# United Kingdom? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 30, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290 "2011-10-30T17:29:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![nudgenudge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9f8e36/32.png) [@nudgenudge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nudgenudge)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/21 "2011-11-01T12:53:07Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > What an excellent visual explanation of our situation. I think we need on of those diagrams showing the difference between Europe, the EU, and the euro zone. In the coverage of the euro crisis, it is apparent that some commentators think that at least two of those regions are the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/22 "2011-11-01T13:39:56Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > 1. As for Northern Ireland never having been a kingdom, tell that to the Dal Riada. The Dal Riada would have used neither the name “Northern Ireland” nor the concept. ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/23 "2011-11-01T16:07:54Z")
Wrong. There was a Kingdom of Ireland - united with that of Great Britain. When the republic of Ireland became independent then it was reduced to the rump of Northern Ireland (or rather then Kingdom of Ireland only comprised the counties of Northern Ireland). ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/24 "2011-11-17T19:54:32Z")
See: [Kingdom of Ireland](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Ireland) _[Crown of Ireland Act 1542](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_of_Ireland_Act_1542)_ ---
**Author:** ![SpyOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@SpyOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpyOne)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/25 "2011-11-18T06:05:28Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > “Queendom” isn’t a word. Earliest use of it I know of is the 1967 musical “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown”. Lucy Van Pelt expresses a desire to be a Queen when she grows up, and is informed by her brother that being a Queen is hereditary and therefore not really possible. “Alright, if I can’t be a Queen then I’ll be very rich. I’ll work and work and be very very rich. And I shall _buy_ myself a **Queendom**! YES! I’ll **buy** myself a Queendom, and then I’ll throw out the old Queen, and take over the whole operation myself.” ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/26 "2011-11-18T13:01:39Z")
> [@notquitekarpov](#): > > Wrong. > > There was a Kingdom of Ireland - united with that of Great Britain. When the republic of Ireland became independent then it was reduced to the rump of Northern Ireland (or rather then Kingdom of Ireland only comprised the counties of Northern Ireland). When the southern part of Ireland became independent, it was as a monarchy called the Irish Free State. It became a republic later. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/27 "2011-11-18T13:16:45Z")
> [@nudgenudge](#): > > I think we need on of those diagrams showing the difference between Europe, the EU, and the euro zone. In the coverage of the euro crisis, it is apparent that some commentators think that at least two of those regions are the same thing. [Like this](http://geekbuffet.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/european-constellation.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/28 "2011-11-18T14:19:52Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > What an excellent visual explanation of our situation. > > Nice one ! Then I’m sure you’ll appreciate this video: [The Difference between the United Kingdom, Great Britain and England Explained](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNu8XDBSn10) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/29 "2011-11-18T14:44:32Z")
> [@Pitchmeister](#): > > Then I’m sure you’ll appreciate this video: > > [The Difference between the United Kingdom, Great Britain and England Explained](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNu8XDBSn10) Yeah but certain things he says in that video are kinda incorrect. For example, he says if someone says they’re Irish they’re from the Republic of Ireland. This excludes all those who call themselves Irish in Northern Ireland, and who may well carry an Irish passport (while being British citizens. 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/30 "2011-11-18T14:44:55Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > [Like this](http://geekbuffet.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/european-constellation.jpg). That diagram doesn’t do much for me. There are too many overlapping sets, there’s no explanation of the abbreviations (I have no idea what “EEA” and “EFTA” are), the colors are too pale to help me distinguish anything. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/31 "2011-11-18T14:48:43Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > That diagram doesn’t do much for me. There are too many overlapping sets, there’s no explanation of the abbreviations (I have no idea what “EEA” and “EFTA” are), the colors are too pale to help me distinguish anything. Totally agree. [Try this one instead](http://boingboing.net/2011/03/12/venn-diagram-illustr.html). I didn’t post it in the first place as I didn’t expect that many people to be able to identify the flags. Jeez it’s a mess isn’t it. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/32 "2011-11-18T19:44:47Z")
> [@SpyOne](#): > > Earliest use of it I know of is the 1967 musical “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown”. > > Lucy Van Pelt expresses a desire to be a Queen when she grows up, and is informed by her brother that being a Queen is hereditary and therefore not really possible… Of course one can always marry a king (or crown prince), pop out a kid, then become a widow and rule as regent for a decade or two. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/33 "2011-11-19T01:58:17Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I know you’re probably joking but Dal Riada only ever encompassed a small part of what is now Northern Ireland, primarily what is now Co. Antrim. Which is why some of them crossed the water to found the Kingdom of Alba, which eventually became the Kingdom of Scotland. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/34 "2011-11-19T08:40:15Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > This excludes all those who call themselves Irish in Northern Ireland, and who may well carry an Irish passport (while being British citizens. 🙂 ) You could say that the other way around: they may carry a British passport (while being Irish citizens). The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 defines everybody born on the island of Ireland as an Irish citizen. Although post-GFA it seems the Irish government won’t consider a Nordie to be an Irish citizen unless s/he wants to be. ---
**Author:** ![Naxos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/50afbb/32.png) [@Naxos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Naxos)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/35 "2011-11-19T08:48:45Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Why isn’t it the “United Queendom and Northern Ireland” right now? There have always been queens around, haven’t there? Queens have been around, but females were worthless trash in all royal tradition during European middle ages. They still are in social conservative political circles. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/36 "2011-11-19T09:38:39Z")
> [@ruadh](#): > > You could say that the other way around: they may carry a British passport (while being Irish citizens). The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 defines everybody born on the island of Ireland as an Irish citizen. Although post-GFA it seems the Irish government won’t consider a Nordie to be an Irish citizen unless s/he wants to be. Good point! Either way the video is inaccurate on that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/37 "2011-11-20T00:16:20Z")
Also, nobody realizes that ‘British’ and ‘English’ are mutually exclusive categories. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/38 "2011-11-20T00:47:35Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Also, nobody realizes that ‘British’ and ‘English’ are mutually exclusive categories. Say what now? ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/39 "2011-11-20T01:54:27Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Also, nobody realizes that ‘British’ and ‘English’ are mutually exclusive categories. Uh, no. I’m both English and British. I’m not sure it’s even possible to be English without being British! ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290/40 "2011-11-20T03:05:47Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Say what now? > [@Steophan](#): > > Uh, no. I’m both English and British. I’m not sure it’s even possible to be English without being British! ‘British’ refers to the Britons, who were the Brythonic Celtic peoples who inhabited the isles from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. ‘English’, contrariwise, refers to the Angles, a Germanic tribe who settled the isles along with the Saxons in the Fifth Century after the collapse of the Western Roman polity during the Migration Period. They eventually established the Heptarchy and gradually displaced the British culture, especially the language. Some groups of Britons resettled on the Continent, specifically in Armorica (Brittany) in France and Britonia in Spanish Galicia, the homes of pre-existing Celtic communities. Modern confusion on this point is near universal, however. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-kingdom/601290.md?page=3)