The queen’s role in British politics should be one of studied neutrality. By convention, it does not vote in elections or make statements that could be construed as political party. As head of state, she plays the ceremonial opening of parliament, as well as other symbolic roles, but at least in theory she plays no role in government decision-making or policy-making.
However, documents discovered by the Guardian in the National Archives tell another story. The Guardian’s David Pegg say Anushka asthana about a paper trail showing how over 1,000 laws were verified by the Queen or Prince Charles through a secret procedure before being approved by parliament. These laws include everything from social security, pensions, racial relations and food policy, to hidden rules on parking and aircraft taxes. But they also include bills that have affected the queen’s personal property, such as her private property in Balmoral and Sandringham – and whatever the nature of her fortune, estimated at hundreds of millions of pounds, entails.
The secret process of “queen’s consent” has no formal basis in law, but it still exists today as a parliamentary convention. And revelations about the extent of its use have left constitutional experts calling for urgent reforms.
Buckingham Palace said the queen’s consent was refused only on the advice of ministers. “If necessary, the queen’s consent is decided by parliament, regardless of the royal household, in matters that would affect the interests of the crown, including the personal property and personal interests of the monarch,” said a spokesman for the palace.
Illustration: Design Guardian
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