Have you ever wondered whether the queen gets called to jury duty, or if she pays her taxes
like everyone else?
And if she was ever involved in a crime, would the monarch have to serve hard time?
Keep watching to find out!
Being a member of the royal family doesn't mean that you can drive as fast as you want,
but it does mean that there are times you can have your driver break the speed limit.
A Department for Transport representative explained to The Sun,
"Speed limits do not apply to any motor vehicle being used for police, fire and rescue authority,
ambulance or Serious Organised Crime Agency [...] purposes, if observing the speed limit
would be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used."
Since members of the royal family are driven by police while conducting official royal
business, they have some leeway to break the speed limit under this law.
The pass doesn't apply to them when they're out and about on their own, however, and in
2001, Princess Anne was fined for breaking the speed limit.
If you're looking to travel to another country, you're not going to be able to without that
all-important booklet.
Unless, you're the queen of England, that is.
Queen Elizabeth II can travel wherever she wants without carrying a passport.
Each U.K. passport presents the following text,
"Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State requests and requires in the name of Her Majesty
all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance
and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary."
Since the passport is issued in her name, it makes it unnecessary for the queen to carry
one.
Chances are, the queen is never asked for her ID since she is one of the most recognizable
people in the world.
This is a good thing, since proving her identity might be a bit tricky; not only does the queen
lack a passport, but she doesn’t have a driver's license either.
It's not because she doesn't drive.
The queen has been comfortable behind the wheel since she was a teenager but, as the
monarch, she is not required to pass a driving test or have a license in order to drive.
This privilege is one that only applies to the monarch.
The rest of the family has to pass a driving test and carry a license just like everyone
else.
The perk is not one that the queen takes much advantage of, though, as she mostly restricts
her driving to her private estates.
Unlike most people who go by a first, middle, and last name, many members of the royal family
don't need to use a surname at all.
King George V changed the family name to Windsor in 1917 to stave off anti German sentiments
at the time, surrounding their very German-sounding name of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
The current family name of Queen Elizabeth II's descendants is Mountbatten-Windsor, but
they don't have to use it if their title is "His Royal Highness Prince" or "Her Royal
Highness Princess."
When they do use a last name, they can choose something other than their actual last name,
such as their family's territorial designation.
As sons of the Prince of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry entered the military under
the names William Wales and Harry Wales.
Theoretically, the queen could get away with murder.
While the royal family is not actually above the law, the official royal website states
that civil and criminal proceedings can't be taken against the monarch.
This means that, if Queen Elizabeth broke the law, there wouldn't be much anyone could
do about it.
This is a perk that could easily be dangerous in the wrong hands.
Not only could a monarch in this position abuse their power, but their bad behavior
could also potentially cause the country to revolt.
Fortunately, the queen recognizes that her power comes with great responsibility.
The royal website assures us,
"The Queen is careful to ensure that all her activities in her personal capacity are carried
out in strict accordance with the law."
Another perk of being royal is that you don't have to pay taxes.
Well, sort of.
The Crown is legally exempt from paying income tax, and many members of the royal family
have portions of their income exempt from taxes if the money they earn is related to
their royal duties.
The Prince of Wales, for example, is not obligated to pay taxes on his income from the Duchy
of Cornwall, which generates millions of pounds of revenue each year.
The Duchy was actually created in the 14th century to provide the heir to the throne
with an income, which is why it is tax-exempt.
Prince Charles does, however, voluntarily pay income tax on the Duchy.
The queen, who receives her income primarily from the government and from private estates,
has also voluntarily paid taxes since 1992.
Income not related to the Crown, such as investment profits Prince William and Prince Harry earn
from their late mother's estate, are fully taxable.
"I think there's a number of things I've got my fingers in many pies at the moment that
I want to keep an eye on."
In the U.K., skipping out on jury duty results in a hefty fine.
Jurors are not compensated for their time, although they can be reimbursed for some food
or transportation expenses as well as childcare costs and lost earnings.
Members of the royal family, however, have an easy out: they are able to be excused simply
because they are royal.
For a long time, this exemption applied to anyone in the royal household, including servants.
In 2003, however, Parliament convinced the government to abolish the exemptions for members
of the royal household and the extended family.
Now, the only members of the household who can be excused from jury duty are the queen
and her immediate family.
In the U.K., if you want to watch live TV, you have to purchase a license, which is a
separate cost from cable fees.
Watching TV without a license can result in a big fine, plus any legal costs incurred.
In 2013, journalist Gordon McIntosh wrote to the BBC to ask if the royal palaces must
also pay for a TV license and if the royals could be fined for not having one.
However, the BBC refused to reveal any details, claiming that the information was a personal
matter.
For now, at least, the question of whether or not being royal exempts you from needing
a TV license will remain unanswered.
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