asked to return to England and become Queen, she insisted that her husband, William of Orange (who was also her first cousin and not too far down in the line of succession himself), also become King.  A second Coronation Chair was actually built for their joint coronation and can still be seen in Westminster Abbey.  After her death, he reigned alone for a few years and was then succeeded by her sister, Queen Anne.

Answer 3

Britain has a monarch. A King's spouse is normally known as HM The Queen but she is a Queen Consort, a Queen Regnant (i.e. rules in her own right) has as her husband, a Prince, unless he has a higher title by another country e.g. Mary I's (of England) husband was Philip II of Spain so he was a King (but not of England)

The only true joint monarch in the UK was William III and Mary II who reigned jointly until Mary's death.

It has been announced that the Duchess of Cornwall will be Princess Consort when Charles ascends the throne but this will require an Act of Parliament otherwise she will be Queen Consort.

Answer 4

The Queen or King depends upon who is next in line to take the throne. It goes to the immediate first son or daughter of the currently reigning King or Queen. The King before the current Queen Elizabeth II of England was her father. So she is now the Queen and next in line would be Prince Charles but rumour has it that he is not interested in the Crown and would prefer to hand it to his son, Prince William.

Answer 5

The title King is higher than that of Queen, so if the next in line to the throne is a woman, she becomes queen, but her husband cant be a King as it is a higher rank, so he becomes a Prince. If the next in line to the throne is a man, then he becomes King, and his wife becomes Queen, as the title of Queen is lower in rank than a king.

Answer 6

http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page4675....

has a preview:

"Monarchy is the oldest form of government in the United Kingdom.

In a monarchy a king or queen is Head of State. The British monarchy is known as a constitutional monarchy. This means that, while The Queen is Head of State, the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected Parliament. Although the British Sovereign no longer has a political or executive role, he or she continues to play an important part in the life of the nation.

As Head of State, The Queen undertakes constitutional and representational duties which have developed over one thousand years of history. In addition to these State duties, The Queen has a less formal role as 'Head of Nation'. She acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognises success and excellence; and supports the ideal of public and voluntary service.

In all these roles The Queen is supported by members of her immediate family."

It goes on to say more:

"The British Sovereign can be seen as having two roles: Head of State, and 'Head of the Nation'.

As Head of State, The Queen undertakes constitutional and representational duties which have developed over one thousand years of history.

There are inward duties, with The Queen playing a part in State functions in Britain. Parliament must be opened, Orders in Council have to be approved, Acts of Parliament must be signed, and meetings with the Prime Minister must be held.

There are also outward duties of State, when The Queen represents Britain to the rest of the world. For example, The Queen receives foreign ambassadors and high commissioners, entertains visiting Heads of State, and makes State visits overseas to other countries, in support of diplomatic and economic relations.

As 'Head of Nation', The Queen's role is less formal, but no less important for the social and cultural functions it fulfils.

These include: providing a focus for national identity, unity and pride; giving a sense of stability and continuity; recognising success, achievement and excellence; and supporting service to others, particularly through public service and the voluntary sector.

These roles are performed through different types of engagement.

By means of regular visits through every part of the United Kingdom, The Queen is able to act as a focus for national unity and identity.

Through her engagements and walkabouts, The Queen is able to meet people from every walk of life. The Queen's unifying role as Sovereign is also shown in her special relationships with the devolved assemblies in Scotland and Wales.

In addition, at times of national celebration or tragedy, The Queen publicly represents the nation's mood - for example, at annual commemoration of the war dead on Remembrance Sunday, or at celebrations for a national sporting victory.

The Queen also has an essential role in providing a sense of stability and continuity in times of political and social change. The system of constitutional monarchy bridges the discontinuity of party politics.

While political parties change constantly, the Sovereign continues as Head of State, providing a stable framework within which a government can introduce wide-ranging reforms. "

There is much more at http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page4683....

and other pages at that site.

Answer 7

It is down to first born sons, if no sons then first born daughter.

Boys succeed before girls.

If no children then brothers or nephews or even neices suceed to the throne.