Privy Council Identification and Member Quantity: Insight Into Their Composition
The former Queen, Elizabeth II, has recently passed away at the ripe age of 96. Her eldest son, now King Charles III, has ascended to the throne. As he mourns the loss of his mother, Charles returned to London from Balmoral, where he was by her side during her final moments. On September 10, he was officially proclaimed King by the Accession Council, an advisory body to the monarch consisting of members of the Privy Council.
The Privy Council, with roots dating back to the 13th century, was once the executive arm of the English Government. However, as political authority transitioned to Parliament in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, its power significantly declined. Today, the Privy Council continues to function as an advisory board to the monarch.
The main duty of the Privy Council is to give legal effect to Proclamations and Orders in Council - instruments made under prerogative or statutory powers. Orders in Council can be legislative, executive, or judicial and deal with various matters, such as the establishment of new government departments.
Privy Council meetings occur, on average, once a month, with the monarch presiding. The meeting is also attended by the Clerk of the Privy Council, who legitimizes the monarch's assent to measures by signing them and recording the names of those present.
Privy Council members can refer to themselves as "the Right Honourable" and must take a specific oath, including a commitment to maintaining secrecy regarding "secret matters committed" to them. This has led to the development of confidential briefings for privy counsellors on matters of national security.
As of September 2022, the Privy Council consists of 718 members, who are appointed for life by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. Members are typically individuals who have held or are currently holding senior political, judicial, or ecclesiastical positions. The Privy Council includes figures like Queen Consort Camilla, the new Prince of Wales, Prince William, and various other notable individuals.
Do keep your eyes peeled for more updates!
Further Reading:
- Our Sovereign, the Privy Council
- The Role and Functions of the Privy Council
- The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
- Constitution Unit: The Privy Council
- The Privy Council, an advisory board to the monarch, continues to function in a role reminiscent of its historical roots, helping to give legal effect to Proclamations and Orders in Council.
- Members of the Privy Council, which includes figures like Queen Consort Camilla, the new Prince of Wales, Prince William, and other notable individuals, are appointed for life by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister.
- At Privy Council meetings, held on average once a month, the monarch presides and the Clerk of the Privy Council legitimizes the monarch's assent to measures by signing them and recording the names of those present.
- The Privy Council members, known as "the Right Honourable," are bound by an oath of secrecy concerning "secret matters committed" to them, leading to the development of confidential briefings on matters of national security.
