Role of British Monarch during Constitutional Crises

1 Abstract British monarch performs two roles in a relation to the land's form of government. These can be characterised as a dignified role and an efficient role. The latter is often sidelined even though it is undoubtedly more important in terms of potential impact on state functioning. British monarch remains the head of the executive, part of the legislature and source of the judiciary even in the 21st century. He performs his residual powers by means of so called royal prerogatives. The fact that development of constitutional convention delegated these prerogatives to the prime minister and other members of the Cabinet does not at the same time preclude a possibility of colision between the will of the monarch and the prime minister. This problem relates to the uniqueness of the British law system. Through the analysis of constitutional crises which occured between 1910-1911, 1913-1914 and in 1931 this thesis argues that the duty of the monarch to act strictly according to the advice of the prime minister is not exclusive. If the country was in an imminent danger the monarch would be allowed to act solely according to his own judgement even if this judgement was not shared by the prime minister