ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Royal charters applying to the Channel Islands

Okay kiddo, a royal charter is a big paper that the king or queen of a country gives to a special group of people. It gives them special rights and powers to do things like run a business or make their own laws.

The Channel Islands are a group of special islands that are close to the coasts of England and France. They are not part of either country, but they still have a special relationship with the United Kingdom.

A long time ago, the kings and queens of England gave special royal charters to the people who live on the Channel Islands. These charters gave the islanders the power to make their own laws and run their own businesses.

Today, the royal charters still apply to the Channel Islands. This means that the islanders have their own government and make their own laws. They also have their own flag and traditions that are different from England and France.

Even though the Channel Islands are not part of the United Kingdom, they still have a strong bond with it. They use British pounds as their money and have a special relationship with the British government.

So, the royal charters are like a special gift from the king or queen that gives the people of the Channel Islands the power to govern themselves and run their own businesses. And even though they are not part of the United Kingdom, they still have a special relationship with it.