A constitutional 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 alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies differ from
absolute monarchies (in which a monarch is the only decision-maker) in that they are bound to exercise powers and authorities within limits prescribed by an established legal framework.
Constitutional monarchies range from countries such as
Liechtenstein,
Monaco
Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign
''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word ...
,
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no ...
,
Jordan,
Kuwait, and
Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost subregion of the larger geographical regio ...
, where the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the sovereign, to countries such as
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country b ...
, the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic O ...
, the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Neth ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_captio ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia
...
,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern ...
,
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South Ea ...
, and
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
, where the monarch retains significantly less personal discretion in the exercise of their authority.

''Constitutional monarchy'' may refer to a system in which the monarch acts as a non-party political
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and ...
under the
constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity
An entity is something that exists as itself, as a subject or as an ...
, whether codified or
uncodified. While most monarchs may hold formal authority and the government may legally operate in the monarch's name, in the form typical in Europe the monarch no longer personally sets
public policy or chooses political leaders. Political scientist
Vernon Bogdanor, paraphrasing
Thomas Macaulay, has defined a constitutional monarch as "A sovereign who reigns but does not rule".
In addition to acting as a visible symbol of
national unity, a constitutional monarch may hold formal powers such as
dissolving parliament or giving
royal assent to legislation. However, such powers generally may only be exercised strictly in accordance with either written constitutional principles or unwritten constitutional conventions, rather than any personal political preferences of the sovereign. In ''
The English Constitution'', British political theorist
Walter Bagehot identified three main political rights which a constitutional monarch may freely exercise: the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn. Many constitutional monarchies still retain significant authorities or political influence, however, such as through certain
reserve powers, and may also play an important political role.
The United Kingdom and the other
Commonwealth realms are all constitutional monarchies in the
Westminster system of constitutional governance. Two constitutional monarchies –
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia
...
and
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South Ea ...
– are
elective monarchies, in which the ruler is periodically selected by a small
electoral college.
Strongly limited constitutional monarchies, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, have been referred to as
crowned republics by writers
H. G. Wells and Glenn Patmore.
The concept of semi-constitutional monarch identifies constitutional monarchies where the monarch retains substantial powers, on a par with a
president in a
presidential or
semi-presidential system. As a result, constitutional monarchies where the monarch has a largely ceremonial role may also be referred to as 'parliamentary monarchies
' to differentiate them from semi-constitutional monarchies.
History
The oldest constitutional monarchy dating back to ancient times was that of the
Hittites
The Hittites () were an Anatolian people who played an important role in establishing first a kingdom in Kussara (before 1750 BC), then the Kanesh or Nesha kingdom (c. 1750–1650 BC), and next an empire centered on Hattusa
Hattusa (al ...
. They were an
ancient Anatolian people that lived during the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing
Writing is a medium of human communication which involves the representation of a langu ...
whose king had to share his authority with an assembly, called the ''
Panku'', which was the equivalent to a modern-day deliberative assembly or a legislature. Members of the ''Panku'' came from scattered noble families who worked as representatives of their subjects in an adjutant or subaltern federal-type landscape.
Constitutional and absolute monarchy
England, Scotland and the United Kingdom
In the
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England (, ) was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of a ...
, 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, although the first form of constitution was enacted with the
Magna Carta
( Medieval Latin for "Great Charter of Freedoms"), commonly called (also ''Magna Charta''; "Great Charter"), is a royal charter
A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Hi ...
of 1215. At the same time, in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the ...
, the
Convention of Estates enacted the
Claim of Right Act 1689, which placed similar limits on the Scottish monarchy.
Queen Anne was the last monarch to veto an Act of Parliament when, on 11 March 1708, she blocked the
Scottish Militia Bill. However Hanoverian monarchs continued to selectively dictate government policies. For instance
King George III constantly blocked
Catholic Emancipation, eventually precipitating the resignation of
William Pitt the Younger as prime minister in 1801. The sovereign's influence on the choice of prime minister gradually declined over this period.
King William IV was the last monarch to dismiss a prime minister, when in 1834 he removed
Lord Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, (15 March 177924 November 1848), in some sources called Henry William Lamb, was a British Whig politician who served as Home Secretary (1830–1834) and Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or ...
as a result of Melbourne's choice of
Lord John Russell as Leader of the House of Commons.
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...
was the last monarch to exercise real personal power, but this diminished over the course of her reign. In 1839, she became the last sovereign to keep a prime minister in power against the will of Parliament when the
Bedchamber crisis resulted in the retention of Lord Melbourne's administration. By the end of her reign, however, she could do nothing to block the unacceptable (to her) premierships of
William Gladstone, although she still exercised power in appointments to the Cabinet. For example in 1886 she vetoed Gladstone's choice of
Hugh Childers as War Secretary in favour of
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman.
Today, the role of the British monarch is by convention effectively ceremonial. The
British Parliament and the
Government – chiefly in the office of
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government
The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, ...
– exercise their powers under
"Royal (or Crown) Prerogative": on behalf of the monarch and through powers still formally possessed by the monarch.
No person may accept significant public office without swearing an
oath of allegiance to the King. With few exceptions, the monarch is bound by
constitutional convention to act on the
advice of the Government.
Continental Europe
Poland developed the first constitution for a monarchy in continental Europe, with the
Constitution of 3 May 1791; it was the second single-document constitution in the world just after the first republican
Constitution of the United States. Constitutional monarchy also occurred briefly in the early years of the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are consid ...
, but much more widely afterwards.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
is considered the first monarch proclaiming himself as an embodiment of the nation, rather than as a divinely appointed ruler; this interpretation of monarchy is germane to continental constitutional monarchies. German philosopher
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (; ; 27 August 1770 – 14 November 1831) was a German philosopher
A philosopher is a person who practices or investigates philosophy. The term ''philosopher'' comes from the grc, φιλόσοφος, , tran ...
, in his work ''
Elements of the Philosophy of Right'' (1820), gave the concept a philosophical justification that concurred with evolving contemporary political theory and the
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion
Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, text ...
Christian view of natural law. Hegel's forecast of a constitutional monarch with very limited powers whose function is to embody the national character and provide constitutional continuity in times of emergency was reflected in the development of constitutional monarchies in Europe and Japan.
Executive monarchy versus ceremonial monarchy
There exist at least two different types of constitutional monarchies in the modern world — executive and ceremonial. In executive monarchies, the monarch wields significant (though not absolute) power. The monarchy under this system of government is a powerful political (and social) institution. By contrast, in ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little or no actual power or direct political influence, though they frequently have a great deal of social and cultural influence.
Executive constitutional monarchies:
Bhutan
Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable ...
,
Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost subregion of the larger geographical regio ...
,
Jordan,
Kuwait,
Liechtenstein,
Monaco
Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign
''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word ...
,
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no ...
,
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Penin ...
, and
Tonga
Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago
An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection ...
.
Ceremonial constitutional monarchies (informally referred to as
crowned republics):
Andorra,
Antigua and Barbuda,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country b ...
,
The Bahamas,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_captio ...
,
Belize,
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South Ea ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic O ...
,
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
,
Grenada,
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, D ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
,
Lesotho
Lesotho ( ), officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a country landlocked country, landlocked as an Enclave and exclave, enclave in South Africa. It is situated in the Maloti Mountains and contains the Thabana Ntlenyana, highest mountains in Sou ...
,
Luxembourg,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia
...
, the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Neth ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Souther ...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and ...
,
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
,
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis (), officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, is an island country and microstate consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, both located in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands
...
,
Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania
Oceania (, , ) is a region, geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning t ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern ...
,
Tuvalu and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
.
Ceremonial and executive monarchy should not be confused with democratic and non-democratic monarchical systems. For example, in Liechtenstein and Monaco, the ruling monarchs wield significant executive power. However, while they are theoretically very powerful within their small states, they are ''not'' absolute monarchs and have very limited
de facto
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with '' de jure'' ("by l ...
power compared to the
Islamic monarchs, which is why their countries are generally considered to be
liberal democracies. For instance, when
Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein threatened to veto a referendum to legalize abortion in 2011, it came as a surprise because the prince had not vetoed any law for over 30 years (in the end, this referendum failed to make it to a vote).
Modern constitutional monarchy
As originally conceived, a constitutional monarch was head of the
executive branch and quite a powerful figure even though their power was limited by the constitution and the elected parliament. Some of the framers of the U.S. Constitution may have envisioned the president as an elected constitutional monarch, as the term was then understood, following
Montesquieu's account of the separation of powers.
The present-day concept of a constitutional monarchy developed in the United Kingdom, where the democratically elected parliaments, and their leader, the
prime minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister ...
, exercise power, with the monarchs having ceded power and remaining as a titular position. In many cases the monarchs, while still at the very top of the political and social hierarchy, were given the status of "servants of the people" to reflect the new, egalitarian position. In the course of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
's
July Monarchy,
Louis-Philippe I was styled "King of the French" rather than "King of France".
Following the
unification of Germany,
Otto von Bismarck rejected the British model. In the constitutional monarchy established under the
Constitution of the German Empire which Bismarck inspired, the
Kaiser retained considerable actual executive power, while the
Imperial Chancellor needed no parliamentary vote of confidence and ruled solely by the imperial mandate. However, this model of constitutional monarchy was discredited and abolished following Germany's defeat in the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in ...
. Later,
Fascist Italy could also be considered a constitutional monarchy, in that there was a
king
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ...
as the titular head of state while actual power was held by
Benito Mussolini under a constitution. This eventually discredited the Italian monarchy and led to its abolition in 1946. After the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, surviving European monarchies almost invariably adopted some variant of the constitutional monarchy model originally developed in Britain.
Nowadays a
parliamentary democracy that is a constitutional monarchy is considered to differ from one that is a
republic
A republic () is a " state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a " government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 1 ...
only in detail rather than in substance. In both cases, the titular head of state—monarch or president—serves the traditional role of embodying and representing the nation, while the government is carried on by a cabinet composed predominantly of elected
Members of Parliament.
However, three important factors distinguish monarchies such as the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
from systems where greater power might otherwise rest with
Parliament. These are:
* the
Royal Prerogative, under which the monarch may exercise power under certain very limited circumstances;
*
Sovereign Immunity, under which the monarch may ''do no wrong'' under the law because the
responsible government is instead deemed accountable; and
* the immunity of the monarch from some taxation or restrictions on property use.
Other privileges may be nominal or ceremonial (e.g. where the executive, judiciary, police or armed forces act on the authority of or owe
allegiance
An allegiance is a duty of fidelity said to be owed, or freely committed, by the people, subjects or citizens to their state or sovereign
''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word i ...
to the Crown).
Today slightly more than a quarter of constitutional monarchies are
Western Europe
Western Europe is the western region of Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered ...
an countries, including the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Neth ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_captio ...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and ...
,
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
,
Luxembourg,
Monaco
Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign
''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word ...
,
Liechtenstein and
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
. However, the two most populous constitutional monarchies in the world are in Asia:
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
and
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern ...
. In these countries, the
prime minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister ...
holds the day-to-day powers of governance, while the monarch retains residual (but not always insignificant) powers. The powers of the monarch differ between countries. In Denmark and in Belgium, for example, the monarch formally appoints a representative to preside over the creation of a
coalition government
A coalition government is a form of government in which political parties cooperate to form a government. The usual reason for such an arrangement is that no single party has achieved an absolute majority after an election, an atypical outcome i ...
following a parliamentary election, while in Norway the King chairs special meetings of the
cabinet.
In nearly all cases, the monarch is still the nominal chief executive, but is bound by convention to act on the advice of the Cabinet. Only a few monarchies (most notably
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
and
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
) have amended their constitutions so that the monarch is no longer even the nominal chief executive.
There are fifteen constitutional monarchies under King
Charles III, which are known as
Commonwealth realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations whose monarch and head of state is shared among the other realms. Each realm functions as an independent state, equal with the other realms and nations of the Commonw ...
s. Unlike some of their continental European counterparts, the Monarch and his Governors-General in the Commonwealth realms hold significant "reserve" or "prerogative" powers, to be wielded in times of extreme emergency or constitutional crises, usually to uphold parliamentary government. For example, during the
1975 Australian constitutional crisis, the Governor-General dismissed the Australian Prime Minister
Gough Whitlam. The
Australian Senate had threatened to block the Government's
budget by refusing to pass the necessary appropriation bills. On 11 November 1975, Whitlam intended to call a half-Senate election to try to break the deadlock. When he sought the Governor-General's approval of the election, the Governor-General instead dismissed him as Prime Minister. Shortly after that, he installed leader of the opposition
Malcolm Fraser in his place. Acting quickly before all parliamentarians became aware of the government change, Fraser and his allies secured passage of the appropriation bills, and the Governor-General dissolved Parliament for a
double dissolution election. Fraser and his government were returned with a massive majority. This led to much speculation among Whitlam's supporters as to whether this use of the Governor-General's reserve powers was appropriate, and whether
Australia should become a republic. Among supporters of constitutional monarchy, however, the event confirmed the monarchy's value as a source of checks and balances against elected politicians who might seek powers in excess of those conferred by the constitution, and ultimately as a safeguard against dictatorship.
In Thailand's constitutional monarchy, the monarch is recognized as the Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, Upholder of the Buddhist Religion, and Defender of the Faith. The immediate former King,
Bhumibol Adulyadej, was the longest-reigning monarch in the world and in all of Thailand's history, before passing away on 13 October 2016. Bhumibol reigned through several political changes in the Thai government. He played an influential role in each incident, often acting as mediator between disputing political opponents. (See Bhumibol's role in
Thai Politics.) Among the powers retained by the Thai monarch under the constitution,
lèse majesté protects the image of the monarch and enables him to play a role in politics. It carries strict criminal penalties for violators. Generally, the Thai people were reverent of Bhumibol. Much of his social influence arose from this reverence and from the socioeconomic improvement efforts undertaken by the royal family.
In the United Kingdom, a frequent debate centres on when it is appropriate for a British monarch to act. When a monarch does act, political controversy can often ensue, partially because the neutrality of the crown is seen to be compromised in favour of a
partisan goal, while some
political scientists champion the idea of an "interventionist monarch" as a check against possible illegal action by politicians. For instance, the monarch of the United Kingdom can theoretically exercise an absolute veto over legislation by withholding royal assent. However, no monarch has done so since 1708, and it is widely believed that this and many of the monarch's other political powers are
lapsed powers.
List of current constitutional monarchies
There are currently 43 monarchies worldwide.
Ceremonial constitutional monarchies
a.
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gu ...
, as a
presidential republic, has two special regions with monarchies as heads of the regions.
Executive constitutional monarchies
Former constitutional monarchies
* The
Kingdom of Afghanistan was a constitutional monarchy under
Mohammad Zahir Shah until 1973.
*
Kingdom of Albania from 1928 until 1939, Albania was a Constitutional Monarchy ruled by the
House of Zogu,
King Zog I.
* The
Anglo-Corsican Kingdom was a brief period in the
history of Corsica (1794–1796) when the island broke with
Revolutionary France and sought military protection from
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface ...
. Corsica became an independent kingdom under
George III
George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in N ...
of the United Kingdom, but with its own elected parliament and a written constitution guaranteeing local autonomy and democratic rights.
*
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Ca ...
from gaining its independence in 1966 until 2021, was a constitutional monarchy in the
Commonwealth of Nations with a
Governor-General representing the
Monarchy of Barbados. After an extensive history of
republican movements, a republic was declared on 30 November 2021.
*
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's List of countries and dependencie ...
from 1822, with the proclamation of independence and rise of the
Empire of Brazil by
Pedro I of Brazil to 1889, when
Pedro II was deposed by a military coup.
*
Kingdom of Bulgaria until 1946 when
Tsar Simeon was deposed by the communist assembly.
* Many
republics in the Commonwealth of Nations were constitutional monarchies for some period after their independence, including
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
(1910–1961),
Ceylon from 1948 to 1972 (now
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
),
Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest o ...
(1970–1987),
Gambia (1965–1970),
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of ...
(1957–1960),
Guyana
Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...
(1966–1970),
Trinidad and Tobago (1962–1976), and
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Ca ...
(1966–2021).
*
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
was a constitutional monarchy starting from the later part of the
Khedivate, with parliamentary structures and a responsible khedival ministry developing in the 1860s and 1870s. The constitutional system continued through the Khedivate period and developed during the
Sultanate and then
Kingdom of Egypt, which established an essentially democratic liberal constitutional regime under the
Egyptian Constitution of 1923. This system persisted until the declaration of
a republic after the
Free Officers Movement coup in 1952. For most of this period, however, Egypt was
occupied by the United Kingdom, and overall political control was in the hands of British colonial officials
nominally accredited as diplomats to the Egyptian royal court but actually able to overrule any decision of the monarch or elected government.
* The
Grand Principality of Finland was a constitutional monarchy though its ruler,
Alexander I, was simultaneously an
autocrat and
absolute ruler in Russia.
*
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, several times from 1789 through the 19th century. The transformation of the
Estates General of 1789 into the
National Assembly initiated an ad-hoc transition from the absolute monarchy of the ''
Ancien Régime
''Ancien'' may refer to
* the French word for " ancient, old"
** Société des anciens textes français
* the French for "former, senior"
** Virelai ancien
** Ancien Régime
** Ancien Régime in France
{{disambig ...
'' to a new constitutional system. France formally became an executive constitutional monarchy with the promulgation of the
French Constitution of 1791, which took effect on 1 October of that year. This first French constitutional monarchy was short-lived, ending with the overthrow of the monarchy and establishment of the
French First Republic after the
Insurrection of 10 August 1792. Several years later, in 1804,
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
proclaimed himself Emperor of the French in what was ostensibly a constitutional monarchy, though modern historians often call his reign as an absolute monarchy. The
Bourbon Restoration (under
Louis XVIII and
Charles X), the
July Monarchy (under
Louis-Philippe), and the
Second Empire (under
Napoleon III) were also constitutional monarchies, although the power of the monarch varied considerably between them and sometimes within them.
* The
German Empire from 1871 to 1918, (as well as earlier confederations, and the monarchies it consisted of) was also a constitutional monarchy—see
Constitution of the German Empire.
*
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventional ...
until 1973 when
Constantine II was deposed by the
military government. The decision was formalized by a
plebiscite 8 December 1974.
*
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. ...
, which was an absolute monarchy from its founding in 1810, transitioned to a constitutional monarchy in 1840 when
King Kamehameha III promulgated the kingdom's
first constitution. This constitutional form of government continued until the monarchy was overthrown in an 1893
coup.
* The
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe
Central Europe is an area of Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its ...
. In 1848–1849 and 1867–1918 as part of
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise ...
. In the interwar period (1920–1944)
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, C ...
remained a constitutional monarchy without a reigning monarch.
*
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceans. It spans an area of approximately and is k ...
. The Act of Union, a 1 December 1918 agreement with Denmark, established Iceland as a
sovereign kingdom united with Denmark under a common king. Iceland abolished the monarchy and became a republic on 17 June 1944 after the Icelandic constitutional referendum, 24 May 1944.
*
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on th ...
was a constitutional monarchy, with
George VI
George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of ...
as head of state and
the Earl Mountbatten as
governor-general, for a brief period between gaining its independence from the British on
15 August 1947 and becoming a republic when it adopted
its constitution on 26 January 1950, henceforth celebrated as
Republic Day.
*
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆما ...
under
Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was a constitutional monarchy, which had been originally established during the
Persian Constitutional Revolution in 1906.
*
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, s ...
until 2 June 1946, when a referendum proclaimed the end of the Kingdom and the beginning of the Republic.
* The
Kingdom of Laos was a constitutional monarchy until 1975, when
Sisavang Vatthana was forced to abdicate by the communist
Pathet Lao.
*
Malta was a constitutional monarchy with
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states durin ...
as Queen of Malta, represented by a Governor-General appointed by her, for the first ten years of independence from 21 September 1964 to the declaration of the Republic of Malta on 13 December 1974.
*
Mexico
Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere ...
was twice an Empire. The
First Mexican Empire was from 19 May 1822, to 19 March 1823, with
Agustín de Iturbide serving as emperor. Then, with the help of the Austrian and Spanish crowns,
Napoleon III of France installed
Maximilian of Austria as
Emperor of Mexico. This attempt to create a European-style monarchy lasted three years, from 1864 to 1867.
*
Montenegro
)
, image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Podgorica
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, official_languages = Mo ...
until 1918 when it merged with
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia ( Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with ...
and other areas to form
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label= Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavij ...
.
*
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is m ...
until 28 May 2008, when
King Gyanendra was deposed, and the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal was declared.
*
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...
from 1876 until 1878 and again from 1908 until the dissolution of the empire in 1922.
*
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, ...
was a constitutional monarchy for a brief period between gaining its independence from the British on
14 August 1947 and becoming a republic when it adopted the
first Constitution of Pakistan on 23 March 1956. The
Dominion of Pakistan had a total of two monarchs (
George VI
George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of ...
and
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states durin ...
) and four
Governor-Generals (
Muhammad Ali Jinnah being the first).
Republic Day (or Pakistan Day) is celebrated every year on 23 March to commemorate the adoption of its Constitution and the transition of the Dominion of Pakistan to the
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
.
* The
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi- confederal state, sometimes called a federation
A federation (also ...
, formed after the
Union of Lublin in 1569 and lasting until the final partition of the state in 1795, operated much like many modern European constitutional monarchies (into which it was officially changed by the establishment of the
Constitution of 3 May 1791, which historian
Norman Davies calls "the first constitution of its kind in Europe"). The legislators of the unified state truly did not see it as a monarchy at all, but as ''a republic under the presidency of the King'' . Poland–Lithuania also followed the principle of , had a bicameral parliament, and a collection of entrenched legal documents amounting to a constitution along the lines of the modern
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. The King was elected, and had the duty of maintaining the people's rights.
*
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a Sovereign state, country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southern Europe, Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes ...
was a monarchy since 1139 and a constitutional monarchy from 1822 to 1828, and again from 1834 until 1910, when
Manuel II was overthrown by a military coup. From 1815 to 1825 it was part of the
United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves which was a constitutional monarchy for the years 1820–23.
*
Kingdom of Romania From its establishment in 1881 until 1947 when
Michael I was forced to abdicate by the communists.
*
Kingdom of Serbia from 1882 until 1918, when it merged with the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs into the unitary Yugoslav Kingdom, that was led by the Serbian
Karadjordjevic dynasty.
*
Trinidad and Tobago was a constitutional monarchy with
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states durin ...
as
Queen of Trinidad and Tobago, represented by a
Governor-General appointed by her, for the first fourteen years of independence from 31 August 1962 to the declaration of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on 1 August 1976. Republic Day is celebrated every year on 24 September.
*
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label= Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavij ...
from 1918 (as
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes) until 1929 and from 1931 (as
Kingdom of Yugoslavia) until 1944 when under pressure from the Allies
Peter II recognized the communist government.
Unusual constitutional monarchies
*
Andorra is a
diarchy, being headed by
two co-princes: the
bishop of Urgell and the
president of France
The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (french: Président de la République française), is the executive head of state of France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country prim ...
.
*
Andorra,
Monaco
Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign
''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word ...
and
Liechtenstein are the only countries with reigning princes.
*
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_captio ...
is the only remaining explicit
popular monarchy: the formal title of its
king
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ...
is ''King of the Belgians'' rather than ''King of Belgium''. Historically, several defunct constitutional monarchies followed this model; the Belgian formulation is recognized to have been modelled on the title "King of the French" granted by the
Charter of 1830 to monarch of the
July Monarchy.
*
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
is the only country remaining with an
emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( ...
.
*
Luxembourg is the only country remaining with a
grand duke.
*
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia
...
is a
federal country with an
elective monarchy: the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong is selected from among nine
state rulers who are also constitutional monarchs themselves.
*
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
. Unlike in most other Commonwealth realms, sovereignty is constitutionally vested in the citizenry of Papua New Guinea and the preamble to the constitution states "that all power belongs to the people—acting through their duly elected representatives". The monarch has been, according to section 82 of the constitution, "requested by the people of Papua New Guinea, through their Constituent Assembly, to become
onarchand Head of State of Papua New Guinea" and thus acts in that capacity.
*
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. The
Constitution of Spain does not even recognize the
monarch
A monarch is a head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its internat ...
as ''sovereign'', but just as the
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and ...
(Article 56). Article 1, Section 2, states that "the national
sovereignty is vested in the
Spanish people".
[Index](_blank)
Constitution of Spain, Congress of Deputies
*
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (Middle East, The Middle East). It is ...
is a
federal country with an
elective monarchy, the
President or Ra'is, being selected from among the rulers of the seven
emirates, each of whom is a hereditary absolute monarch in their own emirate.
See also
*
Australian Monarchist League
*
Criticism of monarchy
*
Monarchism
*
Figurehead
*
Parliamentary republic
*
Reserve power
References
Citations
Sources
*
*
* — excerpted from
*
*
*
* — originally published as Georg Friedrich Wilhelm Hegel, ''Philosophie des Rechts''.
*
* — England and the Netherlands in the 17th and 18th centuries were parliamentary democracies.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Constitutional Monarch
Monarchy
Constitutional state types