THE MONARCHY

What is a constitutional monarchy?

• a system where the King reigns but does not rule

• the monarch delegates political power to an elected government

What role does the British monarch have?

symbolic head of state

Head of the Commonwealth

Head of the CofE

Head of the 3 branches of the constitution

Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces

What powers does the King have?

Reading the King’s Speech

Chairing privy council meetings

Giving the Royal Assent to bills

Weekly meeting with the PM where he has power to advise, warn and encourage PM

‘creating’ peers and conferring knighthoods and honours

What is the Royal Prerogative?

• special powers and privileges that originally belonged to the monarch but are now exercised by by PM/ gov

What are notional powers?

powers that the monarch exercises ‘on the advice on ministers’

the monarch can offer advise but deferred to the exec

comes under prerogative powers

How is the monarchy funded?

• through the sovereign Grant -

• Privy Purse -

• Personal Income -

What is the Sovereign Grant?

A lump sum paid by the treasury to Crown for the expenses of being head of state ( mainly profits from the Crown Estate)

partly tax payer funded

What is Privy Purse?

Income generated by the Duchy of Lancaster ( the only crown estate still owned by the monarch - it’s held in trust for the monarch)

What is personal income?

Royal family can accumulate private earnings and must pay income tax on them