At this meeting 12 members talked about the role of the Monarchy in the 20th and 21st Century. Up to the time of Charles 1st Kings and Queens thought they were always right , told their subjects what to do and expected to always be obeyed without question.However after Charles the first had been executed and Cromwell had ruled as Lord Protector and died, they invited Charles 11 back to be their king but on the condition that he would be a constitutional Monarch. This meant that whilst the sovereign is head of state, the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected Parliament.
As Head of State, the Monarch undertakes constitutional and representational duties which have developed over 1000 years of history.
In addition to these State duties, the Monarch has a less formal role as Head of Nation. The Sovereign acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride, gives a sense of stability and continuity.
Every year our Royal family carries out over 2000 official engagements throughout the UK and worldwide. Our Royal family also plays an important role in supporting and encouraging the public and charity sectors. About 3000 organisations list a member of the Royal Family as patron or president.
In the meeting, it was felt that although there are some disadvantages in having a Monarchy , these were greatly outnumbered by the many advantages. In most countries around the world the head of state is a political figure, whereas a monarch like our Queen is above politics, and provides stability and continuity in a turbulent world. In addition because of the length of time she has been on the throne she has gained so much experience over the past years from successive leaders and events, that she can offer a wealth of advice and help for the current political leader(who might only be in power for 4-8 years).
The next meeting will be on Monday 17th January 2011 and the topic will be Workhouses.
Michael Page
