A Modern, Thriving Society

The UK is a historically Christian country, and the Church of England (Anglican Church) is the established church in England. The monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The Church of Scotland is a Presbyterian church and is the national church of Scotland, but it is not governed by the state. There is no established church in Wales or Northern Ireland.

Despite this Christian heritage, the UK is now a religiously diverse country. Significant communities of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Jews, and Buddhists live across the UK, particularly in larger cities. According to recent census data, a growing proportion of the population identifies as having no religion.

Freedom of religion is a fundamental right. People may practise any faith or none, change their religion, or hold no religious beliefs at all. Places of worship for many different religions can be found throughout the country, and interfaith dialogue is encouraged.

The UK calendar is marked by a variety of traditions and public celebrations. Christmas (25 December) and Easter are major Christian festivals widely celebrated even by non-religious people. Christmas traditions include exchanging gifts, eating a roast turkey dinner, pulling crackers, and watching the monarch's Christmas broadcast on television.

Other notable festivals include Bonfire Night (5 November), which commemorates the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605 when Guy Fawkes and others attempted to blow up Parliament. People light bonfires and set off fireworks. Remembrance Day (11 November) honours members of the armed forces who have died in conflicts, marked by wearing red poppies and observing a two-minute silence.

The UK also celebrates festivals from many cultural traditions, including Diwali (Hindu and Sikh festival of lights), Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha (Muslim festivals), Vaisakhi (Sikh new year), Hanukkah (Jewish festival), and Chinese New Year. St Patrick's Day, St David's Day, St George's Day, and St Andrew's Day celebrate the patron saints of the four nations.

Bank holidays are public holidays when most businesses close. These include New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday (except Scotland), the early and late May bank holidays, the summer bank holiday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day (26 December).

Sport plays an important role in UK culture, and many popular modern sports either originated in Britain or had their rules codified there. Football (soccer) is the most popular sport. The English Football League, founded in 1888, was the first professional league in the world. The FA Cup, first played in 1872, is the oldest national football competition. Each of the four nations has its own football association and league structure.

Cricket is a quintessentially English sport, with international Test matches played at grounds such as Lord's in London and Edgbaston in Birmingham. Rugby has two main codes: rugby union and rugby league. The Six Nations Championship is a major annual rugby union tournament involving England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, and Italy.

Tennis is associated with Wimbledon, the oldest Grand Slam tournament, held annually in south-west London since 1877. Golf has ancient roots in Scotland, and the Old Course at St Andrews is considered the home of golf. Other popular sports include horse racing (with events like the Grand National and Royal Ascot), rowing, sailing, boxing, and athletics. The UK hosted the Olympic Games in London in 1908, 1948, and 2012.

The UK has a rich literary tradition stretching back centuries. Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (late fourteenth century) is one of the first major works written in English. William Shakespeare's plays and sonnets are studied worldwide. The Romantic poets — William Wordsworth, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats — transformed English poetry in the early nineteenth century.

Notable novelists include Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters (Charlotte, Emily, and Anne), Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, and, in more recent times, authors such as Graham Greene, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Hilary Mantel. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series became a global phenomenon. The UK also has a strong tradition of children's literature, including works by Roald Dahl, C.S. Lewis, and Lewis Carroll.

In the visual arts, notable British painters include Thomas Gainsborough, John Constable, J.M.W. Turner, and, more recently, Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, and David Hockney. Major galleries and museums such as the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Tate galleries, and the Victoria and Albert Museum attract millions of visitors each year. Admission to the permanent collections of national museums and galleries is free.

British popular music has had an enormous global influence. The Beatles, from Liverpool, are widely regarded as the most influential pop group in history. The Rolling Stones, The Who, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, and Queen defined successive eras of rock music. More recently, artists such as Adele, Ed Sheeran, and Stormzy have achieved worldwide success.

Classical music also has deep roots in the UK. Composers such as Henry Purcell, Edward Elgar, Benjamin Britten, and Ralph Vaughan Williams have made lasting contributions. The Proms (the BBC Promenade Concerts), held annually at the Royal Albert Hall in London, are a celebrated series of classical music concerts. The Last Night of the Proms is a beloved national event.

The British film industry has produced many acclaimed directors and actors. Alfred Hitchcock pioneered the thriller genre. The James Bond series, based on Ian Fleming's novels, is one of the longest-running film franchises. The UK's major film studios, including Pinewood and Shepperton, have been used for blockbuster productions. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards are among the most prestigious in the world.

The UK has a varied food culture that reflects both its own traditions and the influence of immigrant communities. Traditional dishes include fish and chips, roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, haggis (Scotland), Welsh cakes, and the full English breakfast. Chicken tikka masala is sometimes described as a British national dish, reflecting the popularity of South Asian cuisine.

Pubs (public houses) are an important part of social life in the UK. They serve not only drinks but also meals, and many are historic buildings. Afternoon tea, a tradition associated with the Victorian era, typically involves tea served with sandwiches, scones, and cakes.

Gardening is one of the most popular leisure activities, and the UK is known for its parks and gardens, including the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Volunteering is widespread, with millions of people giving their time to charities, community projects, and organisations. The National Trust and English Heritage protect historic buildings and countryside across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.