Chapter 5: The UK Government, the Law and Your Role

The British Constitution and the Monarchy

Última verificação: 15 July 2026

• 1A constitution is the set of principles by which a country is governed, including the powers of its institutions and the rights of the people.
• 2The British constitution is UNWRITTEN — not contained in a single document; it has developed over centuries through laws and conventions.
• 3Some people argue an unwritten constitution allows flexibility; others want a single written document.
• 4Constitutional institutions include: the monarchy, Parliament (House of Commons and House of Lords), the Prime Minister, the cabinet, the judiciary, the police, the civil service, and local government; the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also part of the system.
• 5The UK is a constitutional monarchy: the king or queen is head of state but does not rule the country — they appoint the government that the people have chosen in an election.
• 6Queen Elizabeth II (head of state at the time of the 3rd edition) had reigned since her father George VI died in 1952; 2012 marked her Diamond Jubilee — 60 years on the throne.
• 7The Queen was married to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
• 8The heir to the throne (as of the handbook) is Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales.
• 9The monarch invites the leader of the party with the majority (or of a coalition) to become Prime Minister.
• 10The monarch has regular meetings with the Prime Minister and can advise, warn and encourage — but decisions are made by the PM and cabinet.
• 11The monarch opens each new parliamentary session with a speech setting out the government's policies for the year (the speech is written by the government).
• 12The monarch is head of the Church of England and must be Protestant, and also represents the UK abroad and receives foreign ambassadors and high commissioners; the monarch is head of state of many Commonwealth countries.
• 13The National Anthem is "God Save the Queen" (or King), sung at important national occasions.
• 14New citizens swear or affirm loyalty to the monarch at their citizenship ceremony (oath of allegiance or affirmation of allegiance).