monarchy

Constitutional monarchy

• Britain is a constitutional monarchy

• this means that the monarch remains the head of state with the royal prerogative to govern, taking the role of more of an apolitical figure head.

• the monarch’s authority is limited by law and serves as a ceremonial head of state rather than an active ruler, sharing the power with a constitutionally organised government

• day-to-day decisions, domestic and foreign policy, are made by the directly elected government

the role of the monarchy today

• head of the executive, legislature and judiciary

• commander-in-chef of the armed forces

• supreme governor of the Church of England

• head of the Commonwealth (and head of state in 15 of its 53 members)

• authority from which the Royal Mint is given license to print money

royal prerogative powers

• these are historical powers that are traditionally held by the monarch.

• the king still holds some such as coining money, governing the church of england, creating peers and weekly meetings with the PM

• prerogative powers are now largely notional as most of these powers such as electing ministers and the ability to declare war have now passed to the government of today.

prerogative powers exercised by the PM

• summoning and dissolving parliament

• holding meetings of the privy council

• choosing peerages and honours

• declaring war and peace

• writing the kings speech

• appointing ministers and senior public officials

• entertaining visiting heads of state

funding of the monarchy

• sovereign grant

• privy purse

• personal income

sovereign grant

• tax payer funded money

• a single giant from the treasury based on a percentage (this is currently at 25% net income) from the crown estates

• the grant replaced former money from the government such as the civil-list and grant-in-aid

• it is used to pay for official duties such as royal events and staffing and the upkeep of occupied royal palaces

privy purse

• historic term used to describe income deriving from the Dutch of Lancaster - a portfolio of land, property and assets held in trust for the Sovereign

• dates back to 1399

personal income

• the royal family is free to generate their own personal income and they have to pay income tax

• examples include Prince William’s money from Air Rescue, Harry (Army), Charles (Dutch of Cornwall estate)

sources for monarchy questions

• Lord-lieutenant - the british monarch’s personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the united kingdom

• A constitutional expert

• A local resident who comes from a Commonwealth country i.e. Australia

• MPs from different parties/ former ministers

• Pro-monarchy figures such as an older person or a member of the armed forces

• Anti-monarchy figures and/or a member of a republican group such as the pressure group Republic

Recent constitutional issues

• whether charles has to be the supreme governor of the church of england

• funding of the monarchy through the sovereign grant

• possible break up of the union, from scottish independence or irish reunification

• whether the monarchy should now be slimmed down

• as charles is a new monarch, will he try to be more involved in government?