AN EXALTED PUCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 31 January 1936, Page 7

AN EXALTED PUCE

QUEEN’S ROYAL STATUS COURT OF HER OWN The Queen of England occupies an exalted place in the Constitution of Great Britain, stated the paper, “Queen,” in a recent issue. Although many of the ancient privileges of the Queen have fallen into disuse, she maintains a rank and. status that is peculiar to liqi'. The Queen has a separate court anu household. She has her own attorneygeneral and solicitor-general, and she can sue or he sued in the courts of law in her own name with the affix ol “Queen of England.” Before the ordinary woman could dispose of her property l)y will, the Queen always had testamentary rights. Although she is a subject,’she has certain privileges with regard to the acquisition and disposal of property, and the incurring of rights and liabilities under contract. It is high treason to compass or imagine her death during the lifetime of the King. Now that the. Queen has foregone many of the ancient revenues that were legally hers, she is specially provided for out of the Civil .List, And, although this is not a legal right, she is usually crowned with the King. MANY DECORATIONS

The Queen is a Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, of the Most Excellent Order of the Star of India, of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert, of the Imperial Order of 'the Crown of India, end Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire. Her Majesty has also the decoration of the Royal Red Cross, and is a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. She holds the Grand Cordon of the Legion of Honour of France, the Order of El Kemal of Egypt and Almar-i-Ala of Aghanistan. ■ Among the other honours held by the Queen, Her Majesty is a llon.Mus.D. of the University of Wales, conferred in 1912. London University bestowed a similar degree upon her in 1913_. The Queen is also an Hon. LL.D. of Glasgow University, 1907; of Edinburgh University, 1920; and Aberdeen University, 1922. She became an Hon. D.C.L. of Oxford University in 1921. Her Majesty is Colonel-in-Chief of the 13/18 Hussars and of the 100th (Worcestershire '.'arid . Oxfordshire) Yeomanry. Her rank in.the R.F.A. is brigadier, and she 'is only honorary colonel of the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada. She is commandant of Qfieen , Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps and president of the British Red Cross Society. Under the Regency Act of 1910, the Queen was appointed to act as Regent in the event of a minority. Fortunately, she never had to act in that capacity. She was also created a Privy Councillor. During the severe illness of King George in 1928-29, as a member of the Council of State, she presided several times over meetings of the Privy Council. ’SEPARATE ANNUAL INCOME

In 1901,.the Queen, by Act of Parliament, was granted a separate annual income of £IO,OOO, while Princess of Wales, during .the continuance of her marriage, and an annuity of £30,000 should she survive her husband. This 'annuity was subsequently increased to £70,000 by Act of Parliament in 1910, after the accession of His Majesty, t Although the main ancient perquisite of the Queen, “Queen Gold” or “Aurum Reginae,” 'has fallen into decay, there are still a few quaint privileges that Her.. Majesty could exercise should she so wish. For instance, if a whale should b'e caught off the coast, the tail is the property of the Queen, the head going to the King. On the other hand, a sturgeon is; the .sole, property of the Sovereign. ■ .;. 4/But, like the “Aurum Reginae,” an old-time perquisite due to the Queen from any person making a voluntary offering to the King, or any fine, not being fine inflicted in ordinary law courts, most of the old privileges have long since fallen into abeyance. There was a time when special rents used to bo reserved to her from certain demesne lands of the Crown. As a rule, these were specially appropriated to special uses—for instance, to buy oil for the Queen’s lamps, to purchase wool for her personal use, or to provide the entire Royal apparel. Then there were special fees paid to the Queen in return for her good offices when it was a matter of making personal intercession with the King for the benefit of individual subjects. . Yet two ancient privileges still remaiiT with the Queen. She cannot be fined in any court, and she can refuse to pay any toll. But these weigh lightly against the lucrative perquisites of days long gone by':