How should one address someone with a title?

Information on the protocol of addressing holders of honours and titles can be found in 'Whitaker's Almanac' (published annually) and 'Debrett's Correct Form' (Webb and Bower, Exeter).

Some examples are:

The Queen is addressed as “Your Majesty” and subsequently “Ma’am”

A Royal Prince is addressed as “Your Royal Highness” and subsequently “Sir”.

A Royal Princess is addressed as “Your Royal Highness" and subsequently “Ma’am”.

A Knight is addressed as “Sir” and the wife of a Knight as “Lady”.

An Archbishop is addressed as “Your Grace”and a Bishop is addressed as “My Lord”.

An Ambassador is addressed as “Your Excellency”. In writing they should be addressed as “Dear Ambassador” or “Dear High Commissioner” if a representative of a Commonwealth country, or very formally as “Your Excellency”.

What powers does the Queen have?

The Crown, which represents both the Sovereign (the person on whom the Crown is constitutionally conferred) and the Government, is the symbol of supreme executive power. The Crown is vested in the Queen, but in general its functions are exercised by Ministers responsible to Parliament and thus Britain is governed by Her Majesty's Government in the name of the Queen. However, the Queen's involvement is still required in many important acts of government.

Parliament

The Queen summons, prorogues (discontinues until the next session without dissolving) and dissolves Parliament. She normally opens the new session of Parliament with a speech from the throne which is written for her by the Government and outlines her Government's programme. Before a Bill becomes law the Queen must give it her Royal Assent, which is announced to both Houses of Parliament.

Justice

The Queen can, on ministerial advice, pardon or show mercy to those convicted of crimes. In law the Queen as a private person can do no wrong: she is immune from civil or criminal proceedings and cannot be sued in courts of law. This immunity is not shared by other members of the royal family.

Honours and appointments

The Queen has the power to confer peerages, knighthoods and other honours. She normally does this on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, although a few honours are conferred by the Sovereign personally. The Queen makes appointments to many important state offices, on the advice of the Prime Minister or the relevant Cabinet Minister.

Foreign policy

Foreign diplomatic representatives in London are accredited to the Queen, and she has the power to conclude treaties, to declare war' and to make peace, to recognise foreign states and governments and to annex and cede territory.

Privy Council

The Queen presides over meetings of the Privy Council. At these, among other things, Orders in Council made under the Royal Prerogative or under statute are approved. The Royal Prerogative mainly comprises executive government ­powers controlled by constitutional conventions (rules which are not part of the law, but which are regarded as indispensable to the machinery of government).

In nearly all cases acts involving the Royal Prerogative are performed by Ministers who are responsible to Parliament and can be questioned about policies. Parliament has the power to abolish or restrict a prerogative right.

In addition to being informed and consulted about all aspects of national life, the Queen is free to put forward her own views, in private, for the consideration of her Ministers.

What does the Union Jack stand for and how should it be flown?

The flag of Britain, commonly known as the Union Jack (which derives from the use of the Union Flag on the jack-staff of naval vessels), embodies the emblems of three countries under one Sovereign. The emblems that appear on the Union Flag are the crosses of three patron saints:

the red cross of St. George, for England, on a white ground;

the white diagonal cross, or saltire, of St. Andrew, for Scotland, on a blue ground;

the red diagonal cross of St. Patrick, for Ireland, on a white ground.

The final version of the Union Flag appeared in 1801, following the union of Great Britain with Ireland, with the inclusion of the cross of St Patrick. The cross remains in the flag although now only Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom.

­Wales is not represented in the Union Flag because, when the first version of the flag appeared, Wales was already united with England. The national flag of Wales, a red dragon on a field of white and green, dates from the 15th century and is widely used throughout the Principality.

The Union Flag should be flown with the broader diagonal band of white uppermost in the hoist (near the pole) and the narrower diagonal band of white uppermost in the fly (furthest from the pole).