June 2nd, 2022, marks the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign in Britain as well as the Commonwealth nations. She is the first member of the royal family to reach this juncture. After the death of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II became the reigning queen of the British Crown.
The Queen was crowned on June 2nd, 1953. So, to celebrate this momentous day, a four-day-long celebration has been planned in the U.K. starting from today. The first day will be marked with “Trooping The Color,” to commemorate the inception of the sovereign rule in the 1700s. Friday will be celebrated as “Thanksgiving Day” at London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral. During the event, the church bell Great Paul will be rung for the first time for a royal event.
Prince Harry and Megan Markle will also attend the historic event post their resignation from royal duties. On Saturday, the royal family will attend a horse race accompanied by Ed Sheeran and Diana Ross’ concert. On the final day, there will be large lunch parties arranged on the streets to sign off the festivities. So, to mark this significant event, we have listed 10 things that only the Queen can do with the powers bestowed upon her by the Crown.
1) Queen Elizabeth II Does Not Need A Driver’s License
Her majesty does not need a driver’s license to wander around in the U.K. This exemption is bestowed upon her by the provision of “Royal Prerogatives.” In modern times, the government ministers from the House Of Common practice these, but there are certain personal prerogatives that the Queen can practice independent of the ministers. Queen Elizabeth II has been behind the wheel since she was 19. Till now, at the age of 91, the Queen prefers to drive on her own. The children and grandchildren of the Queen do not enjoy this exclusive perk.
2) The Queen Is Permitted To Travel Around The World Without A Passport
The world is an open, free ground for the Queen of Britain. She is allowed to travel the world without possessing a passport. The passports are issued in the name of the Queen. According to royal.gov.uk., “As a British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty, it is unnecessary for The Royal Queen to possess one.” In the opening passage of the British passports, it is written, “Her Britannic Majesty’s Secretary of State requests and requires in the name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary.” The Governor on behalf of Her Majesty issues the same passage in the Commonwealth nations.
3) Queen Elizabeth Has The Power To Pardon Criminals
Another power that is vested with the Queen is to grant justice to the criminals. This power is utilized through “royal pardon,” which was earlier used when the death penalty was in practice. Capital punishment was abolished with the passing of the Murder (Abolition of the Death Penalty) Act, 1965. During the Second World War, the code-master Alan Turing was exempted from the death penalty in 2013. Now, the royal pardon is utilized to reduce the punishments of some inmates.
4) Her Majesty Cannot Be Arrested
The criminal laws cannot be executed when the Queen is in question. This is because the Queen is above the law in the U.K. and enjoys sovereign immunity. The origin of this can be traced to when George V was prosecuted for bigamy and the Lord Chief Justice gave the verdict that the King could not be ordered to give evidence in 1911. Not only the monarch, but the family is also immune from civil proceedings.
5) The Royal Queen Has Two Birthdays
Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her birthday twice a year. The first birthday is when she was born i.e., April 21st every year. But, the second Saturday in June is when there is a traditional birthday celebrated with an honorary parade. This tradition originated in 1748 with King George II. He celebrated his birthday in November, and in June, there used to be a parade season in England. Therefore, he declared his second birthday in June, and the tradition continues.
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6) Elizabeth II Has The Power To Declare A War
Here come the “royal prerogatives” in action. The Queen is indeed the only person in the U.K. to declare a war on another country, but this privilege is not absolute as there has to be a consultation with the government ministers. The Prime Minister, Parliament, and other government bodies play a pivotal role in declaring the war along with the Queen.
7) She Is Exempted From Paying Taxes
The constitutional monarchy in the U.K. gives power to The Crown to evade taxes. This means that the £500 million worth of the estate is non-taxable. However, in 1992, to maintain equality, the Queen started paying taxes. From 1993, her personal income became taxable like the citizens of Britain. Since then, she pays the Value Added Taxes applicable in the United Kingdom.
8) The Queen Has The Power To Make An Act Into Law
Though the Parliament has the power to amend, propose, and demolish any law, it is the Queen who legitimizes it. The process where the Queen assents a law to come into force is called Royal Assent. However, since 1708, the Royals did not give assent to legitimize the laws in the United Kingdom.
9) Queen Elizabeth II Appoints The Members Of The House Of Lords
The United Kingdom has a bicameral legislature where there is a House Of Lords and a House Of Commons in place. The Queen has the power to appoint the members of the upper house i.e., the House Of Lords. The Queen decides the criteria to choose the members based on their caliber in fields of Science, Arts, Health, Culture, Sports, Law, etc., The House plays the role of the lawmaker.
10) The Queen Has Her Own Automated Teller Machine (ATM)
One of the most interesting perks that the royal family enjoys is having the pounds generating machine in the house. The Coutts United Kingdom’s leading bank has installed an ATM in the basement of Buckingham Palace.
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