[Slainte]

But the Queen is only the head of state. The Prime Minister is the head of the government. A subtle, but important distinction as her position is entirely ceremonial now, much like the Vice President.

In any case, her taxes would go to the Exchequer, just like Tony Blair's do. The Queen can't just walk over to the Treasury and grab a pocketful of tenners whenever she feels the urge to go and grab a pint.

[DrDavid]

I realize the Queen isn't a supreme monarch. However, from what I understand, the Queen still have a veto over decisions made by her government. This veto power has never (or rarely) been used.

She is also paid a stipend by the exchequer. Yet in some sense as Queen she "owns" the government. I'm not exactly sure how to word it but this is as close as I can get. I suppose it is part of the evolution of the monarchy from totalitarian rulers to national treasure.