The birth of the royal baby was important news for people in the United Kingdom (the UK) as well the Commonwealth countries. This includes New Zealand. The Queen of England is also the Queen of the Commonwealth countries.
Listen to December 8th 2012 to hear more about the British royal family.
It is fortunate that the baby is a boy as some Commonwealth countries have not yet agreed to having a female ruler if she was the oldest child.
But will the new baby ever be a king? It is possible by that time – it could be 40 years or more – many Commonwealth countries will decide they don’t want a monarch. At the moment, most people respect the Queen but when she dies, feelings about a monarchy could change. Many Australians, for instance, would like their country to be a republic. They could have a President instead of a king. If Australia became a republic, New Zealand might do the same.
Vocabulary – check vocabulary list Dec 8th 2012
Questions
1. What are the benefits of having a monarch?
2. What are the disadvantages of having a monarch?
3. Why do many Australians want their country to be a republic?