Almost everyone in the world has heard of the British monarchy due to its extensive history across the globe. After the death of Queen Elizabeth II (r. 1952- 2022), Charles III ascended to the throne and is the current monarch.. At one point in history, the British monarchy played a significant political role in Britain and other parts of the world. Queen Victoria (r. 1837-1901) was even named Empress of India at one point. In today’s era of advanced government and technology, the monarchy “no longer has a political or executive role,” according to its official website. The British monarchy does not play a meaningful role in today’s society because it lacks political power, although it still holds extreme privilege and wealth.

There is little to no overlap between the British monarchy and government, despite  the formal name being “His Majesty’s Government.” The British government is led by the Prime Minister, currently Rishi Sunak, who selects members of the Cabinet and ministers. Senior government members make up the Cabinet, including the Secretary of State, among others. Ministers are chosen from the House of Commons and House of Lords. This two-house system is part of the UK Parliament, the supreme legislative body of Britain. There are also many other positions, such as Leader of the Opposition, Speaker of the Commons, and Lord Speaker, but the most relevant parts are Parliament and the Cabinet.

One may wonder where the British monarchy fits into this system. The issue is, it doesn’t. The government does not interact with the monarchy, and vice versa. University College London stated, “The King reigns, but he does not rule.” For the King or Queen themselves, it’s quite essential that they do not demonstrate any particular political affiliation. There is an unwritten rule that they are expected to stay out of politics and refrain from expressing their opinions. Occasionally, there may be an outlier, however. Princess Diana, for example, was known for being outspoken on issues like HIV/AIDS. Many famous photographs capture her shaking hands with AIDS patients, which helped to destigmatize the issue. Unfortunately, this is a rare case of positive royal influence.

The Royal Family is detached from the political sphere, which makes one question why they are still held in such a high position. One of the common reasons for this is, simply put, history. History is not the sole reason why the British monarchy still exists after centuries, but today’s society is entirely different from the society of the past, and Britain is now run entirely by its government. The government is the source of all of the nation’s laws, bills, and political reforms. The monarch is simply a political figurehead lacking impact in their sovereignty. In today’s day and age, it is senseless to have a monarchy just for the sake of having a monarchy.

One of the reasons the British monarchy still exists, however, comes down to one word: money. According to a report from Forbes, the monarchy’s estimated net worth is 28 billion dollars, with Charles III having one of 600 million. These statistics alone demonstrate the monarchy’s extreme wealth and privileged economic status. Each year, the monarchy receives an amount of cash from taxpayers called the Sovereign Grant, contributing to this sum. They display their wealth through lavish palaces, designer clothing, priceless jewelry, and extravagant events. The most recent royal wedding, betweenPrince Harry and Meghan Markle, cost a whopping 45 million dollars. It was so lavish that the news anchors reporting on the wedding had to remind young children watching that their weddings would, realistically, not be like that when they grew up. The amount of privilege the royal family is afforded is astronomical. Being born into royalty means you are set for a life most could only dream of. Even their extended relatives, as distant as second and third cousins, live a life of luxury and privilege. With the modern emphasis on equality, nobody should be born into titles and a life of royal privilege by default.

The British monarchy’s extreme wealth yet lack of political power reveals its limited societal role. The sole reason the monarchy still exists is its extensive history, which is also imperfect. The monarchy has a notorious history of colonization and injustice. The monarchy is still head of the Commonwealth, composed of former British colonies, such as Australia and Canada, which is an anachronistic concept.  People are ready to let go of the monarchy. Barely anything would change if it were to be abolished. The political system would stay the same, and a few billion dollars could be reallocated towards something more beneficial for Britain and the world. The monarchy’s role in society today has limited value, and the world could carry on perfectly well without it.