Queen, Britain’s supreme authority

The British Queen is officially the head of state in the UK. In other words, she is the head of legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Britain lacks a written constitution. Meanwhile, a central feature of Britain’s unwritten constitution is that “the ‘Crown’ is the supreme authority in this country – not the people,” as described by Graham Smith, the chief executive of anti-monarchy campaign group Republic.

The British parliament meets the Queen and her family’s expenditure from public funds. Moreover, anti-monarchy activists say the royal family lobbies “government ministers for improvements to its financial benefits.”

“It is hugely costly — an estimated £202 million a year, enough to pay for thousands of teachers, nurses or police officers at a time of sweeping public spending cuts,” said Smith.

Furthermore, the appointment of a Prime Minister is the prerogative of the Queen and she also has the authority to dissolve a parliament.

The British Queen meets the British Prime Minister on a weekly basis and expresses her views about the affairs. These meetings remain strictly confidential.

Moreover, the Houses of the British Parliament cannot proceed to public business until the Queen’s speech, which outlines the country’s legislation, is read at the annual State Opening of the Parliament ceremony.

The Queen is also the head of the Privy Council which is a legislative assembly responsible for executive, judicial, and legislative decisions.

At Privy Council meetings, the Acts of Parliament become law by the Royal Assent. The 400 Privy Counselors, including all members of the Cabinet, government ministers, leaders of the opposition parties, and senior judges are appointed by the Queen herself.

The British Queen is also the Head of the Armed Forces and is the only person to declare war.

Meanwhile, after a new law came into effect in 2011, the documents containing communications between government officials and the Queen are prohibited from release for a minimum of 20 years plus an extra five years after her death. This way, the Queen is exempt from Britain’s Freedom of Information laws.

ISH/PKH/HE

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