UNIT 2

DAILY LIFE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

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2.1 Landmarks in the United Kingdom

There are many famous landmarks and beautiful places to visit in The United
Kingdom. They have a great history and beauty which is easy to admire. Maybe
you’ve seen some of them in photos, in television or in some movies. Here some of
them are presented:

2.1.1 Stonehenge

kidsbritannica.com

Undoubtedly this is one of the most attractive places in The United Kingdom and
in the world. Stonehenge is a circle of ancient stones with an age estimated at 4000
BCE, it is one of most famous prehistoric monument sites in Britain, and this
monument is considered a megalithic monument in where some aspects catch the
attention. For example, the construction is made of large stone blocks and it is
thought that it was constructed during the late Neolithic and Bronze Age. It is in
Salisbury Plain in the country of Wiltshire, in the United Kingdom.

Some Mysteries have been related to the stone circle, one of them is the reason
why it was built. Scientists have studied this monument for a long time due to the
great importance it has. It is said that this monument was used for religious
ceremonies. Some other people think that it was designed as a place to worship
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the sun. Others believe it may have been a place of sacrifice. Dozens of burial
mounds have been discovered near Stonehenge indicating that hundreds, if not
thousands, of people were buried there in ancient times. At least 17 shrines, some
in the shape of a circle, have also been discovered near Stonehenge (Jarus, 2017).

2.1.2 Buckingham Palace

elpais.hn

Buckingham Palace is the Queen’s official residence in London and it is often

used to receive and entertain foreign visitors. This Palace has served as the official
London residence of the UK’s sovereigns since 1837 and today is the administrative
headquarters of the Monarch. Many official events and receptions are hold by The
Queen in here, but the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to visitors every
summer (The Royal Household, 2018).

Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and
guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. In
measurements, the building is 108 meters long across the front, 120 meters deep
(including the central quadrangle) and 24 meters high (theroyalhousehold,2018).

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 Being the official house of the monarchy, this place is one of the favorite ones for
visitors from all around the world, if you go to England, this can be considered a
priority for visiting. Gardens, nice architecture, elegance, and respect are words
related to this palace. Another attractive feature about this place is activity called
Changing the Guard which is the iconic ceremony which is seen by lots of tourists at
Buckingham Palace.

2.1.3 Palace of Westminster

allfreephotos.com

The Palace of Westminster illustrates in colossal form the concept of constitutional

monarchy and the principle of the bicameral parliamentary system, as envisaged in
the 19th century, constructed through English architectural references to show the
national character (UNESCO, 2018). This palace, which is also known as Houses of
Parliament, is divided in two sections; the House of Commons and the Houses of
Lords. The main purpose of the Parliament is to evaluate the work of the government,
approve the new laws and debate about government policy and some other issues.

The Palace of Westminster is an outstanding building, one of the most well- known
British prides and is officially a royal place. It is in one side of the Thames river in the

32
London borough of the City of Westminster. UK citizens and foreigners can attend
debates, watch committees, take tours inside the building, but people can only tour
Parliament every Saturday and during the summer, when it’s open.

There was a fire in 1834, which destroyed much but not all the old palace of
Westminster, this provided an opportunity to put into place some of the long existing
hopes and plans for a purpose-built Parliament. After a controversial competition,
the project was entrusted to the architect Charles Barry (1795-1860), who
collaborated with the artist and designer Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-
52). Their masterpiece, in its external appearance and its internal decoration, was
inevitably something of a compromise of styles and aspirations, but it aimed to
embody a vision of Britishness. The resulting building is now a much loved national
icon (Farrel, 2017)

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 2.1.4 Tower of London

goldentours.com

The Tower of London is an official Royal Palace which is considered World

Heritage. This tower is in north of Thames River and was constructed in 1066 under
supervision of William the Conqueror, following his successful invasion in the same
year. During the Tudor age, the Tower became the most important state prison in
the country. Anyone thought to be a threat to national security was sent here. This
includes three queens of England: Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Jane Grey,
all of whom were executed within the Tower along the 16th century. Henry VIII's
wives were accused of adultery and treason. Lady Jane Grey was executed for high
treason in 1554, aged only 17. (Historical Royal Palaces, 2018)

The Tower also controlled the supply of the nation’s money. All coins of the realm
were made at the Tower Mint from the reign of Edward I until 1810. Kings and queens
also locked away their valuables and jewels at the Tower and even today, the Crown
Jewels are protected by a garrison of soldiers. The jewel House, which houses the
Crown Jewels, lies within the confines of the Tower of London. (Historical Royal
Palaces, 2018)

34
There are stories of ghosts that haunt the Tower. Anne Boleyn is said to be seen at
the site of her execution on Tower Green. Arbella Stuart, the cousin of Elizabeth I
who starved while under arrest for marrying without royal permission, is said to
frequent the Queen’s House. Two smaller ghosts are thought to be the ‘princes in
the Tower’, and the Yeomen Warders even tell a chilling tale of a huge bear who
occasionally appears to frighten visitors. (Historical Royal Palaces, 2018)

2.1.5 Windsor Castle

expedia.co.uk

The Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and has been a royal residence for over
900 years. Today it is one of the homes of the Queen in Windsor. Windsor Castle is
the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. It is open to visitors all year round.
Founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it has since been the home
of 39 monarchs. Today the Queen spends most of her private weekends at the
Castle. The castle occupies 13 acres (5 hectares) of ground above the south bank
of the River Thames (Encycloepedia Britannica, 2018).

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 The beginning of this palace as a royal residence at Windsor was in Saxon times
(9th century) with William I (“William the Conqueror”). He developed the present site,
constructing a mound with a stockade about 1070. Then Henry II replaced this with
the stone Round Tower and added outer walls to the north, east, and south.

In the 13th century Henry III completed the south wall and the western end of the
lower ward and built a royal chapel on the site of the present-day Albert Memorial
Chapel and then Edward III made this chapel the center of the newly formed Order
of the Garter in 1348 and converted the fortress buildings in the upper ward to
residential apartments for the monarchs. These apartments were rebuilt by Charles
II and later reconstructed by George IV for use by visitors of state in addition to the
monarchs (Encycloepedia Britannica, 2018).

Nowadays, this great castle is open to the public; you can get tickets on line for
you and your family and do a lot of ludic learning activities related to the story of the
royal residence. The attraction is not only the castle itself, it is all the things you can
learn about it through the tour and the activities performed in this place.

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 2.1.6 Hadrian’s Wall

history.com

Hadrian’s Wall is a stone wall barrier which was built to separate the Romans and
the Picts tribes in Scotland 2000 years ago. It allowed Roman soldiers to control the
movements of people coming into or leaving Roman Britain. It was so well built that
you can still see parts of it today.

Hadrian’s Wall was the north-west frontier of the Roman empire for nearly 300
years. It was built by the Roman army on the orders of the emperor Hadrian following
his visit to Britain in AD 122. At 73 miles (80 Roman miles) long, it crossed northern
Britain from Wallsend on the River Tyne in the east to Bowness- on-Solway in the
west. The most famous of all the frontiers of the Roman Empire, Hadrian’s Wall was
made a World Heritage Site in 1987 (Breeze, 2018)

This frontier, within the Roman domain in England, was abandoned as a frontier
in the early 5th century when Roman rule in Britain collapsed. But its history doesn't
end there. People have been studying Hadrian’s Wall for over 400 years.

37
 Visiting this area is a great idea because reminds us of the past glories of one of
the world's greatest powers. You can walk some of the 73 miles of the Wall, through
the Cumbrian and Northumberland countryside, and stop off at forts, museums,
towns and temples along the way (Breeze, 2018).

2.1.7 St Paul’s Cathedral

mirror.co.uk

St Paul’s Cathedral is located within the City of London on Ludgate Hill, the City’s
highest point. It is one of the oldest cathedrals in Europe. The dome of St Paul’s
Cathedral is the second biggest dome in the world, after St Peter’s in Rome. The
Cathedral that people see today (the fourth), was built between 1675 and 1711 by
Sir Christopher Wren. The foundation stone was laid in 1675 when Wren was 43
years old, and the last stone was put in place by his son 35 years later (Barrow,
2013)

The concept of a Cathedral dedicated to Saint Paul has overlooked the City of
London since 604 CE. The first cathedral was made from wood and was built for
Mellitus, Bishop of the East Saxons but was destroyed by a fire in 675 CE and was

38
rebuilt ten years later. The Cathedral was destroyed again by the Vikings in 962 CE
and rebuilt in stone by the Normans. Unfortunately, this third building was destroyed
in the Great Fire of London of 1666 (Barrow, 2013)

The dome reaches a height of 111 meters (366 ft.) and weighs about 66,000 tons.
Eight arches support the dome. On top of the dome is a large lantern with a weight
of 850 tons (A view on cities, 2018)

The church was the site of several important historic events such as the funeral
of Admiral Nelson in 1806 and the funeral of Winston Churchill in 1965. Prince
Charles and Lady Diana Spencer married here in 1981.

2.1.8 The Big Ben

playbuzz.com

Each country around the world has an icon; we can mention the Statue of Liberty
in The United States of America or the Angel of Independence in Mexico. Each
monument has its historical meaning for the nation. In the United Kingdom, in
England, specifically, there is one with all the characteristics of a national icon: The
Big Ben.
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 The Big Ben, which is also named tower clock, is famous for its accuracy and for
its massive bell. It is important to remember that the name refers to only the great
hour bell, which weighs 15.1 tons (13.7 metric tons), but it is commonly associated
with the whole clock tower at the northern end of the Houses of Parliament, in the
palace of Westminster. The tower itself was formally known as St. Stephen’s Tower
until 2012, when it was renamed Elizabeth Tower on Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee,
celebrating 60 years on the British throne. The hands of the clock are 9 and 14 feet
(2.7 and 4.3 meters) long, respectively, and the clock tower rises about 320 feet
(97.5 meters) (Betts, 2018)

An interesting fact is that in this clock the citizens of England and many other
people who travel to England celebrate the New Year with fireworks. It is known that
the maintenance is not as easy, the structure of the clock is very old and cracked so
the workers have to be careful when servicing up to the clock by the height of this
structure, the most complicated task is to put the clock on time, and there are other
enemies of the Big Ben such as the air, the doves, the snow, among other things.
The maintenance on the clock is very important because many people take this clock
as a reference for their watches, so it has to be very accurate on its time.

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 2.1.9 London Eye

es.viator.com

Maybe this is the most attractive place in England nowadays. The London Eye
was called Millennium Wheel when it was first constructed. It is the tallest Ferris
wheel with a 450 feet (135m) high in all Europe (the third one in the entire world) and
spins smoothly at a speed of 26 cm per second (two revolutions per hour) this makes
no necessary to stop for boarding or disembarkation of passengers, except for those
with disabilities. Each rotation takes around 30 minutes in which time you can marvel
at the majestic views that spread around (on a clear day) up to 40 km in all directions.

The London Eye was officially opened by the former British Minister, Tony Blair,
on December 31st, 1999, at the dawn of the new millennium; although it was opened
to the public until March 9th, 2000 because of technical problems. The London Eye
has become a 21st Century symbol for Britain and one of the major landmarks and
tourist attraction in London.

41
 The rime of the Eye is supported by tie roods and resembles a huge spoked
bicycle wheel. The lighting for the London Eye was redone with LED lighting from
Color Kinetics in December 2006 to allow digital control of the lights as opposed
to the manual replacement of gels over fluorescent tubes. From January 2011, its
official name was changed to the EDF Energy London Eye, this is the UK´s most
popular paid for visitor attraction, visited by over 3.5 million people a year (Lewis,
2018).

2.1.10 Westminster Abbey

travelguide.michellin.com}

This Abbey is an architectural masterpiece of the 13th to 16th centuries,

Westminster Abbey also presents a unique pageant of British history because it is
the place for the shrine of St Edward the Confessor, the tombs of kings and queens,
and countless memorials to the famous and the great. It has been the setting for
every Coronation since 1066, every monarch since William the Conqueror has been
crowned in the Abbey, with the exception of Edward V and Edward VIII (who
abdicated) who were never crowned. This abbey has held numerous other royal
occasions, including sixteen royal weddings. (Westminster Abbey, 2018)

42
 Today, it is still a church dedicated to regular worship and to the celebration of
great events in the life of the nation. Neither a cathedral nor a parish church,
Westminster Abbey (or the Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster to give it its
correct title) is a "Royal Peculiar" under the jurisdiction of a Dean and Chapter,
subject only to the Sovereign and not to any archbishop or bishop (Westminster
Abbey, 2018).

Westminster Abbey, a work of architectural genius, a place of daily worship,

deploying the resources of high musical expertise, a burial place of kings, statesmen,
poets, scientists, warriors and musicians, is the result of a process of development
across the centuries, which represents the response of a monastery and later a post-
Reformation church to the stimulus and challenge of its environment (Westminster
Abbey, 2018).

43
 2.2 British food

British food is not considered to be very complex, it does not include fresh dining,
salads or reliable raw ingredients, and meal times in Britain have traditionally
involved roasting, stewing, or battering ingredients out of necessity. The indigenous
and characteristic aspects of British cooking that have earned it a culinary niche in
the world´s cuisines date back centuries. As great meat eaters, they perfected the
art of roasting.

The British cuisine is a set of habits and adaptations of foods with the climate of
the place and its history. In the times of Shakespeare, people enjoyed breads made
from a variety of flours, ate every part of the animal that came their way, and used
clever tricks to trap birds, feeding them with aromatic herbs to give flavor to their
meat.

To talk about typical cuisine in England is to talk about simple food, a lot of
vegetables, fish, breads, cheeses, roasted meals, stewed meals, pies and above all,
potatoes, either prepared in slices or made in mash. The bread was commonly
accompanied with pottage. Now, they have many ingredients imported from other
places, like India (Coghlan, 2017).

In the next section, you will learn about the most popular British dishes that are
eaten nowadays in the United Kingdom and in the world. Some of them simple in
their ingredients and cooking, but others are more complex. The British love them
and they prepare them at home or get them in restaurants around the country. You
may find some of them very familiar or even you have already eaten those delicious
dishes. Here the dishes are presented.

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Fish and chips

This dish is the most popular fast food in

all England. It can be compared with the
popularity that the hamburger has in the
United States of America. Coated with
flour and eggs which is deep fried and
served with chips, it is usually added salt
and vinegar. The trick is to get fresh fish
and not frozen.
pinterest.com

Yorkshire pudding
The Yorkshire pudding is as popular as
ever, whether home-cooked, eaten at the
thousands of restaurants across the UK
serving a traditional Sunday lunch, or
bought from the supermarket

This British dish is made by baking a thick

liquid mixture of flour, milk, and eggs. It is
often eaten with roast beef. (Lemm,
2018)
recipethis.com

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Roast Beef This dish is made of beef roasted several
hours in an oven until the meat (pork, veal
or lamb) drop juice or its color is brown. It
is accompanied by roast potatoes and
other vegetables (generally boiled).

For many people, cooking and serving

Sunday lunch at home is the very heart of
British food and cooking. It is the time for
families or friends to get together and
foodnetwork.co.uk
share great food. (Lemm, 2018)

Bubble and squeak

A traditional dish named after the sound it
makes while it´s cooking. It´s made from
leftover’s vegetables of a roast dinner,
mixing them with mash potato and slices
of cabbage, carrots, beans, Brussels and
other vegetables. It´s served cold.

Bubble and squeak dates from the 18th

century; the key ingredient is the potatoes,
taste.com.au

which hold the other various components

together. (Rosen, 2018)

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Full English breakfast

The full English breakfast constitutes a

very old British tradition which dates back
to the early 1300's. This tradition has
existed for generations in the UK.

Today you can usually find an English

breakfast in most towns and cities across
the country and overseas wherever you

cardifflocalguide.co.uk
find the British. A full breakfast is a meal
that typically includes bacon, sausages,
eggs and a beverage such as coffee or
tea. (Guise, 2018)

Black Pudding Black pudding is made out of animal blood,

the dark color of black pudding makes it
particularly foreboding. To make it, the
blood (usually from pigs) is mixed with fat
and oatmeal, before being packed into a
casing. The sausage is then served boiled,
fried or grilled and cut into rounds, or
crumbled into small pieces. In México, it is
known as a “morcilla”. (Hardwick, 2018)

organicmeat.ie

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Toad in the Hole

Toad in the Hole is a classic British

recipe and a meaty variation on a
Yorkshire pudding when filled with
delicious British sausages. The recipe
includes cooking the sausage and batter
in a large roasting pan for a large family-
sized version, but you can also make an
individually sized toad in the hole. This
dinner4tonight.com delicious dish is served with onion gravy
and fresh vegetables. (Lemm, 2018)

Tea It was in the mid-17th century when the

beverage first appeared in England.
Afternoon tea is said to have originated
with one person; Anna, 7th Duchess of
Bedford. She launched the idea of
having tea in the late afternoon to bridge
the gap between lunch and dinner. This
fashionable custom soon evolved
among the working classes. (Ross,
moziru.com 2018)

Cheese cake bbc.co.uk It is a dessert made of cheese, some

cookies, meringue and sweet sauce. It
can also have many other varies such
as eggs, cream and some fruits:
blueberries, blackberries, lemons and
oranges.

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 2.3 Holidays and traditions in the United Kingdom

cesuvt.org

The United Kingdom is a nation with a great culture; its traditions are so rich in
diversity and have been around for hundreds of years. The Culture of the United
Kingdom has been spread around the world because throughout history, they
colonized or conquered countries such as United States, Australia, Canada, among
other 32 nations.

The importance of the British customs and traditions could be seen in all over the
world. For example, there are holidays in the United Kingdom that are celebrated
around the entire world. There are many holidays that are divided in two categories,
Official Days and Public Holidays.

Some of the British traditions are lived in other places around the world. The
traditions that are celebrated in the United Kingdom are also celebrated by visitors
from many parts who want to live the experience and decide to travel to the country
to have the chance of living themselves what it is said in books and magazines about
the British holidays.

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 2.3.1 New Year

europeanbestdestinations.com

New Year's Day is a bank holiday, which means it is a non-working day in the
United Kingdom. As with all bank holidays in the United Kingdom, a substitute
holiday is declared if New Year's Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday. Usually, this is
on the following Monday. In the city of London thousands of people gather at the
banks of the river Thames to see an almost 12-minute firework display over the
London Eye. The pyrotechnics begin just after Big Ben chimes midnight and are
accompanied by music. Since 2014, this has been a ticketed event. (Time and date,
2018)

New Year celebrations made in the United Kingdom are big and famous, which
is very evident by the number of tourists visiting the country during New Year. During
the New Year in England, rituals like people keeping the back door of their houses
open to symbolize for their farewell to the old year and expecting a dark haired and
young man to arrive at their place on New Year´s Day as a symbol for good luck in
the coming year are very common among British people.

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2.3.2 Mothering Sunday

goldencarers.com

Mothering Sunday is celebrated the fourth Sunday of Lent (in the Christian
religion, the 40 days before Easter, a period during which, for religious reasons,
some people stop doing things that they enjoy). Although it's often called Mothers'
Day it has no connection with the American festival of that name. Traditionally, it was
a day when children, mainly daughters, who had gone to work as domestic servants
were given a day off to visit their mother and family.

Mother's Day, or Mothering Sunday, is now a day to honor mothers and other
mother figures, such as grandmothers, stepmothers and mothers-in-law. Many
people make a special effort to visit their mother. An important part of Mothering
Sunday is giving cards and gifts. Common Mother's Day gifts are cakes, flowers,
chocolates, jewelry, and luxurious clothing. Some people do not give a physical
present but choose to treat their mother or grandmother to a special meal, beauty
treatment or fun outing. (Time and date, 2018)

Today it is a day when children give presents, flowers, and home-made cards to
their mothers. This day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday on March. (BBC, 2011)

51
 2.3.3 Easter Monday

pinterest.com

Easter Monday is observed as a public holiday in many countries and is part of

the Easter period. It is a Christian observance and it takes place on the day after
Easter Sunday. It is the time for three holidays (Monday, Thursday and Good Friday)
and Easter Sunday, these days are a festival and the time for giving chocolate Easter
eggs, but also Easter means much more than just that, Easter is the oldest and one
of the most important Christian Festival, the celebration of the death and coming to
life of Jesus Christ. (Time and date, 2018) April Fool´s Day (April 1st)

Although Easter Monday has a religious origin, it is celebrated in other countries

as part of festivities related to the church but in places like schools, festivals are
organized to give the kids the opportunity to live the traditions from another country
so they decorate eggs and hide them, and when they find them, they receive a gift.

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 2.3.4 April fool’s day

wincalendar.com

It is one of the most awaited days of the year. Its main characteristic is that you
can prank everyone, and they cannot get mad at you. This holiday is similar to the
Mexican December 28th. On this day, people make jokes to someone else they want
to, the kind of jokes that they made usually involve people persuading other people
to do something silly.

Ancient cultures, including those of the Romans and Hindus, used to celebrate
New Year's Day on or around April 1st. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII ordered a new
calendar (the Gregorian Calendar) to replace the old Julian Calendar. The new
calendar called for New Year's Day to be celebrated Jan. 1 st. many people either
refused to accept the new date, or did not learn about it, and continued to celebrate
New Year's Day on April 1. Other people began to make fun of these traditionalists,
sending them on "fool's errands" or trying to trick them into believing something false.
Eventually, the practice spread throughout Europe. (Ross & Johnson, 2018)

53
 2.3.5 St. George´s Day (April 23rd)

clasmusic.com

It is a holiday that is celebrated with parades, dancing and other activities. Flags
with the image of St George's cross are flown on some buildings, especially pubs,
and a few people wear a red rose on their lapel. St George is most widely known for
slaying a dragon. According to legend, the only well in the town of Silene was
guarded by a dragon. To get water, the inhabitants of the town had to offer a human
sacrifice every day to the dragon. A day that St George was visiting, a princess had
been selected to be sacrificed. However, he killed the dragon, saved the princess
and gave the people of Silene access to water. In gratitude, they converted to
Christianity. It is thought that the dragon represents a certain type of pagan belief
that included the sacrifice of human beings. (Time and date, 2018)

54
 2.3.6 May Day (May 1st)

ancient-origins.net

Many folklore customs have their roots planted firmly back in the Dark Ages, when
the ancient Celts had divided their year by four major festivals. Beltane or ‘the fire of
Bel’, had particular significance to the Celts as it represented the first day of summer
and was celebrated with bonfires to welcome in the new season. Still celebrated today,
we perhaps know Beltane better as May 1st, or May Day (Johnson, 2018)

In the United Kingdom, as well as most of Europe, May Day is known as the end
of the winter and beginning of the summer, and it is looked forward to the productive
months. The first day of the month of May is known as May Day. It is the time of year
when warmer weather begins, and flowers and trees start to blossom. It is said to be
a time of love and romance. It is when people celebrate the coming of summer with
lots of different customs that are expressions of joy and hope after a long winter.
Traditional English May Day celebrations include Morris dancing, crowning a May
Queen and dancing around a Maypole. (Barrow, 2013)

55
 2.3.7 Trooping the Colors

visitlondon.com

This military tradition dates to the 17th century and since 1748. Trooping the Color
has a long and rich history. Flags or colors were used as a method of identification
for different regiments of the British army, as they made it easy for soldiers to
recognize their units even in the chaos of a battlefield. Of course, the soldiers would
have to learn which colors belonged to their regiment, so they were regularly
marched and displayed, or trooped by a young officer. The tradition has lasted for
centuries and though it’s purely ceremonial now, it does have the added significance
of marking the sovereign’s official birthday. (Dean, 2017)

This especial day is celebrated because British people celebrate it as the official
birthday of the Queen; this means that the Queen has two birthdays, her actual
birthday is 21st April and her official one falls on a Saturday in June, the same day
as Trooping the Color. The celebration consists of a military parade and a march. It
lasts about an hour and it happens on June 13th.

56
 2.3.8 Harvest Festival

southlodgeprimary.com

Harvest Festival is one of the oldest festivals in the United Kingdom. It began in
churches in the year 1843, when Robert Hawker invited local parishioners to a
special thanksgiving service at a church in Cornwall. This resulted in the custom of
decorating churches with home-grown products. There is an ancient ceremony
known as the “crying of the neck" which takes place in Cornwall. In the old times, the
success of crops determined the success or failure of the people. The natives of UK
pleased the God of fertility by offering him the first sheaf of corn. This was done to
ensure a good harvest in the coming season. (The Holiday Spot, 2018)

In England, they have given thanks for successful harvest for hundreds of years,
they celebrate this day by singing, praying and decorating their churches. Harvest
Festival reminds Christians of all the good things God gives them. This makes them
want to share with others who are not so fortunate. In schools and in Churches,
people bring food from home to a Harvest Festival Service. This holiday is celebrated
in September.

57
 2.3.9 Bonfire Night (November 5th)

express.co.uk

If you have seen the movie “V for Vendetta” you will probably know that this movie
is based on the November 5th celebration. It is an important day in the United
Kingdom, especially in England. This day comes since 1605 and it is called the
Bonfire night (Guy Fawkes Night). Guy Fawkes Night is annually held on November
5. It is sometimes known as Bonfire Night and marks the anniversary of the discovery
of a plot organized by Catholic conspirators to blow up the Houses of Parliament in
London in 1605. Many people light bonfires and set off fireworks. Guy Fawkes was
a catholic man who tried to explode the parliament and kill the king because the king
had established some laws that the Catholics though were unfair. (Time and date,
2018)

58
 2.3.10 Christmas Day (December 25th or the Monday immediately following if
Christmas falls on a weekend)

metalcolour.com

When the time for nice celebrations comes it is impossible not to think in
Christmas. This celebration is a very old one and it is celebrated around the world.
Kids wait a whole year to receive gifts form the people who love them. The United
Kingdom is not an exemption and this holiday is also popular in the country.

Christmas is a truly magical season that brings families and friends together to
share the much-loved customs and traditions which have been around for centuries.
On this holiday, people stay at home with their family. It´s very similar to the
Christmas celebrated in America. If both December 25 and December 26 fall on the
weekend, the following Monday and Tuesday are Bank Holidays. This means that
people do not work to observe both celebrations.

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 2.3.11 St. Patrick´s Day (March 17th)

kokefm.com

St. Patrick´s Day is held I honor of the patron Saint of Ireland. The work of St.
Patrick (c.389-c.461) was vital for the spreading of Christianity in Ireland. Born in
Britain, he was taken off by pirates and spent the next years being their slave. After
escaping, he started training as a missionary. By the time of his death on March 17,
461, he had established monasteries, churches, and schools. London has a great
quantity of Irish people, so it´s quite a big celebration. There is a big parade held on
the nearest Monday if it falls on a weekend of March. This annual parade usually
takes place in Trafalgar Square. (Encycloepedia Britannica, 2018)

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 2.4 Government in the United Kingdom

twitter.com

A nation like the United Kingdom is characterized by its Government System. The
United Kingdom’s government is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional
Monarch. In the British Monarchy, the king or queen is the head of state, (nowadays,
the UK has a Queen, the Queen Elizabeth II) and a Prime minister is the head of
government. This means that a king or queen reigns with some limits to their power,
together with a governing body which is the Parliament.

In the UK, the Prime Minister leads the government with the support of the Cabinet
and ministers. The Prime Minister is head of the UK government. They are ultimately
responsible for all policies and decisions. They oversee the operation of the Civil
Service and government agencies, they appoint members of the government and
they are the principal government figure in the House of Commons. (Open
Govenment Licence, 2018)

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 The Cabinet is made up of the senior members of government. Every week during
Parliament, members of the Cabinet (Secretaries of State from all departments and
some other ministers) meet to discuss the most important issues for the government.
(Open Govenment Licence, 2018)

Talking about the total number of Ministers who participate in the Government,
there is a Prime Minister, 22 Cabinet ministers, 98 other ministers with a total of 121
ministers. Ministers are chosen by the Prime Minister from the members of the House
of Commons and House of Lords. They are responsible for the actions, successes
and failures of their departments. (Open Govenment Licence, 2018)

There is a general election in the United Kingdom which is held after every five
years to elect the House of Commons. The Monarch appoints as prime minister the
person who commands most of support in the House of Commons.

2.4.1 The Monarch and the government

The monarchy is the most ancient institution of government in the United

Kingdom. The United Kingdom’s monarchy is considered the oldest of all modern
constitutional monarchies (other countries including Belgium, Norway, the
Netherlands, Spain and Monaco).

As mentioned before, the prime minister heads the central government of the UK.
The monarch, who is currently Queen Elizabeth II, is the head of state. The Queen
plays a minor role in governing the country with the Crown remaining the

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source of the executive power exercised by the government. The Crown possesses
the Royal Prerogative which can be exercised for several purposes including issuing
and withdrawing passports and declaring war against an external enemy. Most of
the Royal Prerogative powers are delegated to various ministries who can use them
without seeking the consent of parliament. (World Atlas, 2018)

The Prime Minister, who is the head of the UK government, has a weekly meeting
with the Queen where the queen can express her views on Government matters.
The meetings are strictly confidential. The ministers work in hand with 560,000 civil
servants across the 24 ministerial departments. An additional 26 non- ministerial
departments are also in charge of different responsibilities. The UK government is
also composed of three levels of elected local authorities. The local authorities are
limited to collecting taxes and are supervised by the central government. (World
Atlas, 2018)

The Queen formally appoints important office holders that include the prime
minister and other government ministers, judges, officers in the armed forces,
governors, diplomats, bishops and some other senior clergy of the Church of
England. She also has the power to grant peerages, knighthoods and other
distinctive honors.

2.4.2 Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal family

Elizabeth II was born on April 21st, 1926. The British queen was crowned on June
2nd, 1953 in the Westminster Abbey, despite having acceded to the throne on
February 6th, 1952 when her father died. British law states that the throne is not left

63
'vacant' and therefore the new monarch succeeds the old monarch immediately.
The official coronation usually takes place months later, as it’s considered a
happy occasion and not appropriate for the period of mourning.

getthegloss.com

Elizabeth II was crowned on 2 June 1953 in Westminster Abbey, despite

having acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952 when her father died. British
law states that the throne cannot be left 'vacant' and therefore the new monarch
succeeds the old monarch immediately. The official coronation usually takes
place months later, as it’s considered a happy occasion and not appropriate for
the period of mourning.

In 2012 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her diamond jubilee in the throne

because she has been the queen for 60 years (nowadays, it is even longer!). She
is the British queen with more years reigning. Her official name as a Queen is
Elizabeth II but her real name is Isabel Alexandra Mary.

Elizabeth II was the third in line for getting the throne, Prince David (Edward
III) and her father Prince Albert were the options for the throne before Elizabeth
II. She became the queen because her uncle Eduardo III abdicated to the crown.

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 The reason for the abdicating was that he got married with Wallis Simpson (an
American wealthy widow), who was not a member of the Royalty. (BBC, 2014)

reginajeffers.blog

Price Albert, Elizabeth’s father, did not have male children, when he got
married he only had two daughters (Isabel and Margarita). Isabel became a
queen after her father died because a thrombosis.

The queen is married to Prince Philippe, Duke of Edinburg. They have been
married for 65 years. Her husband is not considered the King of the United
Kingdom because when there is a Female Monarch, her husband does not
receive the position of the monarch. On the other hand, if there is a male
monarch, his wife is considered the Queen of the country.

During her reigning, Queen Elizabeth II has seen passed thirteen presidents
of the United States of America, four Soviet leaders, five Russian presidents, five
Chinese leaders and seven popes.

Some of Elizabeth II belongings are 2 Bentley cars, 3 Rolls-Royce cars and a

spectacular Phantom IV from 1950. She is the only person in the United Kingdom

65
who can drive without a driving license or plates. She does not have a passport
and she cannot be judged or fined. The Real collection is composed by 100
carriages and in case that it is necessary to travel along the United Kingdom, she
has the Royal train for it.

During her long reigning, Elizabeth II has officially visited many countries. She
is the Queen that has traveled the most around the world. She has been to Mexico
twice, in 1975 when Luis Echeverria was the President and in 1983 with Miguel
de la Madrid. Mexico is the only Latin American country that Her Majesty has
visited twice.

The royal family plays an important role in supporting and encouraging the
public and charity sectors, and around 3,000 organizations list a member of the
family as a patron or president. There are various charities and organizations
supported by a member of the royal family.

British citizens love their queen, Elizabeth II has the acceptance from the
people not only in the United Kingdom but also in the world. Many places around
the world hope to receive Her Majesty’s visiting because she is a very popular
monarch.

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 2.4.3 The Crown

pinterest.com

The title to the crown derives partly from statute and partly from common law
rules of descent. Despite interruptions in the direct line of succession, inheritance
had always been the way royal power has passed down the generations, with sons
of the sovereign coming before daughters in succeeding to the throne until 2011
when the situation changed when a reform was declared during the 22nd
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. It called the Perth Agreement. The
heads of government of the 16 Commonwealth realms agreed to change the rules
of succession by replacing male preference primogeniture with absolute
primogeniture, in which the first-born child of a monarch would be heir apparent
regardless of gender. (The Royal Family, 2018)

When a daughter does succeed, she becomes Queen Regnant and has the
same powers as a king. The 'consort' of a king takes her husband's rank and style,
becoming Queen. No special rank or privileges are given to the husband of a Queen
Regnant.

The sovereign succeeds to the throne as soon as his or her predecessor dies.
He or she is at once proclaimed at an Accession Council, to which all members of
the Privy Council are called. Members of the House of Lords, the Lord Mayor,

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Aldermen and other leading citizens of the City of London are also invited.

The coronation follows the accession. The ceremony takes place at

Westminster Abbey in London in the presence of representatives of both Houses
of Parliament and all the major public organizations in the UK. The prime ministers
and leading members of the Commonwealth nations and representatives of other
countries also attend.

telegraph.co.uk

2.4.4 The Parliament: House of Commons and House of Lords

The main functions of Parliament are to pass laws, to finance through taxation
the work of government, to scrutinize government policy and administration,
including proposals for expenditure, and to debate the major issues of the day.

House of Commons

The House of Commons consists of 646 elected MPs. Of the 646 seats, 529
represent constituencies in England, 40 in Wales, 59 in Scotland, and 18 in
Northern Ireland and they are elected by universal suffrage. The life of a
Parliament is five years. (Encycloepedia Britannica, 2018)

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 House of Lords

The House of Lords is the second chamber or upper house of the UK

Parliament. It works with the House of Commons to make laws, scrutinize the
actions of the government, and provide a forum of independent expertise. It
consists of the Lords Spiritual and the Lords Temporal.

The Lords Spiritual: include the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of

York, the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Durham, and the Bishop of Winchester.
Membership of the House of Lords also extends to the longest-serving other
bishops of the Church of England. The Lords Temporal are hereditary or life peers
(Encycloepedia Britannica, 2018).

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