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Anna Yankanich

Professor Hamilton

Rhetoric and Civic Life I

20 November, 2020

The Evolving Role of the British Monarchy in Modern Society

Civilizations from ancient times on have always shared one thing in common: some sort

of organized leadership. One form of leadership that has been prevalent throughout history is

monarchy, or a political system based upon the undivided sovereignty or rule of a single person.

Over time, the role and format of monarchy, in particular the British Monarchy, has changed

significantly, as events like the establishment of the Magna Carta and the Glorious Revolution of

1688, as well as the scandalous history of the modern royals, caused shifts in the peoples’ views

of monarchy and its necessity. Monarchy in its absolute form, used to be central to society, but

the modern form of constitutional monarchy is often thought of as unnecessary, as constitutional

monarchs hold no real power.

The history of the monarchy in England dates back to 827 A.D. with King Egbert, who

was the first to establish a stable and extensive rule over Anglo-Saxon England (Johnson 1.) His

rule was absolute, as he was the sole ruler of the land. The Feudal System, which is the system

most associated with absolute monarchy was established in 1066 when William the Conqueror

came to power, and eventually ended with the Tenures Abolition Act in 1660 (Rank 1).

Feudalism is a system in which the king owns all of the land, and rents to wealthy tenants known

as lords. The land they rented was referred to as their “manor.” The lords employed knights who

acted as defenders of their land, and paid rent and taxes to the monarch, as well as supplied their

knights should the king need military force. The knights were granted land by the lords in return
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for their protection and military service. These knights in turn supplied land to villeins (peasants)

who worked the land and provided the food they grew, labor, and other services. The villeins had

little to no rights, were not allowed to leave their manors, and had to be granted permission by

their lords to marry. In this system, monarchy was the center of society. The taxes were high, and

social class standings were of the utmost importance as they determined jobs, wealth, and

marriage.

As time went on, the individuals at the bottom of the social hierarchy grew increasingly

dissatisfied with their limited freedoms and social mobility, and wanted change. The changing

views on monarchy and the rights of the individual made for the first “shift” in the role of

monarchy in society following the establishment of the Magna Carta in 1215. The Magna Carta

was the first governing document to limit the power of the monarch and grant more rights to

individual civilians. “Magna Carta,” meaning great charter, instituted the principle that everyone

is subject to the law, including the monarch. This was monumental, as it meant that the monarch

no longer had unlimited power, but was instead subjected to legal restrictions just like the

individual subjects. The Magna Carta insured the individual rights of justice and a fair trial for

all, and even included individual rights for the Church of England (Eleftheriou-Smith 1). Perhaps

the most significant change resulting from the signing of the Magna Carta was the establishment

of the first English Parliament. Wealthy landowners known as barons were selected to serve as

consultants to the King on governmental matters as the monarch’s Great Council. This was the

first time any subjects had a say in how the kingdom was run. While this form of monarchy was

certainly evolved from its original form, it evolved even further after the Glorious Revolution of

1688-89.
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The Glorious Revolution of 1688-89 was the event that caused the direct shift to

Constitutional Monarchy, and a balance of power between parliament and the monarch. (Quinn

1). The Revolution influenced the shift to Constitutional Monarchy, as a deal was reached

between Parliament and the reigning monarch, King William of Orange, where Parliament would

support the war against France, while the Royal Couple, William and Mary, would accept new

constraints on their authority. The agreed upon constraints prevented the monarch from

collecting taxes, and instead established a national debt. Parliament became fiscally responsible,

and the power of the king was limited more than ever before, while the rights of the individuals

continued to increase. While the Magna Carta instituted the first “limited monarchy,” the new

constitution of Britain, laid out in the agreement between parliament and the king established the

first official constitutional monarchy in England, in a form recognizable to today’s monarchy.

There are essentially two shifts in the role of monarchy in modern society. The first being

the shift in the actual form and rule of monarchs throughout British history, and the second being

their view in the eyes of the public. One professor and author encapsulates his thoughts on the

first shift in his published work. Vernon Bogdanor, British Research Professor at the Institute for

Contemporary British History at King's College London and Professor of Politics at the New

College of the Humanities, published “The Monarchy and the Constitution” detailing his

thoughts on the evolution of monarchy specifically throughout British history. According to this

source, the desire for individual rights to take precedence over the sovereign’s individual gain is

what began this shift and influenced the establishment of the Magna Carta, which was the first

governing document monarchs in England had to follow. Other events such as the Glorious

Revolution of 1688 pushed the will of the people in government, and helped to institute a Bill of

Rights. As more and more people began to value individual rights and representation in
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government, dissatisfaction grew toward the monarchy. The monarchy’s role changed as it began

to share power with parliament. Overtime, with the will of the people prevailing, the monarchy

became Constitutional where the sovereign does not hold governmental power, but is responsible

for ensuring proper governance. This modern form of monarchy began with Queen Victoria and

has developed even further to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II today. Many of the points

Bogdanor made about the evolution of the monarchy were very factual and compelling. The

points he made clearly explain why the monarchy had to change to fit with the will of the people

in England. With respect to the shift in public opinion of the monarchy, many would disagree

with his position that the Victorian era has completely defined the modern form of monarchy. He

does not go into detail about how the monarchy is continually changing and looks different even

within the reign of the current sovereign. The theories put forth in this source are helpful as they

help us understand how the people and their shifting ideology is essentially what caused the

change in the role and format of monarchy and government as a whole throughout British

history.

The second shift in the role of the British Monarchy in modern society is the shift in

public opinion regarding the Royal Family and the necessity of the institution. The British Royal

Family has always had a reputation of being wealthy, sophisticated, and above all, an ideal to

strive to. However, the sovereign and the rest of the British Royal Family receive partial funding

from the public through the “Sovereign Grant,” which is fueled by taxpayers (Praderio and

Rogers 1). Their sophistication is at times interpreted by those who do not support the monarchy

as the members of the royal family being “stuck-up” and out of touch with the citizens of the

United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth of Nations. For these reasons, there is growing

distaste for a monarchy in Britain as many believe that it is a superfluous expense that adds no
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real value to the nation as a whole. The reputation of the Royal Family fluctuated throughout the

20th century, as various scandals caused many to question their traditional approaches.

Public opinion of the monarchy in Britain has shifted significantly since the beginning of

the 20th century. The 20th century was filled with triumphs and tragedies for the members of the

royal family, all of which left a lasting impact on the people of the United Kingdom and British

Commonwealth of Nations, as well as the world as a whole. One of the first events that

contributed to the tainting of the royal reputation was the abdication of King Edward VIII. The

former king was forced to abdicate when he was refused marriage to the woman he loved, Wallis

Simpson. Wallis Simpson was a two time divorcee, which to the eyes of parliament was not a

suitable match for the King as head of the Church of England. At the time, the Church of

England did not approve of the remarriage of divorced persons if their previous spouse was still

living. Because of this, King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in order to “marry the woman he

loved” (King Edward VIII). The disapproval of the King’s marriage to a divorcee caused

widespread public controversy. Many believed that the royal family should be more accepting of

divorced persons. This sentiment was extended to Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret upon

rumors of her romantic relationship with the divorcee Group Captain Peter Townsend. There was

an outpouring of public support for the union, but for the same reason King Edward VIII was

forced to abdicate, Queen Elizabeth II refused the marriage so as not to conflict with her role as

head of the Church of England. While some accepted this refusal, others were outraged at the

unfair treatment of divorced persons by the royal family. They felt the monarchy’s view of

divorce was outdated and out of touch with the opinion of the people. These scandals left the

royal family with a fragile reputation.

Opinions of the royal family drastically changed with the marriage of Prince Charles to

Lady Diana Spencer. Lady Diana was a beautiful young woman engaged to be married to who

many believed was “the world’s most eligible bachelor.” Their wedding was celebrated all

around the world and was commonly referred to as “a fairytale.” The popularity of the Royal

Family dramatically increased, as people all around the world quickly fell in love with the young

princess. As time went on and the world saw more of the Princess of Wales, they began to refer

to her as the “People’s Princess,” as she displayed warmth and love to all she encountered. In the

early years of her marriage to Prince Charles, Princess Diana’s popularity did wonders to repair

the reputation of the royal family. However, the couple’s deteriorating relationship and

subsequent divorce, as well as the response from the British royal family upon the death of the

late princess left a lasting legacy that many still have yet to forgive or overlook.

The status of the monarchy in the United Kingdom is truly subject to public opinion.

Throughout history, the monarchy has made changes and modernized to better fit the views of

the people they serve, but for some, that is not enough to continue supporting the institution.

Numerous anti-monarchy groups have been established to represent the interests of those who

feel the monarchy serves no real purpose. The largest of which being the group “Republic.”

Republic, headed by Graham Smith, wishes to remove the monarch as head of state, and instead

institute an elected official to represent the people as head of state. (Republic 1). Anti-monarchy

groups should cause great concern to the Queen and the Royal Family, as their positions are only

guaranteed so long as they are desired and allowed by the will of the people.

While the 20th century was filled with turmoil and uncertainty for the monarchy, the 21st

century and the younger generation of the British Royal family has shed an optimistic light on

their future. The popularity of the royal family has increased dramatically with the new additions
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of The Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex in 2011 and 2018 through their

marriages to Prince William and Prince Harry. The same excitement and “fairytale” mentality

that captivated the world upon the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana was again ignited

with the wedding of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton, who then became the Duke

and Duchess of Cambridge. Since their marriage in 2011, the couple has worked together to

carry out engagements for the Queen, as well as highlight various charities through their roles as

patrons. These actions as well as their accessibility on social media has influenced many to have

a positive opinion of the Royal Family and the work they do throughout the United Kingdom and

the British Commonwealth of Nations. The addition of Ms. Meghan Markle as the Duchess of

Sussex was a monumental step in the modernization of the monarchy in the United Kingdom.

The Royal Family who previously did not accept divorced persons, welcomed the Duchess as the

first person of color to be married into the family, who also had a previous divorce. In response

to the will of the people, the British monarchy has continually made strides to change shape and

redefine its role in order to stay relevant, and meet the needs of the people it serves.

The role of the monarchy has been changed and shaped to reflect the ever changing will

of the people who are prioritizing individual rights and representation. The future of the

monarchy is unclear, but its current form has evolved overtime from absolute rule to a

constitutional monarchy. This is significant because the monarchy has always been a prominent

institution in British culture and history, and unless the Royal Family can continue to modernize

to meet the needs of the people, they may be abolished.

Bibliography

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November 2020.

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