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OVERVIEW

The Queen is Head of State in the United Kingdom. Her official title in the UK is “Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith”.

As a constitutional monarch, The Queen does not ‘rule’ the country, but fulfils important ceremonial and formal roles with respect to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the devolved assemblies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Queen is also Fount of Justice, from whom justice in the United Kingdom derives, and has important relationships with the Armed Forces and the established Churches of England and Scotland.

In addition to her role in the United Kingdom, The Queen has a special role to play in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, which are dependent territories of the English Crown.
 
Read more about The Queen’s State roles in the UK and Crown dependencies in this section.

 
SECTION HIGHLIGHTS
Former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill

QUEEN AND PRIME MINISTER:
The Queen’s relationship with her Prime Ministers

There have been ten Prime Ministers during The Queen’s reign, from Sir Winston Churchill to Tony Blair. Find out who they were, and read about her official relationship with the Prime Minister.

The Queen visits a Sikh temple

DIVERSITY OF FAITH
The Queen and religion

The Queen is Supreme Governor of the Church of England, but also respects the diverse faiths of the United Kingdom and her other realms.