Royalty
Royalty, the state or quality of being royal, or kingly. Royalty usually refers to the reigning sovereign—king or queen—and to the family and close relatives of the sovereign. Members of the royal family take social precedence over all members of the nobility, and still more over the commonalty, or common people.
Before World War I nearly every country outside North and South America had a royal family; monarchy was the predominant form of government. By 1914, however, many of the monarchs reigned but did not rule. The various royal families of Europe continued to be a privileged class sharing many common interests that reached beyond national borders. As a result of intermarriages, many of Europe's ruling houses were closely related. After World War I most European countries abolished their monarchies. In Great Britain and other democratic countries that retain a royal family, monarchs exercise little power. They serve mainly as symbols of national unity and loyalty.
In Great Britain, persons of royal rank include the reigning sovereign, sons and daughters of the sovereign, and sons and daughters of sons of the sovereign.
The wives of members of the royal family obtain royal rank automatically on marriage. There is no law defining the rank of the husband of a reigning queen, but in practice the husband is usually given a special rank providing him with the status of a prince of the royal blood. After several years Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, was given the title of prince consort. In 1947 when Princess Elizabeth was engaged to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten (formerly Prince Philip of Greece), he was created Duke of Edinburgh. In 1957, Queen Elizabeth gave him the title Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Under the Royal Marriage Act of 1772 members of British royalty cannot marry without the consent of the sovereign. But a prince or princess above the age of 25 may marry without consent after 12 months' notice, unless both houses of Parliament express disapproval.