Queen Elizabeth II

Definition

Queen Elizabeth II served as the constitutional monarch of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death in 2022. Her role was largely ceremonial, embodying the continuity and unity of the state, with limited political power in a parliamentary democracy.

Related terms

Constitutional Monarchy:

A form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a written or unwritten constitution.

Parliamentary Democracy: A democratic form of government where the executive branch derives its legitimacy from and is accountable to the legislature (parliament); the executive and legislative branches are thus interconnected.

Ceremonial Role: The function assumed by a head of state in a parliamentary system that includes performing symbolic duties without having substantial political power