What's the purpose of monarchy in U.K., Canada, Australia?

In a monarchy, a king or queen is Head of State. The British Monarchy is known as a constitutional monarchy. This means that, while The Sovereign is Head of State, the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected Parliament.

Although The Sovereign no longer has a political or executive role, he or she continues to play an important part in the life of the nation.

As Head of State, The Monarch undertakes constitutional and representational duties which have developed over one thousand years of history. In addition to these State duties, The Monarch has a less formal role as 'Head of Nation'. The Sovereign acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognises success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service.

Her Majesty’s actual rights as a Queen are only three:

•The right to be consulted by the Prime Minister

•To encourage certain courses of action

•To warn against others

However her duties are far greater than her rights. Her Majesty’s duties do not just consist one or two, but the many below:

”Constitutional Arbitration“

In times of Crisis, as with a hung Parliament, the lack of an automatic choice of Prime Minister or an unjustifiable and unnecessary request for a dissolution of Parliament, the Monarchy provides an impartial and non-political arbitrator, like an umpire called in when the players cannot agree. It would also be able to intervene if the government acted un-constitutionally by, say putting the opposition in jail, abolishing elections, or instructing the police not to prosecute members of the government for criminal offences. The Monarch can also dissolve Parliament, and appoint a Prime Minister to their liking, which has been done throughout Her Majesty’s reign. This duty falls upon the Monarch not only in England, but in the Commonwealth countries that retain the British Sovereign as their Monarch and Head of State.

”Stability“

A form of Government that only came into being yesterday can quite easily be overthrown tomorrow; an institution sanctified by 1,000 years of Sovereignty is more deeply embedded in the consciousness of the nation and more closely woven into the fabric of political life. It can still be overthrown (as by Oliver Cromwell in 1649), but people are still likely to think very hard before they pick up the sword. The Monarchy was Restored (1659 Charles II).

”Continuity“

Governments come and go, A week is a long time in Parliament, and five years a lifetime. But the Sovereign is always there, and the apparatus of monarchy helps to bridge the discontinuities of party politics.

”Experience“

A lifetime of reading state papers, meeting heads of state and ambassadors, and holding a weekly audience with the Prime Minister gives The Queen an unequalled store of knowledge and experience. Politicians see state papers only when they are in office, but the Queen sees them every day. Her constitutional right to be consulted, to encourage and to warn makes this experience available to every government, as it is after all, Her Government.

”Unity“

Party politics is about disagreement and confrontation. It encourages polarization – rich against poor, north against south, management against unions, black against white, Catholic against Protestant. Parliament institutionalizes division and conflict. The monarchy is about national unity and institutionalizes cooperation and consensus.

”Succession“

The heredity principle does more than provide a formula for unopposed succession. It also means that everyone knows who the successor is likely to be, and that he or she will have been groomed for the job from birth..

”Recognition of Achievement“

By honours, awards, visits, patronage and sponsorship the sovereign and the Royal Family can recognize and reward achievement by individuals and organizations, and publicly affirm their value to the nation.

”Focus of Allegiance“

A person and a family are a powerful symbol for the armed services of what they are fighting for, and are not so vulnerable to the winds of political favour in supporting the forces and honouring their sacrificing..

”Custodianship of the Past“

Through its ceremony, pageantry and ritual, the monarchy preserves the link with Britain’s history and reminds people of the country’s past achievements and the antiquity of their state.

”Trusteeship of the Future“

By being close to the heart of affairs, but outside of the political arena, the Royal Family can focus attention on the country’s long-term dangers and opportunities as a counterweight to the inevitably short-term preoccupations of politicians in the heat of the party battle.

”Uniting the Nation with the State“

Most important of all is the combination of the constitutional role as Head of State and the social role as Head of the Nation within a single institution, a single family and a single office. If the sovereign can be the focus of the people’s loyalty, pride, patriotism and a sense of nationhood, then the people are simultaneously focusing these emotions on the state of which the Queen is the constitutional head; they are confirming and supporting the legitimacy of the political, legal and economic system which regulates their daily lives.

”The Commonwealth“

A Commonwealth Realm is a country which has The Queen as its Monarch. The Queen is Head of State (Queen) of 15 Commonwealth realms in addition to the UK. She is also Head of the Commonwealth itself, a voluntary association of 53 independent countries. From Australia to Antigua, Canada to Cameroon, the Commonwealth is a remarkable international organisation, spanning every geographical region, religion and culture. It exists to foster international co-operation and trade links between people all over the world

Powers of the Queen:

•The power to appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister

•The power to appoint and dismiss other ministers.

•The power to summon, prorogue and dissolve Parliament

•The power to make war and peace

•The power to command the armed forces of the United Kingdom

•The power to regulate the Civil Service

•The power to ratify treaties

•The power to issue passports

•The power to appoint bishops and archbishops of the Church of England

•The power to create peers (both life peers and hereditary peers).

She can confer Britain’s highest civilian decoration, the Order of Merit—one honour in which the Sovereign retains freedom of choice.

What Her Majesty cannot do is vote. Nor can she express any shading of political opinion in public. The Queen cannot sit in the House of Commons, although the building is royal property. She addresses the opening session of each Parliament, but she cannot write her own speech. The Queen cannot refuse to sign a bill of Parliament, and she cannot appear as a witness in court, or rent property from her subjects.

Then she has been in the past patron of many charities to which the addition of her name has helped in fundraising. She is the queen and at the same time the servant of the country.

To remind us of a past culture and tradition.

They all say that the Queen is above politics, But she is our head of state, if she doesn't want to get involved for fear of upsetting part of her support, I suggest she gives up, but then again, she already has. Not bad for the millions we HAVE to give her. There is NO point in the monarchy, it does NOTHING for us.

The UK, Canada, Australia, and other Commonwealth Realms are CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHIES. In a constitutional monarchy, there is a separation of powers, the monarch, head of state, head of nation,is not political. One branch of government is apolitical, a power above mere politics, a unifying tie to past, present, and future. The monarch serves as chief ambassador, representing her realms to the rest of the world. The monarch passes legislation into action, calls for general elections, forms the government, oversees Church of England, the armed forces...and a monarch acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity. The UK monarchy also seeks to support voluntary services---various charities, foundations, educational institutions.

The monarch has powers of royal prerogative:

dissolution of Parliament and call for general elections

appointment of Prime Minister

granting of mercy in granting pardons; stopping of legal proceedings

recognition of foreign states

Issuing of declarations for war or peace

forms international treaties

issuing of British passports and licenses

granting of honours

regulation of armed forces; recruitment of armed forces, appointment of commissioned officers

regulation of Church of England appointments

establishes agreements w/foreign governments to station troops in foreign lands

Free Head of state who gives dignity to the Position

We have an unelected Head of State, the Monarchy, and an elected Parliament. This has worked for the UK and territories, Commonwealth etc, for a very long time and it's UNLIKELY to change any time soon.

The Monarch can advise, and most probably does via the weekly audience the PM has with the reigning Monarch, but he/she DOES NOT get directly involved politically. Usually.

The british monarchy does not get involved in any politics, in public or private, for getting a huge yearly allowance, back in 1688 william and mary gave up their political power, and it has been like that ever since, she has a weekly meeting with her prime minister, which is just between the two of them, and it is never recorded, so she may give advice then, but that is all she can do, she is the head of state in other countries but the day to day running of those countries is left to the prime minister and parliament of that country.

How does "popular choice" grab you?!

She is the sovereign over all subjects (Canadians and Australians) of the British Commonwealth and of the subjects in the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. She is boss of the Prime Minister. She can sack the Prime Minister. She tells the government what to do in her speech from the throne to open parliament. She tells the government what to do in her weekly meetings with the Prime Minister.

Hi sour royal family by vurture of being of being here. produce so much revenue so much more than they cost to keep. that to do away with them would be stupid. as they bring in a ten fold amount of money.