There is a close relationship between the British Monarchy and the postal system of the United Kingdom. Present-day postal services have their origins in royal methods of sending documents in previous centuries.
Nowadays, the image of The Queen on postage stamps preserves the connection with the Monarchy.

For centuries letters on affairs of State to and from the Sovereign's
Court, and despatches in time of war, were carried by Messengers of the
Court and couriers employed for particular occasions. Henry VIII's Master of the Posts set up post-stages along the major roads of the kingdom where
Royal Couriers, riding post-haste, could change horses. In Elizabeth I's day, those carrying the royal mail were to 'blow their horn as oft as they met company, or four times every mile'. Letters of particular urgency - for example, reprieves for condemned prisoners - bore inscriptions such as
'Haste, haste - post haste - haste for life for life hast' and the sign of the gallows. During the reign of James I (1603-25) all four posts of the kingdom still centred on the Court: The Courte to Barwicke (the post to
Scotland); The Courte to Beaumoris (to Ireland); The Courte to Dover (to
Europe) and The Courte to Plymouth (the Royal Dockyard).

Charles I opened his posts to public use, as a means of raising money.
Although public use of the royal posts increased, the running of the mail continued to centre round the post requirements of the Sovereign's Court.
Until the 1780's the Mails did not leave London until the Court letters had been received at the General Post Office, and as late as 1807 Court letters coming into London were, unlike ordinary letters, delivered the moment the mail arrived. The postal system rapidly spread during Victoria's reign with the introduction of the Uniform Penny Postage in 1840, and the Queen's letters bore postage stamps like everyone else's. Royal Messengers continued to carry certain letters by hand. The increase in the Court's mail led to special postal facilities being provided in 1897 in the form of a Court Post Office - an arrangement which still exists today under the management of the Court Postmaster.

Symbols of the royal origins of the UK's postal system remain: a miniature silhouette of the Monarch's head is depicted on all stamps; the personal cyphers of The Queen and her predecessors (going back to Victoria) appear on many letterboxes dating from their respective reigns throughout the country; and the postal delivery service is known as the Royal Mail.

COATS OF ARMS

The function of the Royal Coat of Arms is to identify the person who is
Head of State. In respect of the United Kingdom, the royal arms are borne only by the Sovereign. They are used in many ways in connection with the administration and government of the country, for instance on coins, in churches and on public buildings. They are familiar to most people as they appear on the products and goods of Royal Warrant holders.

The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom have evolved over many years and reflect the history of the Monarchy and of the country. In the design the shield shows the various royal emblems of different parts of the United
Kingdom: the three lions of England in the first and fourth quarters, the lion of Scotland in the second and the harp of Ireland in the third. It is surrounded by a garter bearing the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense ('Evil to him who evil thinks'), which symbolises the Order of the Garter, an ancient order of knighthood of which the Queen is Sovereign. The shield is supported by the English lion and Scottish unicorn and is surmounted by the
Royal crown. Below it appears the motto of the Sovereign, Dieu et mon droit
('God and my right'). The plant badges of the United Kingdom - rose, thistle and shamrock - are often displayed beneath the shield.

Separate Scottish and English quarterings of the Royal Arms originate from the Union of the Crown in 1603. The Scottish version of the Royal Coat of Arms shows the lion of Scotland in the first and fourth quarters, with that of England being in the second. The harp of Ireland is in the third quarter. The mottoes read In defence and No one will attack me with impunity. From the times of the Stuart kings, the Scottish quarterings have been used for official purposes in Scotland (for example, on official buildings and official publications).

The special position of Wales as a Principality was recognised by the creation of the Prince of Wales long before the incorporation of the quarterings for Scotland and Ireland in the Royal Arms. The arms of the
Prince of Wales show the arms of the ancient Principality in the centre as well as these quarterings.

Coats of Arms of members of the Royal Family are broadly similar to The
Queen's with small differences to identify them.

GREAT SEAL

The Great Seal of the Realm is the chief seal of the Crown, used to show the monarch's approval of important state documents. In today's constitutional monarchy, the Sovereign acts on the advice of the Government of the day, but the seal remains an important symbol of the Sovereign's role as Head of State.

The practice of using this seal began in the reign of Edward the
Confessor in the 11th century, when a double-sided metal matrix with an image of the Sovereign was used to make an impression in wax for attachment by ribbon or cord to royal documents. The seal meant that the monarch did not need to sign every official document in person; authorisation could be carried out instead by an appointed officer. In centuries when few people could read or write, the seal provided a pictorial expression of royal approval which all could understand. The uniqueness of the official seal - only one matrix was in existence at any one time - also meant it was difficult to forge or tamper with official documents.

The Great Seal matrix has changed many times throughout the centuries. A new matrix is engraved at the beginning of each reign on the order of the
Sovereign; it is traditional that on the death of the Sovereign the old seal is used until the new Sovereign orders otherwise. For many monarchs, a single seal has sufficed. In the case of some long-reigning monarchs, such as Queen Victoria, the original seal simply wore out and a series of replacements was required.

The Queen has had two Great Seals during her reign. The first was designed by Gilbert Ledward and came into service in 1953. Through long usage and the heat involved in the sealing process, the matrix lost definition. From summer 2001 a new Great Seal, designed by sculptor James
Butler and produced by the Royal Mint, has been in use. At a meeting of the
Privy Council on 18 July 2001 The Queen handed the new seal matrix over to the Lord High Chancellor, currently Lord Irvine of Lairg, who is the traditional keeper of the Great Seal.

The Great Seal matrix will be used to create seals for a range of documents requiring royal approval, including letters patent, royal proclamations, commissions, some writs (such as writs for the election of
Members of Parliament), and the documents which give power to sign and ratify treaties. During the year 2000-01, more than 100 documents passed under the Great Seal. Separate seals exist for Scotland - the Great Seal of
Scotland - and for Northern Ireland.

The process of sealing takes place nowadays at the House of Lords in the office of the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery. A system of 'colour coding' is used for the seal impression, depending on the type of document to which it is being affixed. Dark green seals are affixed to letters patent which elevate individuals to the peerage; blue seals are used for documents relating to the close members of the Royal Family; and scarlet red is used for documents appointing a bishop and for most other patents.

FLAGS

A number of different types of flag are associated with The Queen and the
Royal Family. The Union Flag (or Union Jack) originated as a Royal flag, although it is now also flown by many people and organisations elsewhere in the United Kingdom by long established custom. The Royal Standard is the flag flown when The Queen is in residence in one of the Royal Palaces, on
The Queen's car on official journeys and on aircraft (when on the ground), and represents the Sovereign and the United Kingdom. The Queen's personal flag, adopted in 1960, is personal to her alone and can be flown by no one other than The Queen. Members of the Royal Family have their own personal variants on the Royal Standard. The Prince of Wales has additional
Standards which he uses in Wales and Scotland.

CROWNS AND JEWELS

The crowns and treasures associated with the British Monarchy are powerful symbols of monarchy for the British people and, as such, their value represents more than gold and precious stones. Today the crowns and treasures associated with English kings and queens since 1660 and earlier are used for the Coronation of Monarchs of the United Kingdom. The crowns and regalia used by Scottish monarchs (the Honours of Scotland) and Princes of Wales (the Honours of the Principality of Wales) continue to have symbolic meaning in Scotland and Wales. All three collections of treasures can be viewed today in their different locations - the Tower of London,
Edinburgh Castle and the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff.

TRANSPORT

The Queen's State and private motor cars are housed in the Royal Mews.
For official duties - providing transport for State and other visitors as well as The Queen herself - there are nine State limousines, consisting of one Bentley, five Rolls-Royces and three Daimlers. They are painted in
Royal maroon livery and the Bentley and Rolls-Royces uniquely do not have registration number plates. Other vehicles include a number of Vauxhall
Sintra 'people carriers'.

The most recent State car, which is used for most of The Queen's engagements, is a State Bentley presented to The Queen to mark her Golden
Jubilee in 2002. The one-off model, conceived by a Bentley-led consortium of British motor industry manufacturers and suppliers, is the first Bentley to be used for State occasions. It was designed with input from The Queen,
The Duke of Edinburgh and Her Majesty's Head Chauffeur.

In technical terms, the car has a monocoque construction, enabling greater use to be made of the vehicle's interior space. This means the transmission tunnel now runs underneath the floor, without encroaching on the cabin and has enabled the stylists to work with a lowered roofline whilst preserving the required interior height. The rear doors have been redesigned enabling The Queen to stand up straight before stepping down to the ground. The rear seats are upholstered in Hield Lambswool Sateen cloth whilst all remaining upholstery is in light grey Connolly hide. Carpets are pale blue in the rear and dark blue in the front.

A Rolls-Royce Phantom VI was presented to The Queen in 1978 for her
Silver Jubilee by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The oldest car in the fleet is the Phantom IV, built in 1950, 5.76 litre with a straight eight engine and a Mulliner body. There is also a 1987 Phantom VI and two identical Phantom V models built in the early 1960s. The 1978
Phantom VI and the two Phantom V models have a removable exterior roof covering, which exposes an inner lining of perspex, giving a clear view of passengers.

All the cars have fittings for the shield bearing the Royal Coat of Arms and the Royal Standard. The Queen has her own mascot for use on official cars. Designed for her by the artist Edward Seago in the form of St George on a horse poised victorious over a slain dragon, it is made of silver and can be transferred from car to car as necessary. The Duke of Edinburgh's mascot, a heraldic lion wearing a crown, is adapted from his arms.

For her private use The Queen drives a Daimler Jaguar saloon or a
Vauxhall estate (like every other qualified driver, The Queen holds a driving licence). The Duke of Edinburgh has a Range Rover and, for short journeys round London, uses a Metrocab. The private cars are painted
Edinburgh green.

A number of Royal Mews vehicles have now been converted to run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) - a more environmentally friendly fuel than petrol or diesel. Converted vehicles include one of the Rolls-Royce Phantom
IVs, a Daimler and The Duke of Edinburgh's Metrocab.

CARS

CARRIAGES

Housed in the Royal Mews is the collection of historic carriages and coaches, most of which are still in use to convey members of the Royal family in State ceremonial processions or on other royal occasions.

The oldest coach is the Gold State Coach, first used by George III when he opened Parliament in 1762 and used for every coronation since George
IV's in 1821. As its name implies, it is gilded all over and the exterior is decorated with painted panels. It weighs four tons and requires eight horses to pull it.

The coach now used by The Queen at the State Opening of Parliament is known as the Irish State Coach because the original was built in 1851 by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, who was also a coachbuilder. Although extensively damaged by fire in 1911, the existing coach was completely restored in 1989 by the Royal Mews carriage restorers, who stripped the coach to the bare wood and applied twenty coats of paint, including gilding and varnishing.
The exterior is blue and black with gilt decoration and the interior is covered in blue damask. It is normally driven from the box seat using four horses.

Other coaches include the Scottish State Coach (built in 1830 and used for Scottish and English processions), Queen Alexandra's State Coach (used to convey the Imperial State Crown to Parliament for the State Opening), the 1902 State Landau, the Australian State Coach (presented to The Queen in 1988 by the Australian people to mark Australia's bicentenary), the
Glass Coach (built in 1881 and used for royal weddings) and the State and
Semi-State Landaus (used in State processions).

In addition there are two barouches, broughams (which every day carry messengers on their official rounds in London), Queen Victoria's Ivory-
Mounted Phaeton (used by The Queen since 1987 for her Birthday Parade) as well as a number of other carriages. In all, there are over 100 coaches and carriages in the Royal Collection.

All the carriages and coaches are maintained by craftsmen in the Royal
Mews department and some of the coaches and carriages can be viewed on days when the Royal Mews is open to the public.

THE ROYAL TRAIN

Modern Royal Train vehicles came into operation in 1977 with the introduction of four new saloons to mark The Queen's Silver Jubilee. This continued a service which originated on 13 June, 1842, when the engine
Phlegethon, pulling the royal saloon and six other carriages, transported
Queen Victoria from Slough to Paddington. The journey took 25 minutes.

It is perhaps somewhat misleading to talk of 'the Royal Train' because the modern train consists of carriages drawn from a total of eight purpose- built saloons, pulled by one of the two Royal Class 47 diesel locomotives,
Prince William or Prince Henry. The exact number and combination of carriages forming a Royal Train is determined by factors such as which member of the Royal family is travelling and the time and duration of the journey. When not pulling the Royal Train, the two locomotives are used for general duties.

The Royal Train enables members of the Royal family to travel overnight, at times when the weather is too bad to fly, and to work and hold meetings during lengthy journeys. It has modern office and communications facilities. Journeys on the train are always organised so as not to interfere with scheduled services. (Where appropriate, The Queen and other members of the Royal family use scheduled services for their official journeys.)

The carriages are a distinctive maroon with red and black coach lining and a grey roof. The carriages available include the royal compartments, sleeping, dining and support cars. The Queen's Saloon has a bedroom, bathroom and a sitting room with an entrance which opens onto the platform.
The Duke of Edinburgh's Saloon has a similar layout plus a kitchen. Fitted out at the former British Rail's Wolverton Works in Buckinghamshire,
Scottish landscapes by Roy Penny and Victorian prints of earlier rail journeys hang in both saloons.

A link with the earliest days of railways is displayed in the Duke of
Edinburgh's Saloon: a piece of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's original broad gauge rail, presented on the 150th anniversary of the Great Western
Railway. (Brunel accompanied Queen Victoria on her inaugural 1842 journey.)

The current Queen's and Duke's Saloons came into service in 1977, when they were extensively used during the Silver Jubilee royal tours. They were not, however, new. They began life in 1972 as prototypes for the standard
Inter-City Mark III passenger carriage and were subsequently fitted out for their royal role at the Wolverton Works. All work on the Royal Train is normally done at Wolverton.

Railtrack PLC manages the Royal Train and owns the rolling stock. Day-to- day operations are conducted by another privatised company, English, Welsh and Scottish Railways. The cost of maintaining and using the train is met by the Royal Household from the Grant-in-Aid which it receives from
Parliament each year for air and rail travel. In 2000-01 the total cost of the Royal Train was Ј596,000; the train made 17 journeys.

A number of former Royal Train carriages are now on display at the
National Railway Museum in York.

ROYAL AIR TRAVEL

The history of Royal flying dates back more than 80 years to 1917, when
The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) became the first member of the
Royal family to fly, in France during the First World War. The Prince went on to become a skilful pilot. From 1930 onwards members of the Royal family made increasing use of aircraft, largely operating from Hendon in north
London. In 1936, on becoming King Edward VIII, the former Prince of Wales was the first British Monarch to fly.

Since then many members of the Royal family have learnt to fly. The Duke of York trained as a Royal Navy helicopter pilot and flew in operations during the 1982 Falklands Conflict - the first member of the Royal family to see active service since the Second World War. In an unblemished flying career spanning more than 40 years The Duke of Edinburgh has flown more different aircraft types than most pilots. The Prince of Wales, too, has accumulated many hours flying both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.

Royal flying was formalised on 21 July 1936 with the creation of The
King's Flight at Hendon. The new flight operated a single twin-engine
Dragon Rapide, G-ADDD, formerly the king's private aircraft. The first
Captain of the King's Flight was Wing Commander E.H. Fielden (who later became an Air Vice-Marshal). The Dragon Rapide was replaced in May 1937 by an Airspeed Envoy III, G-AEXX, the first aircraft purchased specifically for the Flight. The Second World War saw The King's Flight temporarily disbanded, although members of the Royal family continued to fly using military aircraft.

In 1946 The King's Flight was reformed, in greater strength, at RAF
Benson with four Vickers Vikings. The following year all were heavily used during the Royal Tour of South Africa.

After The Queen's accession The King's Flight was renamed The Queen's
Flight. The first helicopter - a Westland Dragonfly - was acquired in
September 1954 and was quickly championed by The Duke of Edinburgh (who qualified as a helicopter pilot the following year). It was replaced in
1958 by two Westland Whirlwinds. In 1964 Hawker Siddeley Andovers were introduced for fixed wing flying and saw more than 25 years of service before being superceded, in the Flight's 50th anniversary year, by the current British Aerospace 146. In June 1969 the Whirlwinds were replaced by two Westland Wessex. These served for nearly 30 years, together making more than 10,000 flights and each flying the equivalent of 20 times around the world, before being replaced on 1 April 1998 by a single Sikorsky S-76.

In 1995, The Queen's Flight was amalgamated with No. 32 Squadron, which was renamed No 32 (The Royal) Squadron. At the same time the squadron moved from RAF Benson to its current location at RAF Northolt.

Nowadays, official flying for members of the Royal family is provided by
BAe 146 and Hawker S125 jet aircraft of No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron, based at RAF Northolt just north west of London, and the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter operated by the Royal Household from Blackbushe Aerodrome in Hampshire. In
2000-01, 32 Squadron had two four-engined BAe 146s (each of which carries
19 to 23 passengers) and five twin-engined HS 125s (each of which carries seven passengers). The Royal Travel Office based at RAF Northolt co- ordinates use of the different types of aircraft by members of the Royal family, ensuring that their use is both appropriate and cost-effective.

In 2000-01, the BAe 146 were used for Royal flying over 142 flying hours, the HS125 for 149 flying hours and the Sikorsky for 459 flying hours. No.
32 (The Royal) Squadron is primarily a Royal Air Force communications flying squadron. In fact, Royal flying accounts for less than 20% of the combined tasking of both the BAe 146 and the HS125, which are more commonly used by senior military officers and Government ministers.

The cost of official royal travel by air is met by the Royal Travel Grant- in-aid, the annual funding provided by the Department of Transport, Local
Government and the Regions (DTLGR). In 2000-01, the cost of official royal travel by 32 Squadron was Ј1,793,000.

Aircraft of No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron have a distinctive red, blue and white livery; the Royal Household S-76 is finished in the red and blue colours of the Brigade of Guards (as were aircraft in the early days of
Royal flying).

Today, the BAe 146 and HS 125 of No 32 (The Royal) Squadron and the Royal
Household's S-76 are used for official duties by The Queen and, at her discretion, other members of the Royal family, continuing a tradition begun with a single aircraft more than 60 years ago.

THE ROYAL FAMILY

MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY

In her role as Head of State The Queen is supported by members of the
Royal Family, who carry out a wide range of public and official duties. The biographies in this section contain information about various members of the Royal Family, including early life and education, professional careers, official Royal work, involvement with charities and other organisations, personal interests and more

HM THE QUEEN

The Queen was born in London on 21 April 1926, the first child of The
Duke and Duchess of York, subsequently King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
Five weeks later she was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in the chapel at Buckingham Palace.

The Princess's early years were spent at 145 Piccadilly, the London house taken by her parents shortly after her birth; at White Lodge in
Richmond Park; and at the country homes of her grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary, and the Earl and Countess of Strathmore. When she was six years old, her parents took over Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park as their own country home.

HRH THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, was born Prince of Greece and Denmark in Corfu on 10 June 1921; the only son of Prince Andrew of Greece. His paternal family is of Danish descent -
Prince Andrew was the grandson of King Christian IX of Denmark. His mother was Princess Alice of Battenberg, the eldest child of Prince Louis of
Battenberg and sister of Earl Mountbatten of Burma. Prince Louis became a naturalised British subject in 1868, joined the Royal Navy and rose to become an Admiral of the Fleet and First Sea Lord in 1914. During the First
World War he changed the family name to Mountbatten and was created
Marquess of Milford Haven. Prince Philip adopted the family name of
Mountbatten when he became a naturalised British subject and renounced his
Royal title in 1947.

Prince Louis married one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters. Thus, The
Queen and Prince Philip both have Queen Victoria as a great-great- grandmother. They are also related through his father's side. His paternal grandfather, King George I of Greece, was Queen Alexandra's brother.

HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES AND FAMILY

The Prince of Wales, eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip,
Duke of Edinburgh, is heir apparent to the throne.

The Prince was born at Buckingham Palace on 14 November 1948, and was christened Charles Philip Arthur George.

When, on the accession of Queen Elizabeth in 1952, he became heir apparent, Prince Charles automatically became Duke of Cornwall under a charter of King Edward III dating back to 1337, which gave that title to the Sovereign's eldest son. He also became, in the Scottish Peerage, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick and Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and
Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

The Prince was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in 1958. In
1968, The Prince of Wales was installed as a Knight of the Garter. The Duke of Rothesay (as he is known in Scotland) was appointed a Knight of the
Thistle in 1977. In June 2002 The Prince of Wales was appointed to the
Order of Merit.

HRH THE DUKE OF YORK

The Duke of York was born on 19 February 1960 at Buckingham Palace. He is the second son and the third child of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.
He was the first child to be born to a reigning monarch for 103 years.
Named Andrew Albert Christian Edward he was known as Prince Andrew until his marriage, when he was created The Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and
Baron Killyleagh.

TRH THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF WESSEX

The Earl of Wessex is the third son and youngest child of The Queen and
The Duke of Edinburgh. He was born on 10 March 1964 and christened Edward
Antony Richard Louis at Buckingham Palace. He was known as Prince Edward until his marriage, when he was created The Earl of Wessex and Viscount
Severn; at the same time it was announced that His Royal Highness will eventually succeed to the title of The Duke of Edinburgh.

In March 1989, The Queen appointed Prince Edward a Commander of the Royal
Victorian Order.

HRH PRINCESS ROYAL

The Princess Royal, the second child and only daughter of The Queen and
The Duke of Edinburgh, was born at Clarence House, London, on 15 August
1950, when her mother was Princess Elizabeth, heir presumptive to the throne. She was baptised Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise at Buckingham Palace on 21 October 1950.

She received the title Princess Royal from The Queen in June 1987; she was previously known as Princess Anne. Her Royal Highness is the seventh holder of the title.

In 1994 The Queen appointed The Princess a Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. In 2000, to mark her 50th birthday, The Princess Royal was appointed to the Order of the Thistle, in recognition of her work for charities.

HRH PRINCESS ALICE

Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester is the widow of the late Duke of
Gloucester, third son of George V.

Lady Alice Christabel Montagu Douglas Scott was born on Christmas Day,
1901 at Montagu House, London. She was the third daughter of the seventh
Duke of Buccleuch, who had been a fellow midshipman of the future king
George V.

Lady Alice was educated at home until the age of 12. She then went to school at West Malvern, spending a year in Paris before returning home to be presented at Court in 1920. Lady Alice has greatly enjoyed outdoor pursuits, including skiing, and has been an accomplished watercolourist.
She also travelled widely, living for many months in Kenya and also spending time in India on a visit to her brother.

TRH THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER

Born in 1944, The Duke of Gloucester is the second son of the late Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. He is a grandson of George V and a first cousin to The Queen. He succeeded his father as
Duke of Gloucester in June 1974.

In July 1972 Prince Richard (as he was then known) married Birgitte Eva van Deurs from Odense, Denmark at St Andrew's Church, Barnwell,
Northamptonshire. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have three children:
(Alexander) Earl of Ulster, born in 1974; The Lady Davina Windsor, born in
1977; and The Lady Rose Windsor, born in 1980.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester both carry out a large number of official engagements each year, individually and together. They undertake visits in regions throughout the United Kingdom and travel abroad on official visits and to support their varied patronages.

TRH THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF KENT

Born in 1935, HRH The Duke of Kent is the son of the late Prince George, fourth son of King George V, and the late Princess Marina, daughter of
Prince Nicholas of Greece. He is cousin to both The Queen and The Duke of
Edinburgh. The present Duke of Kent inherited his title following the death of his father in 1942.

In 1961 The Duke of Kent became engaged to Miss Katharine Worsley and they married in York Minster. The couple have three children: George, Earl of St Andrews, born in June 1962; Lady Helen Taylor, born in April 1964 and
Lord Nicholas Windsor, born on 25 July 1970.

The Duke and The Duchess of Kent undertake a large number of official
Royal engagements. Each has close associations with many charities, professional bodies and other organisations.

TRH PRINCE AND PRINCESS MICHAEL OF KENT

Prince Michael was born on 4 July 1942 at the family home in Iver,
Buckinghamshire. He was christened Michael George Charles Franklin and one of his godfathers was President Roosevelt. He is a cousin to both The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, and his older brother and sister are The Duke of
Kent and Princess Alexandra. Prince Michael's father, Prince George, was the fourth son of George V and his mother, Princess Marina, was the daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece.

The Prince is a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

HRH PRINCESS ALEXANDRA

Princess Alexandra was born on Christmas Day 1936 at 3, Belgrave Square, her family's London home. She is the second child and only daughter of the late Duke and Duchess of Kent (her brothers are the present Duke of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent). Much of her childhood was spent at their country home, Coppins, in Buckinghamshire. Her father was killed in a wartime flying accident in 1942 when she was just five years old.

MEMORIAL PLAQUE

HM QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER

4 August 1900 - 30 March 2002

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother died peacefully in her sleep on Saturday 30 March 2002, at Royal Lodge, Windsor. Queen Elizabeth was a much-loved member of the Royal Family. Her life, spanning over a century, was devoted to the service of her country, the fulfilment of her Royal duties and the support of her family.

HRH THE PRINCESS MARGARET

21 AUGUST 1930 - 9 FEBRUARY 2002

Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon died peacefully in her sleep on Saturday 9 February, 2002, in The King Edward
VII Hospital, London.

The younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen
Mother, and sister to The Queen, Princess Margaret was a hardworking and much-loved member of the Royal Family.

Read more about the Princess and her funeral and memorial services in this section.

DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES

Diana, Princess of Wales died on Sunday, 31 August 1997 following a car crash in Paris. There was widespread public mourning at the death of this popular figure, culminating with her funeral at Westminster Abbey on
Saturday, 6 September 1997. Even after her death, however, the Princess's work lives on in the form of commemorative charities and projects set up to help those in need.

ART AND RESIDENCES

THE ROYAL COLLECTION

The Royal Collection, one of the finest art collections in the world, is held in trust by The Queen as Sovereign for her successors and the Nation.
It is on public display at the principal royal residences and is shown in a programme of special exhibitions and through loans to institutions around the world.

ABOUT THE ROYAL COLLECTION

Shaped by the personal tastes of kings and queens over more than 500 years, the Royal Collection includes paintings, drawings and watercolours, furniture, ceramics, clocks, silver, sculpture, jewellery, books, manuscripts, prints and maps, arms and armour, fans, and textiles. It is held in trust by The Queen as Sovereign for her successors and the Nation, and is not owned by her as a private individual. Curatorial and administrative responsibility for the Collection is held by the Royal
Collection Department, part of the Royal Household.

The Collection has largely been formed since the Restoration of the
Monarchy in 1660. Some items belonging to earlier monarchs, for example Henry VIII, also survive. The greater part of the magnificent collection inherited and added to by Charles I was dispersed on
Cromwell's orders during the Interregnum. The royal patrons now chiefly associated with notable additions to the Collection are Frederick, Prince of Wales; George III; George IV; Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; and
Queen Mary, Consort of George V.

The Royal Collection is on display at the principal royal residences, all of which are open to the public. Unlike most art collections of national importance, works of art from the Royal Collection can be enjoyed in the historic settings for which they were originally commissioned or acquired.
Much of the Collection is still in use at the working royal palaces.

The official residences of The Queen have a programme of changing exhibitions to show further areas of the Collection to the public, particularly those items that cannot be on permanent display for conservation reasons. The Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen will be marked by the creation of two flagship exhibition spaces at Buckingham
Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Loans are made to institutions throughout the world, as part of the commitment to make the Collection widely available and to show works of art in new contexts. Touring exhibitions remain an important part of the Royal
Collection's work to broaden public access.

Over 3,000 objects from the Royal Collection are on long-term loan to museums and galleries around the United Kingdom and abroad. National institutions housing works of art from the Collection include The British
Museum, National Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of
London, the National Museum of Wales and the National Gallery of Scotland.

The Royal Collection is the only collection of major national importance to receive no Government funding or public subsidy and is administered by the Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The Trust was set up by
The Queen in 1993 under the chairmanship of The Prince of Wales, following the establishment of the Royal Collection Department as a new department of the Royal Household in 1987. Income from the public opening of Windsor
Castle, Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse and from associated retail activities supports curatorial, conservation and educational work, loans and travelling exhibitions and major capital projects. These projects include the restoration of Windsor Castle after the fire in 1992, the rebuilding of The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham
Palace and the construction of an entirely new gallery at the Palace of
Holyroodhouse.

THE ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST

The Royal Collection is the only collection of major national importance to receive no Government funding or public subsidy. It is administered by the Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity established by The Queen in 1993 under the chairmanship of The Prince of Wales. The role of the
Trust is to ensure that the Collection is conserved and displayed to the highest standards and that public understanding of and access to the
Collection is increased through exhibition, publication, education and a programme of loans.

These wide-ranging activities are funded by monies raised through the
Trust's trading arm, Royal Collection Enterprises, from the public opening of Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse and from retail sales of publications and other merchandise. Current projects funded through the Royal Collection Trust include the major expansion of exhibition space at Buckingham Palace and at the Palace of Holyroodhouse to mark The Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002.

The Royal Collection Trust determines how the income generated should be used in pursuit of its stated objectives.

The Trust's primary aims are to ensure that:
- the Collection is subject to proper custodial control;
- the Collection is maintained and conserved to the highest possible standards;
- as much of the Collection as possible can be seen by members of the public;
- the Collection is presented and interpreted so as to enhance the public's appreciation and understanding;
- appropriate acquisitions are made when resources become available.

ROYAL COLLECTION ENTERPRISES

Royal Collection Enterprises Limited, the trading subsidiary of the Royal
Collection Trust, generates income for the presentation and conservation of the Royal Collection, and for projects to increase public access. It is responsible for the management and financial administration of public admission to Windsor Castle and Frogmore House, Buckingham Palace, including the Royal Mews, and The Queen's Galleries. Royal Collection
Enterprises also promotes access to the Royal Collection through publishing, retail merchandise and the Picture Library.

PUBLISHING

Publishing forms an important part of the Royal Collection Trust's ongoing programme to extend knowledge and enjoyment of the Collection's treasures. Over fifty books about the Royal Collection have been produced in recent years, ranging from scholarly exhibition catalogues to books for children.

In the mid-1990s the Royal Collection established its own imprint to build a definitive series about the royal residences and the works of art.
These books are written by or in consultation with the Royal Collection's own curators.

Royal Collection publications are available from the Royal Collection shops at the Royal Mews, Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the
Summer Opening of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace.

All profits from the sale of Royal Collection publications are dedicated to the Royal Collection Trust.

ROYAL RESIDENCES

The Royal Collection comprises the contents of all the royal palaces.

These include the official residences of The Queen, where the Collection plays an important part in the life of a working palace - Buckingham
Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse (administered by the
Royal Collection Trust); the unoccupied residences - Hampton Court Palace,
Kensington Palace (State Apartments), Kew Palace, the Banqueting House,
Whitehall and the Tower of London (administered by the Historic Royal
Palaces Trust); and Osborne House (owned and administered by English
Heritage).

Items from the Collection may also be seen at the private homes of The
Queen - Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle.

ROYAL COLLECTION GALLERIES

Dedicated gallery spaces allow works from the Collection to be presented and interpreted in different contexts, outside their historic settings, and give public access to items that cannot be on permanent display for conservation reasons. The exhibitions in The Queen's Galleries are accompanied by full catalogues, bringing to the public new research on the subject by the Royal Collection's curators.

LATEST EXHIBITION NEWS

The new Queen's Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh was inaugurated by Her Majesty The Queen on 29 November 2002 and opened its doors to the public the following day, St Andrew's Day. The inaugural exhibition is Leonardo da Vinci: The Divine and the Grotesque (30 November
2002 - 30 March 2003), the largest exhibition devoted to Leonardo da Vinci ever held in Scotland and the first to examine the artist's life-long obsession with the human form. All 68 works come from the Royal Collection, which holds the world's finest group of Leonardo's drawings.

A new exhibition also opened at Windsor Castle in the Drawings Gallery on
9 November 2002. The exhibition celebrates the centenary of the Order of
Merit with a series of original drawings of holders of the honour, past and present. It also features manuscripts and badges from former holders.

LOANS

Some 3,000 objects from the Royal Collection are on long-term loan to 160 institutions across the UK and overseas. These include the Raphael
Cartoons of The Acts of the Apostles at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the
Van der Goes Trinity Altarpiece at the National Gallery of Scotland, and the Roman sculpture The Lely Venus, at The British Museum.

Every year hundreds of objects from the Collection are lent to special exhibitions worldwide. These loans support international scholarship and enable material to be seen in new contexts.

Touring exhibitions of works from the Royal Library are an important way to broaden access to items that, for conservation reasons, cannot be on permanent display. The millennial exhibition Ten Religious Masterpieces was the year 2000's most popular art exhibition outside London, attracting over 200,000 visitors over the period of its tour.

THE ROYAL RESIDENCES

The residences associated with today's Royal Family are divided into the
Occupied Royal Residences, which are held in trust for future generations, and the Private Estates which have been handed down to The Queen by earlier generations of the Royal Family.

Beautifully furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection, most of the Royal residences are open to the public when not in official use.

These pages contain details of the history and role of these Residences and Estates, and provide information for visitors on opening times and admission prices for those that are open to the public.

ABOUT THE ROYAL RESIDENCES

Throughout the centuries, Britain's kings and queens have built or bought palaces to serve as family homes, workplaces and as centres of government.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

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Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of
Britain's sovereigns since 1837. It evolved from a town house that was owned from the beginning of the eighteenth century by the Dukes of
Buckingham. Today it is The Queen's official residence. Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The Queen, areas of
Buckingham Palace are opened to visitors on a regular basis.

The State Rooms of the Palace are open to visitors during the Annual
Summer Opening in August and September. They are lavishly furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection - paintings by
Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer, Poussin, Canaletto and Claude; sculpture by
Canova and Chantrey; exquisite examples of Sиvres porcelain, and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world.

Visits to Buckingham Palace can be combined with visits to The Queen's
Gallery, which reopened in May 2002.

THE QUEEN’S GALLERY, BUCKINGHAM PALACE

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The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace is a permanent space dedicated to changing exhibitions of items from the Royal Collection, the wide- ranging collection of art and treasures held in trust by The Queen for the nation. Constructed forty years ago on the west front of Buckingham Palace out of the bomb-damaged ruins of the former private chapel, the gallery has recently been redeveloped. It was reopened by The Queen on 21 May 2002 and is now open to the public on a daily basis.

The inaugural exhibition of the redeveloped gallery is a spectacular celebration of the individual tastes of monarchs and other members of the royal family who have shaped one of the world's greatest collections of art. Mixing the famous with the unexpected, the selection of 450 outstanding works for Royal Treasures: A Golden Jubilee Celebration has been made across the entire breadth of the Royal Collection, from eight royal residences and over five centuries of collecting.

THE ROYAL MEWS

One of the finest working stables in existence, the Royal Mews at
Buckingham Palace provides a unique opportunity for visitors to see the work of the Royal Household department that provides road transport for The
Queen and members of the Royal Family by both horse-drawn carriage and motor car.

The Royal Mews has a permanent display of State vehicles. These include the magnificent Gold State Coach used for Coronations and those carriages used for Royal and State occasions, State Visits, weddings and the State
Opening of Parliament. A State motor vehicle is also usually on display.
For much of the year visitors to the Royal Mews can also see the 30 or so carriage-horses which play an important role in The Queen's official and ceremonial duties.

WINDSOR CASTLE

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Windsor Castle is an official residence of The Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world. A royal palace and fortress for over 900 years, the Castle remains a working palace today. Visitors can walk around the State Apartments, extensive suites of rooms at the heart of the working palace; for part of the year visitors can also see the Semi State rooms, which are some of the most splendid interiors in the castle. They are furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection including paintings by
Holbein, Rubens, Van Dyck and Lawrence, fine tapestries and porcelain, sculpture and armour.

Within the Castle complex there are many additional attractions. In the
Drawings Gallery regular exhibitions of treasures from the Royal Library are mounted. Another popular feature is the Queen Mary's Dolls' House, a miniature mansion built to perfection. The fourteenth-century St. George's
Chapel is the burial place of ten sovereigns, home of the Order of the
Garter, and setting for many royal weddings. Nearby on the Windsor Estate is Frogmore House, an attractive country residence with strong associations to three queens - Queen Charlotte, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary.

In celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen, a new landscape garden has been created by the designer and Chelsea Gold
Medallist Tom Stuart-Smith. The garden, the first to be made at the Castle since the 1820s, transforms the visitor entrance and provides a setting for band concerts throughout the year. The informal design takes its inspiration from Windsor's historic parkland landscape and the picturesque character of the Castle, introduced by the architect Sir Jeffry Wyatville for George IV in the 1820s.

FROGMORE

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Frogmore House lies in the tranquil setting of the private Home Park of
Windsor Castle. A country residence of various monarchs since the seventeenth century, the house is especially linked to Queen Victoria. The house and attractive gardens were one of Queen Victoria's favourite retreats. In the gardens stands the Mausoleum where Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert are buried.

THE PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE

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Founded as a monastery in 1128, the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh is The Queen's official residence in Scotland. Situated at the end of the
Royal Mile, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is closely associated with
Scotland's turbulent past, including Mary, Queen of Scots, who lived here between 1561 and 1567. Successive kings and queens have made the Palace of
Holyroodhouse the premier royal residence in Scotland. Today, the Palace is the setting for State ceremonies and official entertaining.

BALMORAL CASTLE

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Balmoral Castle on the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland is the private residence of The Queen. Beloved by Queen Victoria and Prince
Albert, Balmoral Castle has remained a favourite residence for The Queen and her family during the summer holiday period in August and September.
The Castle is located on the large Balmoral Estate, a working estate which aims to protect the environment while contributing to the local economy.

The Estate grounds, gardens and the Castle Ballroom are open to visitors from the beginning of April to the end of July each year, under the management of the Balmoral Estate Office.

SANDRINGHAM HOUSE

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Sandringham House in Norfolk has been the private home of four generations of Sovereigns since 1862. The Queen and other members of the
Royal family regularly spend Christmas at Sandringham and make it their official base until February each year.

Like Balmoral, the Sandringham Estate is a commercial estate managed privately on The Queen's behalf. Sandringham House, the museum and the grounds are open to visitors.

ST JAMES’S PALACE

St. James's Palace is the senior Palace of the Sovereign, with a long history as a royal residence. As the home of several members of the Royal
Family and their household offices, it is often in use for official functions and is not open to the public.

KENSINGTON PALACE

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Kensington Palace in London is a working Royal residence. Of great historical importance, Kensington Palace was the favourite residence of successive sovereigns until 1760. It was also the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria. Today Kensington Palace accommodates the offices and private apartments of a number of members of the Royal Family. Although managed by Historic Royal Palaces, the Palace is furnished with items from the Royal Collection.

HISTORIC RESIDENCES

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Some of the most celebrated Royal residences used by former kings and queens can still be visited today.

The Tower of London, begun by William I, is a fascinating complex constructed over several centuries. It provided historic Royal families with a residence for more than five centuries, and was a prison for other
Royal figures, including Lady Jane Grey. The Tower housed the Royal Mint until 1810. There were also armouries and workshops in which weapons were designed and manufactured; items including armour worn by Henry VIII remain there today. The Tower remains the storehouse of the Crown Jewels and regalia, as it has done for nearly 700 years. Today the Tower is under the management of the Historic Royal Palaces Trust.

Hampton Court Palace is also managed by Historic Royal Palaces. Given by
Cardinal Wolsey to Henry VIII c.1526, the palace was a residence for figures including Mary I and Elizabeth I, Charles I, William III and Mary
II, and retains many furnishings and objects from their times. It houses some important works of art and furnishings in the Royal Collection.

The Banqueting House in Whitehall is the only remaining part of London's old Palace of Whitehall. It was created by Inigo Jones for James I. Charles
I commissioned Rubens to paint the vast ceiling panels, which celebrate kingship in general and the Stuart reign in particular. It was from the
Banqueting House that Charles I stepped on to the scaffold on 30 January
1649. In 1689 the Prince and Princess of Orange went to the Banqueting
House to accept the crown, becoming joint Sovereigns William III and Mary
II. Today the Banqueting House is managed by Historic Royal Palaces.

Other historic Royal residences which can be visited include Osborne
House, the beloved home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on the Isle of
Wight, and the Brighton Pavilion, former residence of George IV when he was
Prince Regent.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Thorpe, Lewis, trans., Geoffrey of Monmouth: The History of the Kings of
Britain, Penguin Books, London, 1966;
G. R. Elton, Modern Historians on British History, 1485–1945:
A Critical Bibliography, 1945–1969 (1971);
P. Catterall, British History, 1945–1987:
C. Read, Bibliography of British History: Tudor Period, 1485–1603 (2d ed.
1959, repr. 1978);
C. L. Mowat, Great Britain since 1914 (1971);
G. Davies, Bibliography of British History: Stuart Period, 1603–1714 (1928;
2d ed., ed. by M. F. Keeler, 1970);
Sir George Clark, ed., The Oxford History of England (2d ed., 16 vol.,
1937–91);
G. S. Graham, A Concise History of the British Empire (1971);
F. E. Halliday, A Concise History of England (1980);
F. M. L. Thompson, ed., The Cambridge Social History of Britain, 1750–1950
(1990);
Encyclopedia Britannica

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