On His Majesty’s Service How the King Preserves the British Constitution
The commonly held belief that the king or queen is a mere ornament of the constitution could not be further from reality. The turbulent past decade has tested the British constitution like never before, and Brexit, the illegal proroguing of Parliament and the near death of Boris Johnson while in office have demonstrated the often misunderstood but crucial role the sovereign plays in ensuring stability in our political system.
The king or queen holds a unique set of powers that enable them to act as the defender of our constitution, a duty they perform not through the active use of power but by constitutional authority. The mere threat of action by the sovereign is often all that is needed to get the political machine back on track and avoid crisis.
Taking us on a fascinating journey through centuries of British political history, focusing on the monarch’s powers to appoint and dismiss a Prime Minister, grant a dissolution of Parliament and refuse assent to legislation, On His Majesty’s Service examines how past monarchs have avoided constitutional crisis and reveals the hidden hand of the monarchy in the smooth running of the state, shattering the accepted political truism that the king reigns but does not rule.
These are the king’s prerogative powers, and this is their story.
Reviews
“An immensely readable journey through British constitutional history, revealing the hidden hand of the monarch behind key moments in our politics. Equal parts entertaining and informative, Julian Francis Godolphin’s keen eye for detail makes this fascinating book a must-read for anyone interested in how our constitutional set-up really works.”
Iain Dale, broadcaster and editor of Kings and Queens: 1200 Years of English and British Monarchs
“A scholarly examination of the history of the monarch’s role in Britain’s constitutional governance.”
Lord Butler, former Cabinet Secretary
“As anyone who has seen the inner workings of government at first hand would testify, this timely and absorbing book demonstrates a little-understood and important truth: the monarch plays a greater part in the running of the state than most realise. Highly recommended for anyone seeking to better understand our constitution or anyone who simply has an interest in British political and constitutional history.”
Simon Jones, former special adviser at 10 Downing Street
“A very readable and interesting account of the role of the monarch and how it relates to that of the Prime Minister.”
Graham Brady, former chairman of the 1922 Committee and author of Kingmaker
Share this book
Buy this book
- Hardback, 368 pages
- ISBN: 9781837360147
-
6 May 2025
Available to pre-order - £25.00
- eBook
- ISBN: 9781837360161
-
6 May 2025
Available to pre-order - £19.99