Malcolm Rivera
The United Kingdom is one of the most well-known constitutional monarchies in the world, with King Charles III as its head of state. The UK's parliamentary system, known as the Westminster System, is a blend of monarchical rule and representative democracy, where the monarch has limited political power and acts as a symbolic figurehead while the real power is held by Parliament. Other famous constitutional monarchies include Japan, Thailand, and Sweden, where the monarch's role is mostly ceremonial and they have little to no discretionary power. The oldest constitutional monarchy was that of the Hittites, an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age and whose king shared authority with an assembly.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | Liechtenstein, Monaco, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Bhutan, United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Denmark, Japan, Lesotho, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Thailand |
| Powers of the Monarch | Substantially limited by a constitution or other laws and principles |
| Form of Government | Shares power with a constitutionally organized government |
| Head of State | The monarch acts as a ceremonial head of state |
| Law-Making Power | Rests with the legislature |
| Sovereignty | The monarch loses sovereignty as they are deprived of exclusive law-making power |
| Political Role | The monarch does not have a political role, but may hold formal powers such as dissolving parliament |
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What You'll Learn
The UK is a constitutional monarchy
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, where a hereditary monarch acts as the head of state, with their powers regulated by the British constitution. The current monarch of the UK is King Charles III, who ascended the throne following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, his mother, in 2022.
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The constitution allocates the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary. While the monarch may formally hold supreme power, in practice, they do not rule and are largely symbolic figures. The UK's transition to a constitutional monarchy began with the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688, which was followed by the Bill of Rights in 1689 and the Act of Settlement in 1701. Over time, the monarchy's political powers shifted to ministers accountable to Parliament, and the franchise expanded through successive reforms.
In the UK, the monarch has a ceremonial role and undertakes constitutional and representational duties, such as appointing the prime minister and bestowing honours. While the monarch has the authority to approve primary legislation through "Royal Assent", this is done on the advice of the prime minister and their cabinet. The monarch is also the titular head of the Church of England and the head of the Armed Forces, responsible for their deployment.
As a constitutional monarchy, the UK's system differs from absolute monarchies, where the monarch holds supreme authority and is not bound by a constitution or laws. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch is bound by the constitution and acts as a non-partisan figure, with their powers limited by democratic principles and conventions. The UK's constitution is uncodified, and the monarch's powers are outlined in ancient legal sources, such as the "Royal Prerogative".
The UK's constitutional monarchy is similar to those in other Commonwealth realms, such as Norway, Spain, and Denmark, where the monarch has limited personal discretion in exercising their authority. The UK's monarchy is also referred to as a "crowned republic" by some, highlighting the limited powers of the monarch in a democratic context.
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The role of a constitutional monarch
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which 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.
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch typically no longer personally sets public policy or chooses political leaders. Instead, they act as a visible symbol of national unity. The monarch may hold formal powers, such as dissolving parliament or giving royal assent to legislation, but these powers are generally exercised in accordance with written constitutional principles or unwritten constitutional conventions rather than any personal political preferences.
Some writers have referred to strongly limited constitutional monarchies, such as those of the United Kingdom and Australia, as "crowned republics". The first form of a constitution for a monarchy was enacted with the Magna Carta of 1215, and the Kingdom of England's constitutional monarchy was furthered by the Glorious Revolution of 1688, restricted by laws such as the Bill of Rights 1689 and the Act of Settlement 1701.
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Examples of constitutional monarchies
A constitutional monarchy, also known as a limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy, is a system of government in which 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 government's power to the legislature and judiciary.
The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, where the monarch retains significantly less, if any, personal discretion in the exercise of their authority. The UK became a constitutional monarchy under the Whigs, and the Glorious Revolution of 1688 furthered the constitutional monarchy, restricted by laws such as the Bill of Rights 1689 and the Act of Settlement 1701.
Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark
These countries are leading contemporary examples of constitutional monarchies, where a legacy of political bargaining has witnessed the monarch's gradual transfer of authority to various societal groups. While the monarch remains the head of state and the emblem of state authority, they waive actual political power, which is assumed by the people.
Japan and Thailand
These two countries are the most populous constitutional monarchies in the world, located in Asia. The prime minister holds the day-to-day powers of governance, while the monarch retains residual powers that are not always insignificant.
Malaysia and Cambodia
These two countries are constitutional monarchies with elective monarchies, where the ruler is periodically selected by a small electoral college.
Liechtenstein and Monaco
These countries are examples of executive monarchies (or semi-constitutional monarchies), where the monarch wields significant executive power. While they are theoretically very powerful within their small states, they are not absolute monarchs and have limited de facto power compared to Islamic monarchs.
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The oldest constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not the sole decision-maker.
Another early example of a constitutional monarchy was created by Demonax for King Battus III of Cyrene in 548 BC, when the state of Cyrenaica had become unstable.
The Kingdom of England became a constitutional monarchy after the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which was further solidified by laws such as the Bill of Rights of 1689 and the Act of Settlement of 1701. The Kingdom of Scotland also enacted the Claim of Right Act in 1689, which placed limits on the Scottish monarchy's power.
Today, there are several countries with constitutional monarchies, including the United Kingdom, Belgium, Cambodia, Jordan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, and Japan, among others. These modern constitutional monarchies differ in the level of discretionary powers granted to the sovereign, with some monarchs having more substantial powers than others.
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How constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which 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. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch shares power with an elected parliament and is often a figurehead or representative of the country with little to no real political power. The role of head of state is typically given to an elected official, such as a prime minister, while policy decisions are made by the elected parliament.
An absolute monarchy, on the other hand, is a form of government in which the monarch holds supreme power and rules as a dictator. The monarch has absolute power over the country, and there is no higher law than the command of the king or queen. Absolute monarchies are less common today than constitutional monarchies.
The main difference between a constitutional monarchy and an absolute monarchy is the extent of the monarch's power. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's power is limited by a constitution and shared with an elected government, while in an absolute monarchy, the monarch has unlimited power and rules as a dictator.
Another difference is the role of the monarch in each system. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch is often a figurehead or ceremonial leader, while in an absolute monarchy, the monarch is the supreme leader and may personally set public policy and choose political leaders.
Some examples of constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Morocco, Jordan, Japan, and several other countries. On the other hand, stronger forms of monarchy, which may be considered closer to absolute monarchies, exist in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).
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Frequently asked questions
King Charles III is the constitutional monarch of the United Kingdom. The UK is one of the most famous constitutional monarchies in the world, with King Charles III acting as the Head of State.
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government and is bound to exercise powers and authorities within limits prescribed by an established legal framework. In an absolute monarchy, there is no constitutional government, and the king or queen holds all the power to govern their people.
Some examples of constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Japan, Thailand, Belgium, Cambodia, Jordan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Liechtenstein.
