The monarch, royal family and parliament

The UK is a democratic constitutional monarchy. The monarch plays an important role in both government and the UK parliament, exercising a number of constitutional responsibilities and powers, as well as ceremonial duties.

The nature, extent, and basis of the monarch’s constitutional role in parliament has changed significantly over the centuries. The monarch is a component part of the UK parliament and retains some powers in relation to it; and MPs and peers retain certain responsibilities to the monarch. However, it is also a core constitutional principle dating back to the English Civil War that parliament – and especially the House of Commons – can assert independence from the monarch’s control. These factors shape the nature of the relationship between parliament, the monarch, and the broader royal family. 

What is the constitutional role of the monarch in parliament?

The monarch is a part of the UK parliament alongside the House of Commons and House of Lords, something formally referred to as the ‘Crown in Parliament.’ 

According to Erskine May, the guide to parliamentary procedure, “the King or Queen has always enjoyed, by prescription, custom and law, the chief place in parliament and the sole executive power.” ¹⁹ https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8885/CBP-8885.pdf  This is symbolised in a number of ways: for example, all MPs and peers must swear an oath or make an affirmation of loyalty to the monarch in order to take their seats; and neither house of parliament can meet or make law unless the Mace, which represents royal authority, is present.

At the same time, there are symbolic ways in which parliament, demonstrates their independence from the control of the monarch. For example, when the monarch attends parliament for the State Opening, and sends their representative in parliament –  Black Rod – to summons the Commons to hear the King’s Speech, the Commons door is initially closed to Black Rod before being opened. And in both Houses, the first order of business following the King’s Speech is the reading of two specific symbolic ‘bills’ (the Outlawries Bill in the Commons and the Select Vestries Bill in the Lords) which represent the ability of parliament to debate subjects of its choice. ²⁰ https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/outlawries-bill/

What powers does the monarch exercise in relation to parliament?

The monarch retains a number of powers in relation to parliament. Many of these have their basis in the ‘royal prerogative’, a term referring to a range of executive, judicial, and legislative powers that the monarch has historically been able to exercise themselves. ²³ https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9877/CBP-9877.pdf  However, where once the monarch may have exercised these powers themselves, they are now much more limited, and generally exercised according to law or on the advice of the government. 

Powers that the monarch has in relation to parliament include:

• The dissolution and prorogation of parliament. Dissolving parliament ahead of an election is a prerogative power of the monarch. In practice, the monarch only dissolves parliament at the request of the government. Constitutional scholars debate whether the monarch could theoretically deny such a request, but it is generally accepted that this could only occur in exceptional circumstances, and is highly unlikely to happen. The monarch can also prorogue parliament via the mechanism of an Order in Council, using a prerogative power, and it is again generally accepted that this is only done at the request of the government, which the monarch will not deny.
• Creating peers. The monarch can create life peers, who sit in the House of Lords. The power to do this is set out in legislation, and it is done by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. Separately, the monarch retains a prerogative power to create hereditary peerages, though this is rarely used.
• Appointment of the Lords Spiritual. The monarch is responsible for the appointment of all archbishops and bishops in the Church of England, of whom 26 sit in the House of Lords as the ‘Lords Spiritual’.
• Approval of the Speaker and Lord Speaker. MPs elect the Speaker of the House of Commons, but they must then be approved by the monarch. Similarly, in the Lords peers elect the Lord Speaker, who is also subject to approval by the monarch. In practice this is a formality. 

Additionally, the monarch retains a number of powers in relation to government that have major impact on the workings of parliament: in particular, the power to appoint and remove ministers, including the prime minister. 

Does the monarch have any role in the legislative process?

Yes. In order for any bill passed by parliament to become law, it must receive Royal Assent. This is a formality. Royal Assent has not been withheld by a monarch since 1708. 

Far more rarely, a piece of legislation going through parliament may need to receive King’s Consent (or Prince’s Consent, in some cases). This is only in relation to bills that might have a direct impact on the property or interests of the monarch (or heir to the throne). Again, this is understood to be a formality, and not something that a monarch would ever in practice refuse. 

The monarch also has a formal role in relation to supply and appropriation bills, which are the legislation approved by parliament to authorise government spending. When a supply and appropriations bill is passed by parliament (which usually happens twice a year) and has received Royal Assent, the monarch and two Lord Commissioners of the Treasury must sign an order. ²⁴ https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8885/CBP-8885.pdf  

Are any members of the royal family also members of parliament?

No, not any more. Prior to the passage of the House of Lords Reform Act 1999, some members of the royal family (including then then-Prince of Wales, now King Charles III) were also members of the Lords, though they did not speak in debates and rarely attended the House. 

However, the 1999 Act abolished the rights of the majority of hereditary peers to sit in the Lords. Those who were hereditary peers in the Lords at the time of the Act, including members of the royal family in the Lords, were offered life peerages so that they could stay in the House. Lord Snowdon accepted a life peerage, other members of the royal family declined. Since Lord Snowdon’s retirement from the Lords, there have been no members of the royal family in the upper House.

Do MPs have a say in how the royal family are funded?

The royal family has wealth and receives income from several different sources, but the largest share is provided by the Sovereign Grant which is paid annually by the government to support the official duties of the royal family. The funding covers costs such as official duties and engagements, including travel, the upkeep of royal residences and the salaries of staff in the royal household.

The Sovereign Grant Act 2011 was introduced to simplify the system of royal funding from the government, by replacing several older funding arrangements with a single, more transparent mechanism. The aim was to improve both accountability and efficiency in the way public money is used to support the royal family’s official work.

The amount of Sovereign Grant is calculated as a fixed percentage, linked to the profits of the Crown Estate, a large portfolio of land. The Keeper of the Privy Purse acts as the Accounting Officer for the Sovereign Grant, and is accountable to both the Treasury and parliament. The accounts are audited by the National Audit Office and formally laid before parliament each year. 

Every five years Royal trustees review the formula used to calculate the grant. Any proposal to increase the percentage must be set out in a statutory instrument, to be debated and approved by MPs. A reduction in the percentage can be approved without debate.

In addition to the Sovereign Grant the King receives income from the Duchy of Lancaster, while the Prince of Wales receives income from the Duchy of Cornwall. Both Duchies are independently audited and subject to Acts of Parliament. 

Can parliament remove royal titles? 

The majority of titles and honours are granted – and can be removed – under the royal prerogative, through instruments such as letters patent or a royal warrant, rather than through legislation. However, parliament does have the power to alter or remove a title or honour that has been conferred under the prerogative. 

The title of prince or princess may be removed by either legislation or by the exercise of the prerogative. Dukes are listed on the Roll of Peerage, and can be removed from the roll by the exercise of the prerogative. In October 2025, the King issued royal warrants to the Lord Chancellor, David Lammy, to formally revoke several titles including Prince from his brother Andrew, and remove him from the Roll of Peerages, effectively removing his title as the Duke of York. He will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.

A member of the royal family can also be removed from the line of succession by legislation. Because multiple countries have the monarch as head of state any such change would require the consent of all the Commonwealth Realms. 

Altering the line of succession would affect who is eligible to serve as Counsellors of State under the Regency Act 1937. These are senior members of the royal family who are authorised to carry out the monarch’s official duties if the Sovereign is overseas or temporarily unable to perform them.  

In 2022 the King requested that parliament make Princess Anne and Prince Edward Counsellors of State to increase the number of people who can be called to act as Counsellors. This was done to ensure there were enough members of the royal family who could act on behalf of the King, as Counsellors act in pairs, and Prince Harry and Andrew had stood down as working royals. Parliament passed the Counsellors of State Act 2022, which amended the Regency Act 1937 to that end. The 2022 Act did not remove anyone from the pool of Counsellors – an amendment in the House of Lords to remove Prince Harry and Andrew was debated but was then withdrawn. 

Eligibility for Counsellor under the Regency Act is taken from the line of succession. Removing the title of Prince has no direct effect on Andrew’s entitlement. However a commitment was made, in the passage of the Counsellors of State 2022 Act, that only working royals would be called upon, which in practice means he can’t be called on to carry out these duties. In any case, once Prince George turns 21 he will become a Counsellor of State replacing Princess Beatrice. Similarly, when she turns 21, Princess Charlotte replaces Andrew, and Prince Louis will eventually replace Prince Harry.

How can MPs refer to and discuss the royal family in the House of Commons?

MPs can raise questions and discuss matters relating to the royal family. The rules and procedure for this are set out in Erskine May – the guide to parliamentary procedure and practice. But the wording in Erskine May is not entirely clear, and requires some interpretation, which means that how it applies in practice is often a matter for the Speaker to decide. ²⁹ https://erskinemay.parliament.uk/section/4946/royal-family

Erskine May states:

No question can be put which brings the name of the Sovereign or the influence of the Crown directly before Parliament, or which casts reflections upon the Sovereign or the royal family. 

It also notes that: 

A question has been altered at the Speaker's direction on the ground that the name of the Sovereign should not be introduced to affect the views of the House. Questions are, however, allowed on such matters as the costs to public funds of royal events and royal palaces. 

In practice this means that MPs are free to raise issues involving the use of public money – for example parliament scrutinises the Sovereign Grant. However MPs should not refer to the King, or other members of the royal family in a way that might “affect the views of the House”. The example in Erskine May is of an MP who quoted remarks made by Princess Anne to support an argument about education standards. The Speaker reprimanded the MP in this case. 

The guidance against casting “reflections upon the Sovereign or the royal family” has historically been interpreted to mean that MPs should not debate or criticise members of the royal family. The precedent cited was when a member asked in 1868 whether Queen Victoria should be advised to abdicate because of reports of her withdrawing as a result of ‘delicate health’. However modern controversies – including those involving the former Prince Andrew – will test this precedent.

In 2022 the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle offered further clarification. He stated that: “there is no general prohibition on discussing of matters relating to the Royal Family in the House of Commons”. ³⁰ https://assets.nationbuilder.com/republic/pages/8620/attachments/original/1760996634/Correspondence_with_the_Speaker_re_debating_the_royals.pdf?17609…

He identified two restrictions on this. The Sovereigns name must not be used to influence debate – this is intended to keep the Crown above politics and preserves parliament’s independence from the Crown and people cannot argue for or against a proposal on the grounds that the King would approve or disapprove.  Second, incidental criticism of certain individuals in public life is not permitted. This includes members of the royal family, senior judges, MPs and peers. The restriction applies only to incidental criticism – meaning that if an MP intends to criticise someone directly it must be done through a substantive motion, so that notice is given and both sides may be heard. The Speaker has since clarified again that MPs must use a substantive motion, rather than usual question time sessions. ³¹ https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2025-10-23/debates/5891AF70-8F7A-4369-BC04-262E1897D021/Speaker%E2%80%99SStatement  

Under this interpretation MPs can debate the conduct of members of the royal family – including the former Prince Andrew. A substantive motion can be tabled by the government, an opposition party in opposition day debates, or through the Backbench Business Committee.

Select committees also have a role. The Public Accounts Committee PAC has previously examined royal funding arrangements. Its chair has also written to the Crown Estate Commissioners and the Treasury for further information about lease arrangements for the Royal Lodge. ³² https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/49999/documents/269233/default/