A right royal affair! 12 regal words to add to your vocabulary

With the royal engagement of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, plus the latest season of The Crown now available on Netflix, the royal family is a popular topic of conversation.

We’ve searched this noble kingdom for all the royal terminology you need to know, just in time for the Royal Wedding next spring.

1. Abdicate – ‘If a king or queen abdicates, he or she gives up being king or queen

Example: Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 in order to marry the American socialite Wallis Simpson.

2. Accession – ‘Accession is the act of taking up a position as the ruler of a country

Example: The 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne.

3. Blue blood – ‘Royal or aristocratic descent

Example: Prince Charles married Diana Spencer, a woman of blue blood descended from aristocracy.

4. Commonwealth – ‘an association of sovereign states, almost all of which were at some time dependencies of the UK

Example: Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh embarked on a tour of the Commonwealth.

5. Consort – ‘the husband or wife of a reigning monarch

Example: The Duke of Edinburgh is the consort of Elizabeth II.

6. Crown prince/princess – ‘the male or female heir to a sovereign throne

Example: The Prince of Wales is the crown prince of the United Kingdom.

7. Dowager – ‘a widow possessing property or a title obtained from her husband

Example: Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was the dowager queen of George VI.

8. Hereditary – ‘Descending or capable of descending to succeeding generations by inheritance

Example: The position of King or Queen of the United Kingdom is hereditary.

9. HRH – ‘His (or Her) Royal Highness

Example: Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal is in residence at Gatcombe Park.

10. Monarchist – ‘If someone has monarchist views, they believe that their country should have a monarch, such as a king or queen

Example: Monarchists are excited to hear the news of Prince Harry’s engagement to Meghan Markle.

11. Titled – ‘Someone who is titled has a title such as ‘Lord’, ‘Lady’, ‘Sir’, or ‘Princess’ before their name, showing that they have a high rank in society

Example: Prince Harry could be given a title in recognition of his marriage.

12. Sovereign – ‘a person exercising supreme authority, esp a monarch

Example: Queen Elizabeth II is the sovereign.

By Rachel Quin
Collins Dictionaries

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