The British Royal Family is a term used to describe relatives of the sovereign monarch of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms. The current British sovereign is King Charles III, ascending to the throne after the death of his mother,Queen Elizabeth II. The late Her Majesty ruled for over 70 years, making her Britain's longest-reining monarch.
The House of Windsor is the name of the official ruling family, succeeding the House of Hanover once ruled by Queen Victoria. Originally, the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha ruled instead, but the name was changed under the rule of King George V during World War I to Windsor in order to avoid anti-German sentiment. Since George V, four other monarchs under the Windsor name have ruled, including Edward VIII, George VI, Elizabeth II, and Charles III.
Overall, the royal family engages in public ceremonies and events as well as charitable activities. British royals are considered cultural icons and stars in their own right within the UK. Weddings and funerals of close relatives of the monarch have received worldwide attention. Active members of the royal family include the king, Queen Consort Camilla, Prince William of Wales, Princess Catherine of Wales, Princess Anne, Prince Edward, and Sophie. Other members of the royal family who do not as senior rank include Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, his wife Birgitte, Prince Edward, and Princess Alexandra. The first royal members to succeed the king include Prince William and Prince George of Wales.
Prince Harry Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, left their roles as senior members of the royal family in March 2020. Moreover, the pair sat down for an interview with television host Oprah Winfrey alleging a senior member of the family made a racial comment about their baby Archie.
