Chapter 7: The monarchy

Buckingham Palace
London residence & admin. HQ of UK monarch
 The House of Windsor
• King George V (Queen
Elizabeth II’s grandfather)
changed the family name
from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
to Windsor.
• The current monarch is
King Charles III – king
regnant of 16
independent
Commonwealth countries.
Commonwealth Realm
 Appearance
• The King has absolute
power.
• The King can choose
anyone to be PM or run
the government.
• The King can summon and
dissolve Parliament.
• The King has to give a bill
royal assent so that it can
become a law.
Reality
• The King has little power.
• The King has to choose
someone with majority
support in the House of
Commons to be PM.
• The King has to agree with
PM’s appointment of
ministers.
• The King has to agree with
PM’s “request” to dissolve
Parliament for election.
• The King’s royal assent is
automatically granted to
any bills passed by the
Parliament.
 Honours
• Twice a year, an Honours List is
published.
• People on the list are summoned
to Buckingham Palace, where the
King presents them with titles
• The decisions are often made by
PM.
• Most titles and honours are given
to politicians or civil servants, but
also to business people, sports
stars & entertainers.
 The role of the monarch
• The monarch is the personal embodiment of
the government of the country.
• The monarch is supposed to be the final check
on the government.
• The monarch, a figurehead and representative
of the country, can perform ceremonial duties.
 The value of the monarchy
• The monarchy gives
British people a sense
of national pride.
• The glamour of the
royal family can be a
source of
entertainment for the
public and generates
income from tourism.
 The future of the monarchy
• There is no public debate about the existence
of the monarchy.
• The Queen remained popular, and the royal
family is supposed to be a “model Christian
family”.
• The public loses enthusiasm about the royal
family.