Everything about Royal Family totally explained
A
royal family is the extended family of a
monarch. Generally, the head of a royal family is a
king or
queen regnant. The term "imperial family" more appropriately describes the extended family of an
emperor or
empress regnant, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate in reference to the relatives of a reigning
duke,
grand duke, or
prince. It is also considered proper in some circles to refer to the extended relations of a deposed
monarch and his or her descendants as a royal family.
Members of a Royal Family
A royal family typically includes the spouse of the reigning monarch, surviving spouses of a deceased monarch, the children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, and cousins of the reigning monarch, as well as their spouses. In some cases, royal family membership may extend to great grandchildren and more distant descendants of a monarch. In certain monarchies where voluntary
abdication is the norm, such as the
Netherlands, a royal family may also include one or more former monarchs. There is often a distinction between persons of the blood royal and those that marry into the royal family. In certain instances, such as in
Canada, the royal family is defined by who holds the titles
Majesty and
Royal Highness. Under most systems, only persons in the first category are dynasts, that is, potential successors to the throne (unless the member of the latter category is also in line to the throne in their own right, a frequent occurrence in royal families which frequently intermarry). This isn't always observed; some monarchies have operated by the principle of
jure uxoris.
In addition certain relatives of the monarch (by blood or marriage) possess special privileges and are subject to certain statutes, conventions, or special common law. The precise functions of a royal family vary depending on whether the polity in question is an
absolute monarchy, a
constitutional monarchy, or somewhere in between. In certain absolute monarchies, such as that found in
Saudi Arabia or
Kuwait, or in political systems where the monarch actually exercises executive power, such as in
Jordan, it isn't uncommon for the members of a royal family to hold important government posts or military commands. In most constitutional monarchies, however, members of a royal family perform certain public, social, or ceremonial functions, but refrain from any involvement in electoral politics or the actual governance of the country.
The specific composition of royal families varies from country to country, as do the titles and
royal and noble styles held by members of the family. The composition of the royal family may be regulated by statute enacted by the legislature (for example
Spain, the
Netherlands, and
Japan since
1947), the Sovereign's prerogative and common law tradition (for example the
United Kingdom), or a private house law (for example,
Liechtenstein, the former ruling houses of
Bavaria,
Prussia,
Hanover, etc.). Public statutes, constitutional provisions, or conventions may also regulate the marriages, names, and personal titles of royal family members. The members of a royal family may or may not have a surname or dynastic name (see
Royal House).
In a constitutional monarchy, when the monarch dies, there's always a very specific
order of succession that indicates the exact order of family members in line to the throne.
Changes
In some cases, well-known families that are not actually involved in monarchies but are still prominent in government are informally referred to as "royal families". The best-known example of this is the
Kennedy family in the U.S. and the descendents of the Gurjara-Pratiharas clans or "Rajputs" in India. See
Gujjar.
Some royal families have lost their "royalty" by social changes over a long period time. This fate befell the
Nair families of Kerala, India, after the advent of Namboodiri Brahmins in the 12th century who claimed caste superiority over the Nair kings.
In recent years, many royal families have become increasingly challenged by the media to justify the public expenditure on them. This is particularly so when the royal family is perceived as behaving badly (such as in the case of the British Royal Family; extramarital affairs, and/or refusing to grieve publicly on the death of Diana, Princess of Wales).
Famous royal houses and dynasties
Al-Abbasi Nobel Family
Al Khalifa
Al-Sabah
Aisin Gioro
Angevin Dynasties
House of Bernadotte
Bagrationi Dynasty
Bonaparte
House of Bourbon
House of Braganza
House of Capet
Carolingian Dynasty
Chakri Dynasty
Davidic line
Flavian Dynasty
Gediminids
House of Grimaldi
House of Glücksburg
Habsburg
Han Dynasty
Hanoverians
Hashemite
House of Hesse
House of Hohenzollern
Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
Jagiellons
Joseon Dynasty (House of Yi)
Julio-Claudian Dynasty
House of Karadjordjević
House of Kawananakoa
House of Keoua Nui
House of Lancaster
Koch Rajbongshi Royal Family(Koch Dynasty-Kamatapur,Kamarupa,Pragjyotishpur-Indian Kings)
Merovingian Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
Mughal Dynasty
Nemanjic
Nguyễn Dynasty
House of Obrenović
House of Oldenburg
House of Orange-Nassau
Ottoman Dynasty
Pahlavi Dynasty
Piast dynasty
Qajar dynasty
Qing Dynasty
Romanovs
Rurik Dynasty
House of Saud (Saudis)
House of Savoy
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Stuarts
Tang Dynasty
Tudor dynasty
Uí Néill
Valois Dynasty
House of Vasa
House of Windsor
House of Wittelsbach
House of York
Yuan Dynasty
Current Royal families
Further Information
Get more info on 'Royal Family'.
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