Royalty Authority

Royalty Authority

Introduction

The British monarch has specific governmental duties, and the U.K. parliament literally can't open or close without the crown's permission. But today's queen has little real influence. Britain's constitutional monarchy puts the sovereign at the head of the executive branch of government. She appoints the prime minister and is the only one who can summon or dissolve parliament. The queen has to give royal assent before any bill from parliament becomes law. The sovereign is head of the country's armed forces and the only one who can declare war. In reality, the monarch hasn't dissolved parliament of his or her own accord since 1818. The crown simply picks the leader of the majority party as prime minister. Royal assent hasn't been refused since 1707. And the monarch can only declare war with the consent of parliament. In these and all government actions, the queen relies on her advisors (Palmer, 1961). This may sound blunt, but if the prime minister wants to dissolve parliament so a new one can be elected, he (politely) tells the queen to do it. All potential laws are signed by the queen as a formality. The queen's job is to remain politically neutral and act as a uniting figure for the nation.

Discussion

Over the years people have expressed to me in various forms the idea that there is no authority greater than kings, that kings can do whatever they want to, and that it's no business of the board of directors what kings want to do in their own kingdoms. There have been even peers and former royalty who were surprised by my response and explanation.

Kings are only kings because of the board of directors. The West Kingdom was going without a board, and they were also prepared to dissolve if they stopped getting along; the ...