Some Royal Q & A

Q: Why is the Queen referred to as the second Elizabeth? Her mother was also Queen Elizabeth, so shouldn’t this Queen be Elizabeth III?

A: No. The “numbering” of a monarch applies to those who are regnant (reigning as the sovereign). The current Queen is regnant, meaning that it was through her birthright – not her marriage – that she became Queen. It was the same situation for Queen Elizabeth I. The Queen Mother, however, held the title of Queen through her marriage to a king, making her a consort to the monarch, not a monarch herself.

Q: How does one address a peer or member of the Royal Family?

A: There are a number of ways. It depends on whether you are addressing someone socially or by correspondence. According to Debrett’s, when addressing the Queen, it is laid out like this:

On the envelope, for formal and state documents:

“The Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty” otherwise “Her Majesty The Queen”.

Commencement:
“Madam,” or “May it please your Majesty”.

Conclusion:
“I have the honour to remain Madam, Your Majesty’s most humble and obedient servant”.

Personal address:
“Your Majesty”, and thenceforward as “Ma’am”.

For Princes & Princesses:

On the envelope:
(i) the son of a Sovereign “His Royal Highness The Prince [Charles]“;
(ii) other Princes “His Royal Highness Prince [Michael of Kent]“;
(iii) Duke “His Royal Highness The Duke of [Gloucester]“. Commencement, “Sir”.

Conclusion:
“I have the honour to be, Sir, Your Royal Highness’s most humble and obedient servant”.
Personal address: “Your Royal Highness”, and thenceforward as “Sir”.

Thanks to royal.gov.uk

Q: What are the jeweled pictures pinned to Her Majesty’s shoulder?

A: The jeweled portraits are known as Royal Family Orders, which are given by the sovereign to female members of the Royal Family. The badge features a portrait of the Monarch, surrounded by diamonds with the royal cypher on the back side. It is attached to a silk bow, the color of which varies from sovereign to sovereign. (Light blue – George V; pink – George VI; yellow – The Queen.) The Queen wears the Family Orders of her father George VI and her grandfather George V, while her family members wear her order only.