Omar Bennett
As of 2025, there are 43 sovereign states in the world with a monarch as the head of state. These include absolute monarchies, where the monarch holds absolute power, and constitutional monarchies, where the monarch's power is limited by a constitution and other governmental bodies. There are at least two types of constitutional monarchies: executive and ceremonial. While executive monarchs hold significant power, ceremonial monarchs have little to no political power and mostly serve symbolic roles. Examples of constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Japan, Thailand, Belgium, Norway, and Spain.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of constitutional monarchies in the world | 43 |
| Constitutional monarchies in Asia | 13 |
| Constitutional monarchies in Europe | 12 |
| Constitutional monarchies in the Americas | 9 |
| Constitutional monarchies in Oceania | 6 |
| Constitutional monarchies in Africa | 3 |
| Constitutional monarchies that are Commonwealth realms | 15 |
| Constitutional monarchies that are also democracies | 15 |
| Constitutional monarchies where the monarch has a ceremonial role | 8 |
| Constitutional monarchies where the monarch has a limited role | 4 |
| Constitutional monarchies where the monarch has significant power | 2 |
| Constitutional monarchies that are diarchies | 2 |
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What You'll Learn
The two types of constitutional monarchies
There are two types of constitutional monarchies in the modern world: executive and ceremonial.
In executive monarchies, also known as semi-constitutional monarchies, the monarch wields significant power, although not absolute. The monarchy is a powerful political and social institution. For example, in Liechtenstein and Monaco, the ruling monarchs wield significant executive power. However, they are not absolute monarchs and have very limited de facto power compared to Islamic monarchs.
On the other hand, in ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little or no political power. They are largely symbolic and have a ceremonial role. However, they often still retain a great deal of social and cultural influence. For instance, in Japan, the emperor has very few powers but serves as the symbol of Japan and is the head of the Shinto religion.
The majority of constitutional monarchies in the world today are ceremonial, with the monarch serving as a figurehead while the day-to-day powers of governance are held by a prime minister or a similar role. Examples of ceremonial constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the Commonwealth realms, such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Executive constitutional monarchies are less common, with the majority found in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. In these monarchies, the monarch retains substantial powers, although they are not absolute. Examples include Malaysia, Cambodia, Jordan, and Bahrain.
It is important to note that the powers of the monarch can vary significantly between countries, even within the same type of constitutional monarchy. The specific powers and roles of the monarch are defined by the country's constitution and can include both symbolic and political responsibilities.
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Examples of constitutional monarchies
There are several examples of constitutional monarchies in the world today. As of 2025, there are 43 sovereign states with a monarch as their head of state. Of these, slightly more than a quarter are Western European countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and Sweden. Outside of Europe, Japan and Thailand are the two most populous constitutional monarchies. Other constitutional monarchies include Cambodia, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Bhutan, and Morocco.
Constitutional monarchies can be further categorized as executive or ceremonial. In executive monarchies, also known as semi-constitutional monarchies, the monarch wields significant power, though not absolute. In ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little to no political power but may still have a great deal of social and cultural influence.
The United Kingdom, for example, is a constitutional monarchy in which the monarch is the de facto head of state but does not exercise executive or policy-making power. The monarch is bound by convention to act on the advice of the Cabinet. Similarly, in Norway, the King chairs special meetings of the cabinet and is the nominal chief executive, but actual political power is held by elected politicians. In Thailand, the monarch is recognized as the Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, Upholder of the Buddhist Religion, and Defender of the Faith, and retains residual powers that can influence politics.
In contrast, the ruling monarchs of Liechtenstein and Monaco wield significant executive power, though they are not absolute monarchs and have limited de facto power compared to Islamic monarchs.
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The history of constitutional monarchies
One of the earliest examples of a constitutional monarchy was the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, which existed from 1569 to 1795. The Commonwealth operated much like modern European constitutional monarchies, with a king who was elected and had the duty of maintaining the people's rights, a bicameral parliament, and a collection of legal documents amounting to a constitution. Poland also developed the first constitution for a monarchy in continental Europe in 1791, the second single-document constitution in the world after the US Constitution.
During the early years of the French Revolution, France briefly transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy with the promulgation of the French Constitution of 1791. This first French constitutional monarchy was short-lived, ending in 1792 with the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the French First Republic. Several years later, in 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte proclaimed himself Emperor of the French in what was ostensibly a constitutional monarchy, though modern historians often characterise his reign as an absolute monarchy.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, several countries experimented with constitutional monarchies. The Anglo-Corsican Kingdom was a brief period in the history of Corsica (1794–1796) when the island broke with Revolutionary France and became an independent kingdom under George III of the United Kingdom, with its own elected parliament and written constitution. The Kingdom of Brazil was a constitutional monarchy from its proclamation of independence in 1822 until 1889, when Pedro II was deposed by a military coup. The Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq was a constitutional monarchy until 1958, when King Faisal II was deposed in a military coup.
After the Second World War, many surviving European monarchies adopted some variant of the constitutional monarchy model, with the monarch sharing power with a constitutionally organised government and the legislature. Today, slightly more than a quarter of constitutional monarchies are Western European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The two most populous constitutional monarchies in the world are in Asia: Japan and Thailand.
Constitutional monarchies can be broadly categorised into two types: executive (or semi-constitutional) and ceremonial. In executive monarchies, the monarch wields significant power, while in ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little or no political power and primarily has a social and cultural influence.
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The role of the monarch in a constitutional monarchy
As of 2025, there are 43 sovereign states in the world with a monarch as their head of state. Of these, 15 are Commonwealth realms headed by King Charles III, and are constitutional monarchies and full democracies. There are at least two types of constitutional monarchies in the modern world: executive and ceremonial.
In executive monarchies, the monarch wields significant power, though not absolute. The monarchy under this system is a powerful political and social institution. In ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little or no political power but frequently still has a great deal of social and cultural influence. In some cases, the monarch is still the nominal chief executive but is bound by convention to act on the cabinet's advice.
In constitutional monarchies, the monarch is the head of state, but the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected parliament. The monarch undertakes constitutional and representational duties, acting as a focus for national identity, unity, and pride, providing a sense of stability and continuity, officially recognizing success and excellence, and supporting the ideal of voluntary service. They also perform functions such as appointing the prime minister and other ministers, opening new sessions of parliament, and giving royal assent to bills passed by parliament.
The role of the monarch varies across different countries. For example, in Norway, the King chairs special meetings of the cabinet, while in Belgium, the monarch appoints a representative to preside over the creation of a coalition government following a parliamentary election. In Thailand, the monarch is recognized as the Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, Upholder of the Buddhist Religion, and Defender of the Faith, with lèse-majesté laws protecting the monarch's image and enabling them to play a role in politics.
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The future of constitutional monarchies
As of 2025, there are 43 sovereign states in the world with a monarch as their head of state. Of these, 15 are Commonwealth realms, including the United Kingdom, that are constitutional monarchies and full democracies. The monarch in these nations legally possesses vast prerogatives but fulfils a largely ceremonial role.
Constitutional monarchies can be categorised into two types: executive and ceremonial. In executive monarchies, the monarch wields significant power, though not absolute. In ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little to no power or direct political influence but often has great social and cultural influence.
In the coming years, referendums on becoming a republic are likely in several Commonwealth realms, including Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, and Belize. The British public's willingness to consider major constitutional change, as seen with Brexit, suggests that a shift towards a republic in the UK may also be possible. However, it is important to note that any such change would need to coincide with an underlying shift in political culture to be more than symbolic.
The history of constitutional monarchies is complex, as demonstrated by Spain's evolution from a monarchy to a republic to a pseudo-democratic autocracy, dictatorship, and back to a constitutional monarchy. The interpretation of monarchy has evolved, with Napoleon Bonaparte being considered the first monarch to embody the nation rather than rule by divine appointment.
In conclusion, the future of constitutional monarchies remains uncertain. While some nations are moving towards republicanism, others retain their monarchies, and the complex history of constitutional monarchy demonstrates that the evolution of governance is not always a linear progression.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2025, there are approximately 43 sovereign states with a monarch as the head of state. Out of these, there are 15 Commonwealth realms that are constitutional monarchies, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. In total, there are more than 25 constitutional monarchies in the world, including Japan, Thailand, Norway, Belgium, and Spain.
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government where a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a ceremonial leader. The constitution allocates the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary.
There are two main types of constitutional monarchies: executive and ceremonial. In executive monarchies, the monarch wields significant power, while in ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little to no political power and mostly has a symbolic role.
Yes, Andorra is a unique example of a constitutional diarchy, with the Co-Princeship shared by the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell. Another example is the United Kingdom, where the monarch is the head of state for multiple countries, including the UK, Canada, and New Zealand.
The concept of constitutional monarchy has evolved over the years, with Poland developing the first constitution for a monarchy in continental Europe in 1791. After World War II, surviving European monarchies adopted some variant of the constitutional monarchy model. Today, most modern monarchies are limited monarchies, where the power of the monarch is constrained by a constitution and democratic institutions.
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