The Monarchy's Modern Role
What the British monarch actually does in governance today, the unwritten conventions that constrain royal power, and the debate over the monarchy's future.
The Constitutional Role
The monarch is the head of state, head of the Commonwealth, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and the theoretical source of all executive authority. In practice, virtually all of these powers are exercised by ministers. The monarch reigns but does not rule. The key constitutional convention is that the monarch acts on the advice of ministers and never publicly intervenes in political controversies.
The monarch's remaining formal functions include the weekly audience with the prime minister, the State Opening of Parliament (where the monarch reads the government's legislative agenda), the granting of Royal Assent to legislation, and the appointment of the prime minister. Royal Assent has not been refused since Queen Anne in 1708. The appointment power is meaningful only when no party wins a clear majority and the monarch must determine who can command the confidence of the Commons.
