(MENAFN- Asia Times)
Recently appointed British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged his loyalty to British King Charles III on July 6, 2024, continuing a tradition that dates back centuries.
However, since the leadership role taken by Prime Minister David Lloyd George in World War I, the monarchy's Political influence has become progressively ceremonial and even more precarious since the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
This trend is not unique to the UK; in recent centuries, the role of royalty in Politics has declined considerably worldwide. As political ideals began challenging royal authority in Europe, European colonial powers began to undermine their authority overseas.
The strain of World War I helped cause several European monarchies to collapse , and World War II diminished their numbers further . After, the Soviet Union and the US divided Europe along ideological lines and sought to impose their communist and liberal democratic ideals elsewhere, and the remaining monarchs faced accelerating marginalization.
Today, fewer than 30 royal families are politically active on a national scale. Some, like Japan's and the UK's , trace their lineages back more than a millennium, while Belgium's is less than 200 years old . Several have adapted by reducing political power while maintaining cultural and financial relevance, while others have retained their strong political control. Their various methods and circumstances make it difficult to determine where royals may endure, collapse, or return.
Alongside the UK, the royals of Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands have all seen their powers become largely ceremonial. Smaller European monarchical states like Andorra and the Vatican City are not hereditary, while Luxembourg, Monaco, and Liechtenstein are-though only the latter two still wield tangible power.
Attempts to exercise remaining royal political power have often highlighted its increasing redundancy. Belgian King Baudouin's refusal to sign an abortion bill in 1990 saw him declared unfit to rule before being reinstated once it passed.
Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri meanwhile lost his legislative role in 2008 after refusing to sign a euthanasia bill. Following increasing scrutiny of Queen Beatrix's influence, the Dutch monarch's role in forming coalition governments was transferred to parliament in 2012 , and she also lost the ability to dissolve parliament.
The British monarch's decline in political influence is also evident, but it can still prove useful. The royal family's global popularity is used to project soft power , while royal visits can help seal important agreements, particularly in countries with other royal families. The leaders of 14 other countries also pledge allegiance to King Charles III as their head of state.
Additionally, the monarchy can be used to bypass certain democratic processes. In 1999 the British government advised Queen Elizabeth II to withhold Queen's Consent, preventing parliamentary debate on the Military Action Against Iraq Bill, which would have restricted the ability to take military action without parliamentary approval.
Royal efforts to cultivate soft power and maintain a positive public image have also been crucial for their survival. Belgium's royal family is seen as a necessary source of political stability and unity.
In Spain, former King Juan Carlos played a leading role in the country's transition to democracy in the 1970s. Modernizing their image as neutral political guardians with relatable attributes who engage in advocacy and humanitarian work often gives European royal families higher approval ratings than politicians.
Royal families have also downsized in recent years for discretion and to reduce costs. In 2019, Sweden's king removed royal titles , duties, and some privileges from five of his grandchildren. The Danish queen implemented similar changes in 2022. Norway's royal family now consists only of the King, Queen, Crown Prince, and Princess, while the British royal family has hinted at further reducing its current number of 10“working royals.”
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