My own opinion about the UK monarchy is: Well, I wouldn’t have one, and from a democratic point of view the general idea of royalty and nobility is absolute nonsense, and I certainly wouldn’t choose my head of state on the basis of heredity ask the Hapsburgs why. Their duties are more ceremonial and, dare we say it, promotional the monarchy is a boost for tourism in the UK and (mostly white) people (not formerly or at least recently part of the British Empire) see it as a quaint and mostly harmless thing for the UK to have. The monarch’s political responsibilities as the head of state are real but at this point (and for a while now, really) rather circumscribed rare is it when the UK’s monarch has directly inserted themselves into the political machinery of that nation. I’m British, and I’m curious what you (Americans in general, but obviously you in particular) make of the way we determine our head of state?įor those of you who might be unclear about this, the head of state of the United Kingdom is the reigning monarch, who as of this moment is Charles III. Just in time for tomorrow’s coronation, this question from Miles B:

Reader Request Week 2023 #8: The British Head of State

Head on by john scalzi