1. History of the Monarchy

   1. English Monarchs (400 ad – 1603)

The history of the English Crown up to the Union of the Crowns in 1603 is long and eventful.

The concept of a single ruler unifying different tribes based in England developed in the eighth and ninth centuries in figures such as Offa and Alfred the Great, who began to create centralized systems of government.

Following the Norman Conquest, the machinery of government developed further, producing long-lived national institutions including Parliament.

The Middle Ages saw several fierce contests for the Crown, culminating in the Hundred Years War. The conflict was finally ended with the advent of the Tudors, the dynasty which produced some of England's most successful rulers and a flourishing cultural Renaissance. The end of the Tudor line with the death of the 'Virgin Queen' in 1603 brought about the Union of the Crowns with Scotland.

2. United Kingdom Monarchs (1603 – present)

Until 1603 the English and Scottish Crowns were separate, although links between the two were always close - members of the two Royal families intermarried on many occasions. Following the Accession of King James VI of Scotland (I of England) to the English Throne, a single monarch reigned in the United Kingdom.

The last four hundred years have seen many changes in the nature of the Monarchy in the United Kingdom. From the end of the 17th century, monarchs lost executive power and they increasingly became subject to Parliament, resulting in today's constitutional Monarchy.

2. The Role of the Monarchy

Monarchy is the oldest form of government in the United Kingdom.

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 British 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 recognizes success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service. In all these roles The Sovereign is supported by members of their immediate family.

3. History of constitutional monarchy

The origins of constitutional monarchy in Britain go back a long way. Until the end of the seventeenth century, British monarchs were executive monarchs, who mean that they had the right to make and pass legislation.

But even in early times there were occasions when the Sovereign had to act in accordance with the law and take into account the will of his people. With the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, for example, the leading noblemen of England succeeded in forcing King John to accept that they and other freemen had rights against the Crown.

In the seventeenth century, the Stuart kings propagated the theory of the divine right of kings, claiming that the Sovereign was subject only to God and not to the law. Widespread unrest against their rule led to civil war in the second half of the seventeenth century. In 1688-9 Parliamentarians drew up a Bill of Rights, which established basic tenets such as the supremacy of Parliament.

The constitutional monarchy we know today really developed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as day-to-day power came to be exercised by Ministers in Cabinet, and by Parliaments elected by a steadily-widening electorate.

One of the most important writers on the subject of constitutional monarchy was a Victorian economist and writer called Walter Bagehot (1826-77). His book, 'The English Constitution', first published in 1867, provided an analysis of the role of monarchy which remains relevant today. For example, Bagehot describes the way in which monarchy symbolizes the unity of the national community. He wrote: "The nation is divided into parties, but the crown is of no party. Its apparent separation from business is that which removes it both from enmities and from desecration, which preserves its mystery, which enables it to combine the affection of conflicting parties ...." Bagehot also noticed the importance of the Royal Family. "A family on the throne is an interesting idea also. It brings down the pride of sovereignty to the level of petty life."

From the point of view of political power, according to Bagehot, the main influence of the Sovereign was during a political ministry, for the Sovereign had three rights: "the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, the right to warn". According to Bagehot, a Sovereign would, over the course of a long reign, accumulate far more knowledge and experience than any minister. Bagehot's views of how monarchy works proved influential, and by the reign of King George V, the principle of constitutional monarchy was firmly established in Britain.

The Bill of Rights Act 1689 set out the foundations of constitutional monarchy. Rights obtained by Parliament included:

• Freedom from Royal interference with the law;

• Freedom from taxation by Royal prerogative;

• Freedom to petition the King;

• Freedom to elect members of Parliament without interference from the Sovereign.