UCL’s new report elaborates role of modern UK monarchy

The report, The British Monarchy, explains what the institution does and how it does it, and places the monarchy in its wider historical and comparative context. It should prove an indispensable guide ahead of the coronation, with more than a dozen leading experts delving into a broad range of issues and topics.

Professor Robert Hazell (UCL Constitution Unit), editor of the report, said: “The monarchy is a source of endless fascination for the public and the media, but also subject to countless myths and misunderstandings. I was honoured to co-edit this report, in which 16 experts explode the myths and explore the paradoxes of modern monarchy.”

The report includes chapters on the significance of the coronation, the King’s constitutional and political roles, the ceremony’s religious significance, the funding of the Royal Family, the relationship between the media and the monarchy, public opinion, and the future of the British monarchy.

The report is being released just days ahead of the coronation of King Charles III, the 40th monarch to be crowned in Westminster Abbey since 1066. Given the high levels of interest in the monarchy since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the report will help to explain the role of the modern monarchy and its place in the UK’s constitutional system.