AHC: Meaningful Monarchs

In our world, many monarchs, such few as remain, have little in the way of actual political power; for the most part, their functions are largely symbolic and ritualistic, at least in common perception. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to create a world with more countries operating as monarchies, and with monarchs generally having more overt and recognized authority. Absolute monarchies are not required; constitutional and parliamentary arrangements are fine. Elective monarchies work too.
 
In our world, many monarchs, such few as remain, have little in the way of actual political power; for the most part, their functions are largely symbolic and ritualistic, at least in common perception. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to create a world with more countries operating as monarchies, and with monarchs generally having more overt and recognized authority. Absolute monarchies are not required; constitutional and parliamentary arrangements are fine. Elective monarchies work too.

What about the British parliament system, but with a twist, there is no Foreign Secretary, all foreign affairs are still controlled by the monarch or a member of the royal family appointed by the monarch, for example:

David Cameron would still be Prime Minister, but instead of The Right Honourable, Philip Hammond being Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the queen has appointed her grandson, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge as "Royal Adviser on Foreign Affairs"
 
In our world, many monarchs, such few as remain, have little in the way of actual political power; for the most part, their functions are largely symbolic and ritualistic, at least in common perception. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to create a world with more countries operating as monarchies, and with monarchs generally having more overt and recognized authority. Absolute monarchies are not required; constitutional and parliamentary arrangements are fine. Elective monarchies work too.

James II suddenly dies after James III is born. James III becomes king at the age of one month, Mary of Modena is sent packing to Italy, James III is given a Protestant education, and the regent (who is a Tory) would reverse James II's religious policies.

The main effect of this is that the cabinet system would not form. The main reason that it formed in OTL is because George I was German, and thus, cannot attend cabinet meetings with his ministers. He ceased attending, and thus, the ministers were able to formulate policy without the active participation of the king.

James III in this scenario, aside from avoiding the Glorious Revolution, would be raised Protestant, speaking English, and would attend cabinet meetings, where he would make the decisions.
 
James II suddenly dies after James III is born. James III becomes king at the age of one month, Mary of Modena is sent packing to Italy, James III is given a Protestant education, and the regent (who is a Tory) would reverse James II's religious policies.

The main effect of this is that the cabinet system would not form. The main reason that it formed in OTL is because George I was German, and thus, cannot attend cabinet meetings with his ministers. He ceased attending, and thus, the ministers were able to formulate policy without the active participation of the king.

James III in this scenario, aside from avoiding the Glorious Revolution, would be raised Protestant, speaking English, and would attend cabinet meetings, where he would make the decisions.

But as more liberal ideas came from the US and France would this system stay into affect?
 


But as more liberal ideas came from the US and France would this system stay into affect?

The US would be butterflied, and so would the French Revolution. A regent for James III would mean William III would not become king, and thus, without England as an enemy, Louis XIV might have won a clearer victory in the Nine Years War and the Succession War. Without the blood and treasure expended in those wars, the French Revolution might be butterflied away.
 
The US would be butterflied, and so would the French Revolution. A regent for James III would mean William III would not become king, and thus, without England as an enemy, Louis XIV might have won a clearer victory in the Nine Years War and the Succession War. Without the blood and treasure expended in those wars, the French Revolution might be butterflied away.

Fair point :) so in this TL we would still have monarchs with Privy Councils.

Would Tony Blair become the 21st century William Cecil :D
 
In our world, many monarchs, such few as remain, have little in the way of actual political power; for the most part, their functions are largely symbolic and ritualistic, at least in common perception.

The monarchies of the Arabian peninsula would disagree with that. :)

Seriously, what monarchies are left? In Europe: Britain, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain (anyone else?) In Asia: Japan

In the Arabian peninsula: Kuwait, the various Emirates, Saudi Arabia


I suspect that, numerically, more monarchs may have real power today than don't.


Edit: I forgot Liechtenstein (meaningful) and Monaco (constitutional)
 
Africa: Swaziland, Lesotho, Morocco. Swaziland is pretty much absolute; Morocco, the king has real authority but not as absolute. Don't know about Lesotho.
 
Africa: Swaziland, Lesotho, Morocco. Swaziland is pretty much absolute; Morocco, the king has real authority but not as absolute. Don't know about Lesotho.

The king of Lesotho is a figurehead.

Others not yet mentioned: Brunei (absolute), Bhutan (not absolute but real authority), Thailand (meaningful albeit mostly behind the scenes), Cambodia (constitutional), Tonga (meaningful), Malaysia (constitutional), Denmark (constitutional), Belgium (constitutional). European monarchy is overwhelmingly constitutional - Liechtenstein is the only exception I can think of - but that isn't as true elsewhere in the world.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
I wonder what "God Emperor" is in Korean?

I'd say they do, and that "supreme leader" is actually more a monarchial title than a republican one (with such things as "first secretary" being subsidiary titles), but I suspect I'm in the minority.

I wonder what "God Emperor" is in Korean?:rolleyes:

Kind of a pudgy God-Emperor, but still...

Appropos of nothing, but given your ability to conjur in Male Rising, have you read any of BROS?

Thanks

Best,
 
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