What power does the Queen of England have? What powers did Queen Elizabeth have?

Elizabeth II was Queen of the United Kingdom from February 6, 1952 until her death on September 8, 2022.

Her reign of 70 years and 214 days was the longest of any British monarch and the second-longest recorded of any monarch of a sovereign country.

During her reign, Elizabeth traveled to 117 countries, including nearly all 56 Commonwealth states.

By 2019, she had also hosted 112 state visits, plus many other high-level diplomatic visits.

What power does the Queen of England have? What powers did Queen Elizabeth have?

Queen Elizabeth had Royal powers that were limited but significant.

According to University College London (UCL), the British monarch reigns but does not rule.

Constitutionally, the British monarch had a highly circumscribed role. The monarch is the head of state and, in that capacity, embodies the unity and traditions of Britain.

The monarch also retains prerogative powers particularly reserved for the sovereign including the power to appoint a new prime minister, dissolve Parliament and give royal assent to bills before they become law.

Domestically, the queen’s role in day-to-day politics was probably minimal and was certainly private, as will likely be the case for the new King Charles III. But as historian Antony Best wrote in 2016: “To ignore the role of the monarchy in foreign policy is always a mistake.”

In global politics, power matters. “The Queen and the Royal Family have been pivotal in maintaining the nation’s relevance,” Brand Finance wrote in their 2020 Global Soft Power Index.

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