ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Royal Households of the United Kingdom

So, you know when you play pretend and have a royal family with a king and queen who live in a fancy castle? Well, the United Kingdom has a real royal family, and they live in some of the fanciest castles in the world!

The head of the royal family is called the monarch, and right now it's a lady named Queen Elizabeth II. She has a husband called Prince Philip, and together they have four children- Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward.

Each member of the royal family has their own duties and responsibilities. For example, Prince Charles is next in line to be king, so he helps his mom with a lot of official royal duties. Princess Anne does a lot of charity work and is involved in lots of sports organizations. Prince Andrew used to be a navy pilot, and now does a lot of work to support businesses in the UK. Prince Edward helps run a charity called The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which helps young people become better leaders and achieve their goals.

The royal family also has lots of people who work for them, like butlers, chefs, and chauffeurs. They live and work in the royal households, which are big fancy houses with tons of rooms and beautiful gardens. Some of the most famous royal households are Buckingham Palace (where the Queen and Prince Philip live), Kensington Palace (where Prince William, Prince Harry, and their families live), and Windsor Castle (which is the Queen's favorite home and where she spends a lot of her time).

Being a part of the royal family is a big deal, and they follow lots of rules and traditions that have been around for a long time. But they also have lots of fun and do lots of good things for people all over the world!