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British Monarchy

Are you crazy for the crown? See if you can take the throne with this quiz about British monarchs past and present.

1. What was the original name of the House of Windsor?
   • House of Hanover
   • House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
   • House of Tudor
   • House of Plantagenet

   House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

   King George V (1910–1936) changed the name to the more British-sounding Windsor in 1917 because of anti-German sentiment during World War I. One of George V’s secretaries came up with the idea.

2. According to the Act of Settlement, enacted in 1701, whom is the monarch not allowed to marry?
   • A French person
   • An American
   • A Catholic
   • A Relative

   A Catholic

   After Princess Anne’s (1665–1714) last surviving child, the Duke of Gloucester, died, the Act was put in place to secure the line of succession so that the deposed James II’s descendants (all Catholics) could not ascend to the throne. It also states that the monarch “shall join in communion with the Church of England” (of which the monarch is the head), another way to ensure a Catholic does not get the throne. The Act is still in place today.

3. Who was the first monarch to live at Buckingham Palace?
   • Victoria
   • Edward VI
   • George V
   • Edward VII

   Victoria

   Buckingham House, which forms the core of Buckingham Palace, was built in 1705 and purchased by George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte. It was enlarged in the 19th century and became the official royal palace upon the ascension of Victoria to the throne in 1837.

4. What did all three King Richards have in common?
   • They were crowned as children
   • They were all Plantagenets
   • They all abdicated the throne
   • They all had violent deaths

   They all had violent deaths

   Richard I (1157–1199) was shot in the shoulder with an arrow; his arm became gangrenous and he succumbed to his wounds. After being deposed, Richard II (1367–1400) was murdered—most likely by starvation—while imprisoned. Richard III (1452–1485) died during the Battle of Bosworth Field.

5. From what house was Henry VIII?
   • Plantagenet
   • Tudor
   • Windsor
   • York

   Tudor

   The House of Tudor, a royal house of Welsh origin, produced five monarchs and ruled England from 1485 to 1603.

6. Which monarch holds the title of Longest Reigning Sovereign in British History?
   • Henry VIII
   • Elizabeth II
   • Victoria
   • Richard II

   Victoria

   Queen Victoria (1837–1901) reigned for just over 63 years. The current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, runs a close second—she has been on the throne for 59 years.

7. Who in the present royal family is the Duke of Cornwall?
   • Prince Philip
   • Prince Andrew
   • Prince Charles
   • Prince Edward

   Prince Charles

   Prince Charles’ major title is His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. He also holds the title of The Duke of Rothesay in Scotland. Charles is the longest-serving heir apparent in British history.

8. Which British monarch couldn’t speak English?
   • Richard I
   • James I
   • Henry IV
   • George I

   George I

   George I was born and raised in Hanover, in what is now Germany. Although there were more than fifty blood relatives of the deceased Queen Anne, they were all Catholics and therefore couldn’t ascend to the throne. George was her closest living Protestant relative. George I was unpopular and ridiculed during his reign, in good part because he didn’t speak English. (He did, however, speak several other languages, including Italian, French, and Dutch.)

9. Which of Henry the VIII’s six wives survived him?
   • Kathryn Howard
   • Katherine Parr
   • Jane Seymour
   • Catherine of Aragon

   Katherine Parr

   The order goes Divorced (Catherine of Aragon), Beheaded (Anne Boleyn), Died (Jane Seymour), Divorced (Anne of Cleves), Beheaded (Kathryn Howard), Survived (Katherine Parr).

10. Lady Jane Grey had the shortest reign of any British monarch. How long was it?
    • 6 hours
    • 9 days
    • 2 weeks
    • 1 month

    9 days

    Although his Catholic half-sister Mary was the heiress presumptive to the throne, fifteen-year-old Edward VI (son of Henry VIII) named the Protestant Jane as his successor on his deathbed. She was queen from July 10–19, 1553. She was executed by Mary (nicknamed Bloody Mary) for high treason when the Privy Council changed sides and started backing Mary.

11. One of the Queen’s state residences was started by William the Conqueror after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Which one?
    • Hampton Court Palace
    • Sandringham
    • Balmoral
    • Windsor Castle

    Windsor Castle

    Built in the decade after the Battle of Hastings, Windsor Castle was designed to oversee an important section of the Thames River and to protect Norman dominance around the outskirts of London. It has been used as a residence by monarchs since Henry I in the 11th century, and is the longest-occupied palace in Europe.

12. There are fifty people in line to succeed Queen Elizabeth II. Who is fifth in line?
    • Prince Henry of Wales (Prince Harry)
    • Princess Margaret
    • The Duke of York (Prince Andrew)
    • Princess Beatrice of York

    Princess Beatrice of York

    Princess Beatrice of York is in line behind Princes Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry, and her father, Prince Andrew.