Reign Over This Quiz About the British Royal Family

The British Empire was never larger than in 1919, during George V’s reign. After the Treaty of Versailles ended World War I, Britain acquired Germany’s East and West African colonies as well as Samoa, giving the empire its most expansive geographical breadth. The empire would begin to shrink shortly thereafter, as Ireland and Egypt both gained independence in 1922.

In 1761, King George III purchased Buckingham House for his bride, Queen Charlotte, and for a time, the residence was referred to as the Queen’s House. His son George became king in 1820 and ordered the house to be renovated first into a family home and later into a stately palace. Today, the palace is nearly double its original size.

Prince Harry spent 10 years serving in the British army. Like his brother, William, Harry used the last name Wales during his service. In 2005, when he began his 44-week training course, Harry was known as Officer Cadet Wales. During his service, Harry took two tours of Afghanistan, which the royal family announced only after he was deployed. He eventually rose to the rank of captain.

King Charles first learned to paint while at boarding school in Scotland, and it soon became one of his favorite hobbies. Not only does he enjoy it, but he is famous for it. His Majesty is a bestselling artist in the U.K. — since 1997, Charles has made more than $2 million from selling his artwork. He mainly uses watercolor to paint landscapes, and one of his most frequent subjects is Castle Mey in northern Scotland, a former home of his mother.

In 1932, King George V delivered his first Christmas address, which has since become an annual tradition. The premiere broadcast was over the radio and written by Rudyard Kipling. The speech typically reflects on the current issues surrounding the Commonwealth, as well as the monarch’s thoughts on the holiday season. In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II transitioned the speech from radio to television.

In December 1936, King George VI assumed the throne after his brother’s abdication. Initially, George had a vocal stammer that made public speaking difficult. After undergoing extensive speech therapy, George delivered a powerful address on September 3, 1939, announcing that England would be going to war with Germany. The event was chronicled in the 2010 Oscar-winning film “The King’s Speech.”

Eton College is one of the most prestigious schools in the United Kingdom. Prince William enrolled at the school in 1995 and graduated in 2000. The future king was the first senior royal to go to Eton, but not the first royal. Other members of the royal family to attend the school include Prince Edward, Duke of Kent; Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester; Prince Michael of Kent; and William’s brother, Harry, who went to Eton from 1998 to 2003.

The British royal family owns countless properties throughout the British Isles. They include Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where Queen Elizabeth II spent her summers; Clarence House in London, where King Charles III and his wife, Camilla, lived for many years; and Llwynywermod, which was just inherited by Prince William and his wife, Princess Catherine.

King Charles III was born in 1948, just one year after Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were married. The pair welcomed three other children in subsequent years: Princess Anne (b. 1950), Prince Andrew (b. 1960), and Prince Edward (b. 1964). Since his father’s passing in April 2021, Edward has taken on many of the late Duke of Edinburgh’s responsibilities.

Until 1917, the royals were known as the Saxe-Coburgs — and sometimes the Saxe-Coburg-Gothas — a name stemming from Queen Victoria's German husband, Albert. But as anti-German sentiments raged during the first World War, King George V proclaimed a new family name: Windsor. Today, members of the British royal family who aren't princes, princesses, or royal highnesses have the surname Mountbatten-Windsor.

Before Harry and Meghan relinquished royal duties in 2021, the last member of the family to do so was King Edward VIII. Edward abdicated his throne in 1936 after his intention to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson set off a constitutional crisis. This led to the reign of his brother George VI, whose oldest daughter, Elizabeth, became England's longest-reigning monarch.

The Honourable Diana Frances Spencer was born on July 1, 1961. In 1975, she received the title Lady Diana Spencer when her father inherited his earldom. Upon marrying Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1981, Diana officially became the Princess of Wales. After divorcing Charles in 1996, Diana continued to be known by that title, though she was no longer referred to as “Her Royal Highness.”