
Queen leaves castle for first in-person engagement this year as debate over abolishing the monarchy reignites in Australia
CNN
The choice of engagement sent a message amid the latest family tumult.
London (CNN) -- Why does Britain have a monarchy? It's a question as old as the institution itself. But an even bigger one is why countries, beyond the UK, have the same monarchy. The Queen is head of state in 15 other countries that were formerly under British rule, stretching as far as Australia and New Zealand -- literally on the other side of the planet.More Related News

Passengers evacuate onto wing of American Airlines plane after engine catches fire at Denver airport
Dozens of passengers were forced to stand on the wing of an American Airlines plane at Denver International Airport as they evacuated the aircraft after one of its engines caught fire Thursday evening.