Ancient institution

The monarchy is the most ancient secular institution in the United Kingdom, going back at least to the 9th century. The Queen can trace her descent from the Saxon King Egbert, who united all England under his sovereignty in 829. The continuity of the monarchy has been broken only once by a republic that lasted only 11 years (1649-1660). Monarchy is founded on the hereditary principle and it has never been abandoned. The succession passed automatically to the oldest male child or, in the absence of males, to the oldest female offspring of the monarch. Quite recently the rules of descent have been changed. Now thesuccession passes to the oldest child irrespective of its sex.

The coronation of the sovereign follows some months or a year after the accession. The ceremony has remained much the same in substance for over 1000 years. It consists of recognition and acceptance of the new monarch by the people; the taking by the monarch of an oath of royal duties; the anointing and crowning (after communion); and the rendering of homage by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal.

The coronation service, conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, is held at Westminster Abbey in the presence of representatives of the Lords, the Commons and all the great public interests in the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister and leading members of the Commonwealth countries, representatives of foreign states.

By the Act of Parliament, the monarch must be a Protestant. The Queen's title in the United Kingdom is "Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith".

For several centuries the monarch personally exercised supreme executive, legislative and judicial powers but with the growth of Parliament and the courts the direct exercise of these functions progressively decreased. The 17th-century struggle between the Crown and Parliament led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.

Notes to the text:

secular – вековой, вечный

descent – происхождение; наследование

offspring – потомок

accession – вступление на престол

anointing – помазание

communion – причастие

to render homage – свидетельствовать почтение

"Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith" – «Ее Высочайшее Величество Елизавета Вторая, Божьей милостью Королева Соединенного Королевства

Великобритании и Северной Ирландии и других Ее Царств и Территорий, Глава Содружества, Защитница Веры»

exercise – 1) выполнять, осуществлять, пользоваться; 2) выполнение, осуществление

Task 2. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and word combinations: быть основанным, наследственный, право наследования, официальное признание, принятие, дать клятву, королевские обязанности, коронование, духовные лорды, светские лорды, проводить, архиепископ, представитель, постановление парламента, пользоваться властью, непосредственное исполнение, уменьшаться, конституционная монархия.

Task 3. Find nouns with the suffix -ty in the text and say from what words they are formed. Form some more nouns with the help of the same suffix -(i)ty and translate them: royal, major, proper, cruel, safe, public, national, personal, minor, popular, formal, responsible, stable, real, active.

Task 4. Answer the questions:

1. How old is the institution of monarchy?

2. How is it defined who is next to the British crown?

3. What does the ceremony of coronation consist of?

4. Who is usually present at the coronation service?

5. What is the Queen’s title?

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