Read the text about the British Royal Family and complete the sentences after the text.
Windsor [wɪnzər] is the family name of the Royal Family. The press sometimes refers to its members as 'the Windsors'. Queen Elizabeth is only the fourth monarch with this name.
The Queen is Head of State of the UK and 15 other Commonwealth realms. The elder daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, she was born in 1926 and became Queen at the age of 25.
Queen Elizabeth II became Queen of the United Kingdom and Head of the Commonwealth on February 6, 1952. She was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953.
As of today she has reigned for 61 years, 5 months and 16 days and she celebrated the Diamond (60th) Jubilee of her reign in 2012.
She is head of the British Royal Family. The Queen is married to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and has 4 children, 8 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchilden, and is 88 years. On 20th November 2012 she celebrated her 65th wedding anniversary.
The Queen's husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, is 92 years. He is the longest ever serving Royal Consort and oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch.
Prince Philip was born in 1926 and served in the Royal Navy. He takes a great deal of interest in industry, in the achievements of young people and in saving wild animals from extinction.
The Queen’s eldest son Prince Charles who was 66 years old on 14th November 2014 is currently the longest waiting and 2nd oldest ever heir to the throne.
On 29th April 2011 the Queen's grandson Prince William, who is 2nd in line to the throne, married Catherine (Kate) Middleton in Westminster Abbey. They are now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and in Scotland the Earl and Countess of Strathearn. Kate and William welcomed their newborn son into the world, and into the world's most famous family, on July 22, 2013. William and Kate's son will be third in line to the throne after his grandfather, Prince Charles, and his father, William.
The new little Prince of Cambridge will go by the names George Alexander Louis.Prince William and Duchess Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, on Wednesday announced the full name for their newborn, making him a future King George VII. Assuming his father and grandfather, Prince Charles, take their turns on the throne, he will someday become the 43rd English monarch.
2.Complete the chart:
| Event | Date |
| November 14, 2014 | |
| Elizabeth II became Queen | |
| 1926 (2) | |
| Elizabeth II celebrated the Diamond (60th) Jubilee of her reign | |
| July 22, 2013 | |
| April 29, 2011 | |
| Elizabeth II and Prince Philip celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary |
3.Fill in the gaps in the following sentences:
a)The family name of the Royal Family is______.
b)Elizabeth II is the daughter of _______and________.
c)Elizabeth II is married to______and has______children.
d)The eldest son of the Queen is_____.
e) Queen Elizabeth II is head of State of the UK and ________.
f)
4.What do the following numbers refer to?:25, 8, 2, 61, 92, the 4th, the 43rd.
Render the text in Russian (10min). Title the text. Which information from the text caught your interest?
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Members of the royal family belong to, or are married into, the House of Windsor, since 1917, when George V changed the name of the royal house from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Members and relatives of the British Royal Family historically represented the monarch in various places throughout the British Empire, sometimes for extended periods as viceroys, or for specific ceremonies or events. Today, they often perform ceremonial and social duties throughout the United Kingdom and abroad on behalf of the UK, but, aside from the monarch, have no constitutional role in the affairs of government. This is the same for the other realms of theCommonwealth, in personal union with the United Kingdom, though the family there acts on behalf of, is funded by, and represents the sovereign of that particular state, and not Britain.
Unit VI
About the Commonwealth
Commonwealth - a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good.
The Commonwealth has been existed for 60 years yet and it is a remarkable organization in the world today.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent countries, almost all of which were formerly under British rule.
The origins of the Commonwealth come from Britain's former Empire. Many of the members of the Commonwealth were territories which had historically come under British rule at various times by settlement, conquest or cession. The administration of such colonies evolved in different ways, to reflect the different circumstances of each territory.
After achieving independence, India was the first of a number of countries which decided that, although they wished to become republics, they still wanted to remain within the Commonwealth.
To reconcile these aims, the 1949 London Declaration recognized King George VI as Head of the Commonwealth. Following his death, the Commonwealth leaders recognized Queen Elizabeth II in that capacity.