The United Kingdom is one of the few countries in the world where a constitutional monarchy has remained with its old customs, traditions and ceremonies. The British constitution is not a single document. There is no written constitution in Great Britain. It is formed by Acts of parliament, bills and conventions.
The head of the state is a monarch (a king or a queen) who reigns on the advice of her Prime Minister and does not make any political decision. The constitutional monarch can rule only with the support of Parliament. Today the head of the United Kingdom is her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen has no actual power, but she has many formal functions. In Britain the Queen is not only head of state, but also the symbol of the nation's unity. She is the head of the executive, a part of legislative, head of the judiciary, the commander-in-chief of all armed forces, the head of the Anglican Church. The UK is governed by her Majesty's Government in the name of the Queen.
The royal family is the main aristocratic house in the country. It is the biggest landowner in Britain. Today the monarchy is also one of the great attractions for tourists.
In Great Britain there are three organs that govern the country: the legislative, the executive and the judiciary.
The legislative is a law-making organ. It is represented by the Parliament.
The executive is the central Covernment. It consists of the Prime Minister and Cabinet of Ministers.
The judiciary is independent of both the legislative and the executive. It determines common law.