Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich Iwaszko
The King and Queen are the equivalent of our Mickey and Minnie Mouse. They are paid well being the Number 1 Tourist attraction in England. They have no other functions. Harry evidently didn't want to be the next Goofy. Good for him. Good for Meghan. They are taking advantage of America's thirst for entertainment, thats our fault. They have shed light on the ridiculous royalty of England. Thats the new reality, show things for the way they really are.
The Magic Castle in England will lose its luster soon and its about time.
|
Interesting take, though a bit misleading. Actually King Charles III has quite a few official duties. Though many of them are "with the advice" of this-or-that person or entity, many aren't. Here are just a few:
Serve as king of more than just England. Charles III as titular head-of-state of Great Britain, also serves in that role for the commonwealth countries as well. It is more or less as a goodwill ambassador. But who is to say good will isn't important?
Serve as head of the Commonwealth of Nations. This is a group of 54 nations, some of the British Commonwealth, many not, "aimed at fostering cooperation among member nations and advancing their economic and social interests" (rd dot com, Lauren Cahn, 9/26/22).
Pick the Prime Minister. This is largely ceremonial, as the king does this mainly by appointing the leader of the party that has just won a majority of seats in the House of Commons, but under certain rare circumstances, such as when a Prime Minister dies in office, the king may be called upon to "exercise his discretion" and actually make the pick himself.
Appoints members to the House of Lords. The king's picks for this must be approved by the Prime Minister, but it is he who actually makes the choice.
Appoints Supreme Court Justices. The King "appoints justices on the advice and recommendation of a panel of legal experts from each of the U.K.’s nations..." (ibid.)
Initiate the process of "forming a government". "Without the “formation of a government,” parliament can’t conduct its business (in fact, it doesn’t even exist until it’s formed). It’s up to the king to invite the prime minister appointee to Buckingham Palace, where he’ll ask the PM to “form a government,” a meeting known as the kissing of hands." (ibid.)
Open Parliament each year. A royal tradition, apparently.
Legitimize laws. " the king must sign off on a proposed act of parliament before it officially goes into effect, a process known as royal assent." The power to refuse royal assent still exists, though apparently no British monarch has done so since 1708.
Summon the Prime Minister. "One of the king’s responsibilities is to stay abreast of what’s going in the government. To do so, he can exercise his power to summon the prime minister for meetings (royal speak: audiences). During these meetings, he has both a right and a duty to express his opinions on matters of government." (ibid.)
Open Welsh lawmaking sessions and ratify Welsh legislation. Wales has its own form of elected government (The National Assembly of Wales) which acts on matters delegated to it by the U.K. Parliament. The King apparently exercises this duty in a similar manner as with the U.K. Parliament.
Ratify the laws of Northern Ireland. Same as above.
Appoint the members of the Privy Council. "The U.K. Privy Council is responsible for a number of executive responsibilities, including extending legislation to British territories overseas, granting royal charters and issuing orders and proclamations. It also advises the king on his duties, including how to exercise his royal prerogative. Members of the Privy Council are appointed by the king, although he takes the advice of the prime minister." (ibid.)
Pardon criminals. This is known as the "royal prerogative of mercy". " The king can use the royal pardon to reduce an inmate’s prison sentence. For instance, Queen Elizabeth used it in 2013 to grant a posthumous pardon to World War II code-breaker Alan Turing, who received an indecency conviction in 1952." (ibid.)
Grant knighthoods. "It’s a millennia-old tradition for the British monarch to recognize those who have shown great “service, loyalty or gallantry” (ibid.) While ceremonial it is not unlike our "Presidential Medal of Freedom".
Appoints bishops and archbishops to the Church of England. This goes back to 1534. The King makes this appointments based on the advice of the Prime Minister.
This list is just a few of the King's responsibilities. Much more, I'm afraid, than "Mickey Mouse".
