"At His Majesty's pleasure", also known as King's pleasure, is a phrase used to describe the power of the monarch, or their representative, to exercise discretion in certain legal matters. It is commonly used in the context of the UK justice system.
In the UK, the phrase is used to describe the power of the monarch to grant a pardon, commute a sentence, or release a prisoner from custody. This power is exercised on the advice of the government, but ultimately the decision is at the discretion of the monarch.
The phrase is also used to describe the tenure of certain government officials, such as judges and high-ranking civil servants, who serve "at His Majesty's pleasure." This means that they hold their position for as long as the monarch or their representative wishes, rather than for a set term of office.
The term "detained at His Majesty's pleasure" is used to describe the indefinite imprisonment of individuals, often for serious offences or as a result of successful insanity defences or if there is a high risk of reoffending. This measure is primarily applied to juvenile offenders as an alternative to longer life sentences.
The phrase "at His Majesty's pleasure" highlights the ultimate authority of the monarch in certain legal and governmental matters, although this authority is typically exercised on the advice of elected officials or other experts in the relevant area.
You can learn more about this topic with our Public Law and Constitutional Law notes.
