Can Parliament Dethrone Monarch?

In the United Kingdom, Parliament has the power to impeach the monarch, but this power has not been used for centuries and is considered to be largely obsolete. The process of impeachment would require an accusation of high crimes or misdemeanours, and would be initiated by the House of Commons and tried by the House of Lords.

The power to dethrone or remove a monarch lies with Parliament, but only under very limited circumstances. The process for removing a monarch is known as impeachment, and it has not been used since the 18th century.

Under the Bill of Rights 1689, which remains a part of the UK's constitutional law, Parliament has the power to impeach the monarch if they commit high crimes or misdemeanours. However, this power has not been used since the impeachment of King Charles I in 1649.

In practice, it is highly unlikely that Parliament would attempt to impeach or dethrone the monarch. The monarchy in the UK plays a largely ceremonial role and has little direct involvement in the day-to-day functioning of the government. The monarch's powers are largely symbolic and are subject to constitutional conventions and legal limitations.

Furthermore, the monarchy is deeply ingrained in the UK's history and culture, and any attempt to remove the monarch would require a significant constitutional reform that would likely face significant opposition from both the public and political parties.

In short, while Parliament technically has the power to impeach or dethrone the monarch in certain circumstances, this power is unlikely to be exercised in practice. The relationship between the monarchy and Parliament is complex and subject to various constitutional conventions and traditions.
Back to blog

UOL Case Bank

Upon joining, you become a valuable UOL student and gain instant access to over 2,100 essential case summaries. UOL Case Bank is constantly expanding. Speed up your revision with us now.

Subscribe Now

Where are our students from?

Council of Europe
Crown Prosecution Service
Baker Mckenzie 
Yale University
University of Chicago
Columbia University
New York University
University of Michigan 
INSEAD
University of London
University College London (UCL)
London School of Economics (LSE)
King’s College London (KCL)
Royal Holloway, University of London 
Birkbeck, University of London
SOAS, University of London
University of Manchester
University of Zurich
University of York
Brandeis University
University of Exeter
University of Sheffield
Boston University
University of Washington
University of Leeds
University of Law
University of Kent
University of Hull
Queen’s University Belfast
Toronto Metropolitan University
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
University of Buckingham
ESSEC Business School

  • Criminal Practice

    Diagrams and Charts

    Our carefully designed diagrams and charts will guide you through complex legal issues.

  • Criminal Law

    Clear and Succinct Definitions

    Key concepts are concisely defined to help you understand legal topics quickly.

  • Property Law

    Statutory Provisions

    Statutory provisions are provided side by side with legal concepts to help you swiftly locate the relevant legislation.

  • Public Law

    Case Summaries

    We have summarised important cases for you so that you don't need to read long and boring cases.

  • Evidence

    Rules and Exceptions

    Rules and exceptions are clearly listed so that you know when a rule applies and when it doesn't.

  • Company Law

    Terminology

    Legal terms and key concepts are explained at the beginning of each chapter to help you learn efficiently.

  • Case Law

    Case law is provided side by side with legal concepts so that you know how legal principles and precedents were established.

  • Law Exam Guide

    Law Essay Guide

    You will learn essential law exam skills and essay writing techniques that are not taught in class.

  • Law Exam Guide

    Problem Question Guide

    We will show you how to answer problem questions step by step to achieve first-class results.

  • Conflict of Laws

    Structured Explanations

    Complex legal concepts are broken down into concise and digestible bullet point explanations.

  • Legal System and Method

    Legal Research

    You will learn legal research techniques with our study guide and become a proficient legal researcher.

  • Jurisprudence and Legal Theory

    Exam-focused

    All essential concepts, principles, and case law are included so that you can answer exam questions quickly.