Since 1967, exemptions have been written into greater than 160 British legal guidelines to grant sweeping immunity to the late Queen Elizabeth II in her capability as monarch. Now, these exemptions have been transferred to King Charles, whose coronation takes place on Could 6.
Underneath the authorized doctrine of “sovereign immunity,” Charles is exempt from prison and civil proceedings as the pinnacle of state. However the King’s immunity extends past his public duties to his conduct on privately-owned property, estates, and companies. At the moment, greater than 30 totally different legal guidelines bar the police from coming into non-public royal estates with out the sovereign’s permission to analyze suspected crimes. Charles can also be exempt from punishment over wildlife offenses, environmental air pollution, and different inexperienced crimes—a type of authorized immunity given to no different non-public landowner within the U.Okay.
The Royal Household’s official web site beforehand said that “though civil and prison proceedings can’t be taken in opposition to the Sovereign as an individual underneath U.Okay. regulation, The Queen is cautious to make sure that all her actions in her private capability are carried out in strict accordance with the regulation.”
Under, among the wildest legal guidelines that King Charles and different British royals are exempt from.
Touring with a passport
Because the British monarch, King Charles is not going to require a British passport to journey internationally. It is because, in accordance with the Royal Household’s web site which has not been up to date because the Queen’s loss of life, “a British passport is issued within the title of Her Majesty, it’s pointless for The Queen to own one.”
Underneath U.Okay. regulation, no different British residents can journey internationally with no passport. Each passport issued by the U.Okay. underneath King Charles could have a preamble that reads: “His Britannic Majesty’s Secretary of State requests and requires within the title of His Majesty all these whom it could concern to permit the bearer to cross freely with out let or hindrance and to afford the bearer such help and safety as could also be obligatory.”
Equally, the wording in newly-issued passports in nations the place King Charles is head of state, like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, may also have slight adjustments in wording. For instance, passports issued in New Zealand will learn: “The Governor-Normal within the Realm of New Zealand requests within the Identify of His Majesty the King all whom it could concern to permit the holder to cross at once or hindrance and in case of want to provide all lawful help and safety.”
Driving with a license and underneath the pace restrict
Underneath the Street Visitors Regulation Act, the King and different members of the royal household can drive as quick or as gradual as they please when they’re escorted by cops on official royal enterprise. (The Prime Minister can also be afforded the identical proper.)
The late Queen Elizabeth II reportedly by no means took an precise driving check and was in a position to drive with no license plate, since all driver’s licenses within the U.Okay. are issued within the monarch’s title. In 2019, it was reported that the Queen had determined to now not drive on public roads “on the recommendation of her safety group” after the late Duke of Edinburgh had been concerned in a automotive crash earlier within the yr in Sandringham.
As King, Charles can also be now not required to make use of a driver’s license whereas driving.
Paying taxes
Underneath the Sovereign Grant Act of 2011, the King just isn’t “legally liable to pay earnings tax, capital positive factors tax, or inheritance tax as a result of the related enactments don’t apply to the Crown.” The identical rule applies to the earnings from the Duchy of Cornwall, which Prince William owns.
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Though the monarch just isn’t legally required to pay taxes, since 1993 the late Queen and her firstborn baby have voluntarily paid tax on their earnings, property, and positive factors not used for official functions. The Royal Household’s web site notes that “till his loss of life, the Duke of Edinburgh paid tax on any a part of his annuity that was not used wholly, completely, or essentially within the efficiency of his official duties.” The identical is true for Prince William, who “voluntarily pays earnings tax on all income from the property.”
Different members of the Royal Household are absolutely accountable for paying taxes like different British residents, with the price of their official duties allowed in opposition to tax.
Jury obligation
Whereas British residents can face fines of as much as £1,000 ($1,253) for evading jury obligation, the King and his speedy relations are exempt from having to participate in jury obligation underneath the prison justice invoice.
Within the U.Okay., 60% of these summoned to do jury service didn’t serve, with docs, vets, Members of Parliament, and judges presently exempt from serving. In 2003, MPs efficiently argued to exchange the exemption from jury service for all members of the royal household to only the monarch and their speedy relations, the Guardian reported. “The notion that anybody is simply too grand or too intelligent or too vital to serve on a jury is to not be borne,” Brighton MP Desmond Turner stated.
Racial, ethnic, and sexual equality legal guidelines
Within the Nineteen Seventies, the British authorities launched legal guidelines in opposition to racial and sexual discrimination within the office, which had been later folded into the 2010 Equality Act. Nevertheless, paperwork by the Guardian revealed the Queen was reportedly exempt from these legal guidelines.
Which means that any people working for the Royal Household can not file a criticism to the court docket in the event that they confronted any discrimination underneath the classes of race, intercourse, and equal pay. A spokesperson from Buckingham Palace beforehand instructed reporters that the royal family and the sovereign complied with the provisions of the Equality Act, “in precept and in observe.”
In 1968, the Queen’s chief monetary supervisor knowledgeable civil servants that “it was not, in reality, the observe to nominate coloured immigrants or foreigners to clerical roles within the royal family.” It’s unknown when this observe ended, however in 1997, the Palace instructed the Impartial that it didn’t formally monitor workers numbers to make sure equal alternatives. In March 2021, Buckingham Palace was reportedly contemplating appointing a variety chief.
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