Key terms:
1.Buckingham Palace:
Originally built in 1703, the palace isnow the official London residence of the British monarch located in the City ofWestminster. The palace is a setting for state occasions and royalentertaining, and a major tourist attraction.
2.Royal Coat of Arms of the UK:
The official coat of arms of the Britishmonarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in herofficial capacity as monarch, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion.
3.The White house:
It is the official home and principalworkplace of the President of the United States.
The Political System in the UK
The Political System in the USA
Extended reading material
THE BRITISH MONARCHY
The present Sovereign, QueenElizabeth II, was born on April 21, 1926, and came to the throne on June2, 1953. The Queen is the symbol ofthe whole nation.
Roles played by Monarch
TheQueen is the symbol of the whole nation.
In law, she is
A.Head of the executive,
B.an integral part of the legislature
C.Head of the judiciary
D.the commander-in-chief of all the armed forces of the Crown
E.the supreme governor of the established Church of England
In practice, over the centuries, the real power of the monarch has gradually been reduced and today the queen acts solely on the advice of her Ministers
Significanceof Monarch
Her principal role is symbolic: she must represent the nation’s present-day hopes and ideals as well as its historic past.
As well as being a symbol of British culture, tradition and way of life, the Queen is also a symbol of the spirit of a number of Commonwealth states such as Australia, Canada, and NewZealand.
Power of Monarch
A.As head of State, the Queen isinformed and consulted on every aspect of national life.
B.certain important acts
a)summoning
b)suspending
c)dissolving Parliament
d)giving Royal Assent to Bills passed byParliament.
C.The Queen also formally appointsmany important office holders, including appointing the Prime Minister.
D. In international affairs, theQueen has the power
a)to declare war and make peace
b)to recognize foreign states andgovernments
c)to conclude treaties and annexterritories.
