The Royal Family

 Anyone who has lived in the UK before knows that the royal family plays an important role, not only in British history, but also in today's culture. Maybe you took a picture outside the gates of Buckingham Palace and hoped to see the Queen, or you watched The Crown on Netflix and thought you'd fit into this family drama too. In any case, the so-called royals are an indispensable part of everyday British life and that won't change anytime soon.

So if you are planning to be in the UK for a while and want to know what you're talking about when it comes to the Queen and her clan, here are a few facts you should know.

1. People love them (most of them anyway)

If you travel to the UK, you're sure to run into people who aren't fans of the monarchy - but polls across the UK speak a different language. Apparently seven out of ten Brits think it's good that the royals are there. Perhaps you like the idea that there is another level of authority or power between people and government? Or they are like me and the Queen reminds them of her grandma. Nobody speaks badly of my grandma. NO ONE.

2. You own a lot of houses

I often hear questions from disappointed visitors like: "Why does the Queen never come out of Buckingham Palace to say hello?" The truth is, it's hardly ever there. All members of the royal family and their extensive relatives or followers own numerous houses, but the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, have eight houses between which they commute, depending on where and when they are needed for official events , or to take some time out: Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Palace of Holyrood House, Hillsborough Castle, Sandringham House, Balmoral Castle, Craigowan Lodge and Delnadamph Lodge. Half of these properties are in Scotland - about 400 miles from London - and that's hardly surprising when you consider how tired the Queen can be of the constant sight of tourists standing around the door of her palace.

3. You are not at all 'British'

The Queen's family is originally from Germany, while the Royals also have Danish and Greek ancestors through the Duke of Edinburgh. After Prince Harry marries American actress Meghan Markle, future members of the family will also have African American heritage. Today, the royal family is a metaphor for the complex nature of the British people and their diverse genetic makeup on several levels.

4. You still have the highest power (at least, so to speak)

Royal authority is also no longer what it used to be: while in the past it was the ruling monarch (or monarch) who decided, for example, when the country went to war and what laws were passed, most of them were Power long since ceded to the government, which is allowed to make these decisions on behalf of the Queen. There is, however, a loophole that allows some decisions to be taken without going through parliament (where elected representatives vote on behalf of the people) and some Prime Ministers have used this to their advantage in the past to pass motions without hearing the rest of Parliament. Those insidious ministers.

5. Only the Queen is allowed to eat swans

Every country with a royal family has some bizarre rules from ancient times that no longer make sense in today's world. For example, it is forbidden to catch whales or dolphins within a three-mile radius of the UK coast, and any dead animals that wash up on the beach theoretically belong to the Queen. Likewise, it automatically owns all swans that cannot speak (probably one of the strangest laws ever made). What is even stranger: only the royal family is allowed to eat swans - that means they are not allowed to catch or kill swans, and it probably explains why the British usually have such a great respect, not to say fear of the big ones white birds have. By chance, swans can break your arms with their wings, which is why I didn't want to mess with a swan, even if it was allowed.