AHC: Queen Elizabeth II Abdicates

People were saying a Pope would not abdicate until Benedict did.

The issue isn't about abdication though, it was the context you suggested which is totally ASB.

There was also prior precendent for Benedict's abdication. It was a big deal because it came out of nowhere and hadn't happened in over 500 years, but it's not like it was a violation of canon law.

The only abdication in the British monarch that has occurred relatively recently was Edward VIII and that was to prevent to prevent Wallis Simpson from turning into a constitutional crisis.
 
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As mentioned, there is no way the present Queen is going to abdicate voluntarily.

Is, however, any plausible way that you could get an involuntary abdication? Basically via some sort of Francis Urquhart type of PM/party basically going against her on some major issue and winning, forcing her out and putting Charlie in? ((I can't personally - I think if some barking mad PM tried some sort of "Rounding up of all undesirables and putting them in boncetration* camps Act" - I think she'd just 'coup' them first.))

*With thanks to Monty Python and the people of Minehead, Devon.
 
As mentioned, there is no way the present Queen is going to abdicate voluntarily.

Is, however, any plausible way that you could get an involuntary abdication? Basically via some sort of Francis Urquhart type of PM/party basically going against her on some major issue and winning, forcing her out and putting Charlie in? ((I can't personally - I think if some barking mad PM tried some sort of "Rounding up of all undesirables and putting them in boncetration* camps Act" - I think she'd just 'coup' them first.))

*With thanks to Monty Python and the people of Minehead, Devon.

Yeah, I have a hard time seeing that one. I think she can revoke the right to govern from the majority party.
 
The monarch is also head of the Anglican Church, so in a way it's like a Queen and a Pope stepping down at the same time.
 
As for a regency, whereas we may well get a de facto one as she heads into her nineties (Charles already does an awful lot of the job) we are very unlikely to see a formal one. The reason is straightforward enough - the Queen is head of state of IIRC 19 countries and they would all need to agree. An idea of how hard this would be can be seen in the case of changing the succession to the throne to get rid of male preference primogeniture and pass the succession to the eldest child regardless of gender. This was agreed in Perth in 2011 but didn't actually come into force until earlier this year because of the difficulty of coordinating 19 different legislatures (IIRC Jamaica was the last) - four years for something everybody agreed on. A regency would be harder.

Actually, I'm not sure there would be a need to set up a regency outside of the UK. In the other (15 ;)) Commonwealth realms, her role is already performed by the Governor General.

If there was though, yes, this would prove very difficult to arrange. Canada doesn't even have laws allowing for a regency, and I imagine it's not alone. Forget hammering out the details of the regency itself, members of the realm are going to have to pass bills to even allow for it to happen!

Is, however, any plausible way that you could get an involuntary abdication? Basically via some sort of Francis Urquhart type of PM/party basically going against her on some major issue and winning, forcing her out and putting Charlie in? ((I can't personally - I think if some barking mad PM tried some sort of "Rounding up of all undesirables and putting them in boncetration* camps Act" - I think she'd just 'coup' them first.))

It's hard to imagine the Queen even getting into a situation where she's in a spat with her government in the first place. She goes to great lengths to remain above and outside of politics. I mean, that's the reason that House of Cards used a Charles stand-in and not an Elizabeth stand-in.
 

It's

Banned
As mentioned, there is no way the present Queen is going to abdicate voluntarily.

Is, however, any plausible way that you could get an involuntary abdication? Basically via some sort of Francis Urquhart type of PM/party basically going against her on some major issue and winning, forcing her out and putting Charlie in? ((I can't personally - I think if some barking mad PM tried some sort of "Rounding up of all undesirables and putting them in boncetration* camps Act" - I think she'd just 'coup' them first.))

*With thanks to Monty Python and the people of Minehead, Devon.

Boncentration bamps, actually. Didn't you go to king's bollege, bambridge?
 
Boncentration bamps, actually. Didn't you go to king's bollege, bambridge?

Argh! My mistake!

Getting back on topic, I'm wondering if a 'Gordon Banks' style 1970s happens, but instead of Elizabeth being killed in that Alt-1977, it could be Charles. Bad enough that Enoch still cracks down as hard, but instead of Charles being malleable and easily influenced by Powell and that TL's Mountbatten, it's Elizabeth who bangs heads with Powell until it all blows up in one or anothers face.

I think generally, this might be more likely (albeit still horrendously unlikely) than a voluntary abdication. The 1970s were rocky times and I could see problems ahead, merely if Wilson is deposed by some sort of Army-cabal who may then be forced to get rid of HMQ as well to cement their position.
 
As mentioned, there is no way the present Queen is going to abdicate voluntarily.

Is, however, any plausible way that you could get an involuntary abdication? Basically via some sort of Francis Urquhart type of PM/party basically going against her on some major issue and winning, forcing her out and putting Charlie in? ((I can't personally - I think if some barking mad PM tried some sort of "Rounding up of all undesirables and putting them in boncetration* camps Act" - I think she'd just 'coup' them first.))

*With thanks to Monty Python and the people of Minehead, Devon.

To put it bluntly I can't see a scenario where Elizabeth is forced out outside a Monty Python sketch!
 
As mentioned, there is no way the present Queen is going to abdicate voluntarily.

Is, however, any plausible way that you could get an involuntary abdication? Basically via some sort of Francis Urquhart type of PM/party basically going against her on some major issue and winning, forcing her out and putting Charlie in? ((I can't personally - I think if some barking mad PM tried some sort of "Rounding up of all undesirables and putting them in boncetration* camps Act" - I think she'd just 'coup' them first.))

*With thanks to Monty Python and the people of Minehead, Devon.

Constitutionally, parliament has power over the succession and the monarchy. IIRC the Hanoverians were brought to power by skipping over a couple of dozen rightful claimants who all happened to be Catholic. And then of course was the Glorious Revolution. There wouldn't need to be any melodramatic machinations, if Parliament wanted Liz to cease being Queen, then she would cease being Queen.

So, if she f'ed up badly enough, then sure. But that doesn't sound like the Queen we all know and love to varying degrees.
 

shiftygiant

Gone Fishin'
Constitutionally, parliament has power over the succession and the monarchy. IIRC the Hanoverians were brought to power by skipping over a couple of dozen rightful claimants who all happened to be Catholic. And then of course was the Glorious Revolution. There wouldn't need to be any melodramatic machinations, if Parliament wanted Liz to cease being Queen, then she would cease being Queen.

So, if she f'ed up badly enough, then sure. But that doesn't sound like the Queen we all know and love to varying degrees.

If she throttled an MP from the leading party in Crumpet fueled rage whilst screaming obscenities and profanity, before then attempting to dissolve Parliament, then she'd probably be given the boot at that point, although you'll still get Party Royalists defending her.

I'm kinda seeing it like that Charles III play- she'll resist at first and try to do everything she can to prevent it, but when it comes time to fold, she'll fold.
 
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