Royal expert breaks down significance of Queen's 70 year reign

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Queen Elizabeth II has been the nation’s figurehead for seven decades, and she has dedicated her life to royal service. Members of the British Armed Forces swear allegiance to the Queen as its head, but the Queen’s theoretical powers when it comes to controlling the military are limited in practice.

Can the Queen declare war?

The Queen is the only person in the UK who can officially declare war on another country, but this power is not absolute.

Technically the Queen’s power to declare war is one of her prerogative powers, which have been in the possession of the reigning monarch for centuries.

But as the Constitution Unit at University College London (UCL) outlined on its website, these powers are now mainly the in the remit of Government ministers.

The Constitution Unit explained: “Prerogative powers are powers which have belonged to the monarch since the Middle Ages, but in modern times are exercised largely by government ministers.

“The most important powers exercised by ministers are the power to make war and deploy the armed forces; to conduct foreign policy and make treaties; to make public and judicial appointments; to issue passports; and to grant pardons and honours.”

During her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II has never declared war on another country.

The last monarch to do so was the Queen’s father, King George VI when he declared war on Nazi Germany in 1939.

In his King’s Speech in 1939, he famously declared: “In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in our history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and overseas, this message, spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold and speak to you myself.

“For the second time in the lives of most of us we are at war.”

Before King George VI, the last time war was declared in the UK was World War 1. King George V declared war in 1914 with the support of his Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

No declarations of war have been made since World War 2 in the UK, however, the British Armed Forces have taken part in several armed conflicts during the Queen’s reign.

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What are the Queen’s other powers as monarch?

While the Queen’s role as head of state is largely ceremonial, she still retains several prerogative powers, like appointing and dismissing ministers and prime ministers.

The Queen can also summon and prorogue Parliament. She was advised to prorogue Parliament in 2019 by Boris Johnson in the run-up to the UK’s departure from the European Union, a move that proved controversial. It was later deemed unlawful advice by the UK Supreme Court.

The Queen also has a big role to play in the political process, as she has to give Royal Assent to bills passed by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

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