Let's start from the beginning ...

The United Kingdom is said to be commonly England or the United Kingdom. However, England is just the name of one of the parts making up the whole country and Great Britain is an island that contains England, Scotland and Wales. Full name of the State is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Great Britain is a monarchy with a parliamentary government responsible to Parliament. The capital city is London. The current British monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who ascended the throne in 1952 and was crowned in 1953. Today, its functions are mainly ceremonial, and the real authority rests in the hands of the prime minister.

~The flag of the United Kingdom~