A briefing paper which "maps" (or summarises) the main elements of the United Kingdom's uncodified constitution.

A briefing paper which "maps" (or summarises) the main elements of the United Kingdom's uncodified constitution.

A briefing paper on the office and functions of the Prime Minister

A briefing paper on the office and functions of the Prime Minister

Since the 19th century there have been statutory restrictions on members of the Catholic and Jewish faiths making – and advising the Crown on – appointments in the Church of England. This includes the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor, who advise the Monarch on bishops and other offices in the established church. This research briefing looks at the historic basis of these restrictions and how they work in practice.

Since the 19th century there have been statutory restrictions on members of the Catholic and Jewish faiths making – and advising the Crown on – appointments in the Church of England. This includes the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor, who advise the Monarch on bishops and other offices in the...

A briefing paper on the history, functions and membership of the Privy Council

A briefing paper on the history, functions and membership of the Privy Council

A briefing on the Finances of the Monarchy, including the Sovereign Grant, Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall and tax arrangements for members of the Royal Family.

A briefing on the Finances of the Monarchy, including the Sovereign Grant, Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall and tax arrangements for members of the Royal Family.

A briefing on how a new government is formed under a combination of the royal prerogative (non-statutory powers) and statute (Acts of Parliament).

A briefing on how a new government is formed under a combination of the royal prerogative (non-statutory powers) and statute (Acts of Parliament).

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2026 to Question 4176 on Monarchy: information, whether he has considered initiating legal action to obtain official information held by the Crown retained by Lord Mandelson and not disclosed for the purposes of the Government...

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2026 to Question 4176 on Monarchy: information, whether he has considered initiating legal action to obtain official information held by the Crown retained by Lord Mandelson and not disclosed for the purposes of the Government...

A briefing on what happens when a Prime Minister formally resigns and the King appoints a successor, based upon prime ministerial memoirs and other sources.

A briefing on what happens when a Prime Minister formally resigns and the King appoints a successor, based upon prime ministerial memoirs and other sources.

Diplomatic representatives of the United Kingdom to other countries are appointed by the Monarch, usually on advice from the Foreign Secretary.

Diplomatic representatives of the United Kingdom to other countries are appointed by the Monarch, usually on advice from the Foreign Secretary.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether official information is considered to be held by the Crown when a Crown Servant leaves Crown service and retains such information on (a) personal devices and (b) non-government communication channel.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether official information is considered to be held by the Crown when a Crown Servant leaves Crown service and retains such information on (a) personal devices and (b) non-government communication channel.

A briefing on how the First Minister of Wales is nominated and appointed.

A briefing on how the First Minister of Wales is nominated and appointed.

A briefing on the process for nominating and appointing the First Minister of Scotland.

A briefing on the process for nominating and appointing the First Minister of Scotland.

This briefing explores what announcements the government could make in the King’s Speech on 13 May 2026 about foreign affairs.

This briefing explores what announcements the government could make in the King’s Speech on 13 May 2026 about foreign affairs.

A briefing on the King’s Speech, which sets out the government’s legislative agenda for the forthcoming parliamentary session.

A briefing on the King’s Speech, which sets out the government’s legislative agenda for the forthcoming parliamentary session.

A briefing paper on the State Opening of Parliament, its history and ceremonial

A briefing paper on the State Opening of Parliament, its history and ceremonial

At the end of the 2024-26 parliamentary session, the remaining hereditary peers lost their entitlement to sit and vote in the House of Lords.

At the end of the 2024-26 parliamentary session, the remaining hereditary peers lost their entitlement to sit and vote in the House of Lords.

In October 2025 the King “initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew”. This briefing examines how titles and other honours may be removed.

In October 2025 the King “initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew”. This briefing examines how titles and other honours may be removed.

A short briefing on the line of succession to the throne, including how changes are made.

A short briefing on the line of succession to the throne, including how changes are made.

Lords statement regarding the Government's response to the Humble Address laid before the House on 4 February.

Lords statement regarding the Government's response to the Humble Address laid before the House on 4 February.

My Lords, we all now recognise that it was a massive misjudgment to appoint Lord Mandelson to the post of ambassador in Washington. The Prime Minister has already apologised for that. He is not the first Prime Minister to have made such a serious error, and opposition parties should avoid...

My Lords, we all now recognise that it was a massive misjudgment to appoint Lord Mandelson to the post of ambassador in Washington. The Prime Minister has already apologised for that. He is not the first Prime Minister to have made such a serious error, and opposition parties should avoid...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness and the noble Lord for their questions; I will try to answer as many as possible. I do not recognise the noble Baroness’s suggestion about delay in dealing with this. There are a lot of documents to be produced. The Government have been...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness and the noble Lord for their questions; I will try to answer as many as possible. I do not recognise the noble Baroness’s suggestion about delay in dealing with this. There are a lot of documents to be produced. The Government have been...

My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Finn, raised ISC staff. Their job, and that of the committee, was made incredibly difficult by the previous Conservative Government cutting the budget and interfering with the appointments to the committee. The committee met the Prime Minister last year. This was the first time...

My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Finn, raised ISC staff. Their job, and that of the committee, was made incredibly difficult by the previous Conservative Government cutting the budget and interfering with the appointments to the committee. The committee met the Prime Minister last year. This was the first time...

I am grateful to my noble friend for his point about the staff. I tried to do it justice but, as chair of the committee, he did it much better than I could. It is important that there is no question that the committee and the House have full confidence...

I am grateful to my noble friend for his point about the staff. I tried to do it justice but, as chair of the committee, he did it much better than I could. It is important that there is no question that the committee and the House have full confidence...

My Lords, the Leader of the House referred to things we did not know. The problem for the Prime Minister is that he confirmed in the House of Commons that he did know that Lord Mandelson had an ongoing relationship with Jeffrey Epstein after he had been convicted for child...

My Lords, the Leader of the House referred to things we did not know. The problem for the Prime Minister is that he confirmed in the House of Commons that he did know that Lord Mandelson had an ongoing relationship with Jeffrey Epstein after he had been convicted for child...

My Lords, my noble friend Lord Wallace of Saltaire raised the suggestion we have seen in the press that Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking victims could possibly have been brought into the UK through private airports. I remember 20 years ago this issue being raised in relation to the victims of extraordinary...

My Lords, my noble friend Lord Wallace of Saltaire raised the suggestion we have seen in the press that Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking victims could possibly have been brought into the UK through private airports. I remember 20 years ago this issue being raised in relation to the victims of extraordinary...

I do not know whether the case is exactly as the noble Baroness describes it. What I do know is that all evidence is being looked at to see whether there is any evidence of such trafficking. That means going back through records over some time to see what is...

I do not know whether the case is exactly as the noble Baroness describes it. What I do know is that all evidence is being looked at to see whether there is any evidence of such trafficking. That means going back through records over some time to see what is...

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend the Lord Privy Seal for the way in which she is approaching this discussion and

the answers that she has given. Can she confirm the situation about the humble Address? Obviously, it was constructed by the leader of the Official Opposition...

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend the Lord Privy Seal for the way in which she is approaching this discussion and

the answers that she has given. Can she confirm the situation about the humble Address? Obviously, it was constructed by the leader of the Official Opposition...

My noble friend is right. It is an important process. Our international relations with countries across the world where we have diplomats and where they have provided information in the UK’s national interests may at times be sensitive. The humble Address is quite clear that, where there are issues of...

My noble friend is right. It is an important process. Our international relations with countries across the world where we have diplomats and where they have provided information in the UK’s national interests may at times be sensitive. The humble Address is quite clear that, where there are issues of...

I welcome the Government’s decision to take this very seriously and to publish in tranches. Given that many days have now elapsed, will the Government publish a tranche tomorrow to show good faith, so that the proper process of scrutiny can begin?

I welcome the Government’s decision to take this very seriously and to publish in tranches. Given that many days have now elapsed, will the Government publish a tranche tomorrow to show good faith, so that the proper process of scrutiny can begin?

I do not know whether the noble Lord heard my earlier answer. We will not be publishing documents tomorrow but as soon as possible. I imagine that it will be in the next couple of weeks.

I do not know whether the noble Lord heard my earlier answer. We will not be publishing documents tomorrow but as soon as possible. I imagine that it will be in the next couple of weeks.

My Lords, the House appreciates that the noble Baroness has had to answer a lot of questions in a short time, but she has not as yet answered the final question asked of her a few moments ago by the noble Baroness, Lady Finn, about whether the Government will commit...

My Lords, the House appreciates that the noble Baroness has had to answer a lot of questions in a short time, but she has not as yet answered the final question asked of her a few moments ago by the noble Baroness, Lady Finn, about whether the Government will commit...

I have no problem answering questions at the Dispatch Box—it is probably one of the highlights of my day.

I am slightly puzzled by the question, though I will take it back. It seems to me that, if it has already been said what the document is that is being withheld...

I have no problem answering questions at the Dispatch Box—it is probably one of the highlights of my day.

I am slightly puzzled by the question, though I will take it back. It seems to me that, if it has already been said what the document is that is being withheld...

My Lords, the House is grateful to the noble Baroness the Lord Privy Seal for the clarity of her answers. Will she confirm that, once the ISC has decided that a document should be disclosed, notwithstanding any concern that the Government may have had about its implications for national security...

My Lords, the House is grateful to the noble Baroness the Lord Privy Seal for the clarity of her answers. Will she confirm that, once the ISC has decided that a document should be disclosed, notwithstanding any concern that the Government may have had about its implications for national security...

I am grateful to the noble Lord. My understanding is that the exact details of how this will work in practice are still being discussed between the Government and the ISC. Those discussions will be concluded this week, but the Government have no interest in withholding information if it does...

I am grateful to the noble Lord. My understanding is that the exact details of how this will work in practice are still being discussed between the Government and the ISC. Those discussions will be concluded this week, but the Government have no interest in withholding information if it does...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness the Lord Privy Seal for her answer. I make the point that the then Opposition moved and invoked an humble Address on a number of occasions during the Brexit negotiations, at very critical junctures. At that stage, it was not necessarily in the...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness the Lord Privy Seal for her answer. I make the point that the then Opposition moved and invoked an humble Address on a number of occasions during the Brexit negotiations, at very critical junctures. At that stage, it was not necessarily in the...

First, I am not quite sure what the noble Lord’s comments on the humble Address were aimed at. He has heard no complaints whatever from me or from this Dispatch Box about complying fully and totally with the humble Address. I do not think I made any complaints about humble...

First, I am not quite sure what the noble Lord’s comments on the humble Address were aimed at. He has heard no complaints whatever from me or from this Dispatch Box about complying fully and totally with the humble Address. I do not think I made any complaints about humble...

The noble Lord raises two points, the first of which concerns what the Prime Minister did or did not know. I do not think anybody was aware of the extent of the activities of Jeffrey Epstein and the relationship between him and Peter Mandelson until these documents were released. The...

The noble Lord raises two points, the first of which concerns what the Prime Minister did or did not know. I do not think anybody was aware of the extent of the activities of Jeffrey Epstein and the relationship between him and Peter Mandelson until these documents were released. The...

My Lords, I thank the Leader of the House and Lord Privy Seal for the opportunity to respond to this Statement.

We are three weeks on from the Motion passed in the other place for this humble Address to be presented to His Majesty, and not a single document has yet...

My Lords, I thank the Leader of the House and Lord Privy Seal for the opportunity to respond to this Statement.

We are three weeks on from the Motion passed in the other place for this humble Address to be presented to His Majesty, and not a single document has yet...

There is no prohibition on criticising members of the Royal Family in Parliament, but MPs and peers are required to observe certain rules if they wish to do so.

There is no prohibition on criticising members of the Royal Family in Parliament, but MPs and peers are required to observe certain rules if they wish to do so.

The death of a monarch – and the accession of a new sovereign – involves the Cabinet, the Privy Council, Parliament, Buckingham Palace and the Church of England. This paper outlines the historical precedents for events that follow a demise of the crown.

The death of a monarch – and the accession of a new sovereign – involves the Cabinet, the Privy Council, Parliament, Buckingham Palace and the Church of England. This paper outlines the historical precedents for events that follow a demise of the crown.

What are state visits? Who decides who is invited? Who pays the costs? What is the format of a state visit? Do they always include addresses to Parliament?

What are state visits? Who decides who is invited? Who pays the costs? What is the format of a state visit? Do they always include addresses to Parliament?

A briefing paper on the constitutional aspects of the Crown

A briefing paper on the constitutional aspects of the Crown

A briefing paper on the royal prerogative and ministerial advice to the Crown on both the prerogative and statutory public appointments

A briefing paper on the royal prerogative and ministerial advice to the Crown on both the prerogative and statutory public appointments

A briefing paper on the relationship between church and state in the United Kingdom, covering the Church of England and Church of Scotland. There are shorter sections on the Church in Wales and the Church of Ireland.

A briefing paper on the relationship between church and state in the United Kingdom, covering the Church of England and Church of Scotland. There are shorter sections on the Church in Wales and the Church of Ireland.

A briefing paper on the history of and procedure relating to Royal Assent, not just in the UK Parliament but in the devolved legislatures and for Church of England Measures.

A briefing paper on the history of and procedure relating to Royal Assent, not just in the UK Parliament but in the devolved legislatures and for Church of England Measures.

A briefing paper on the preparations for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, what took place on Coronation day and other events associated with the ceremony.

A briefing paper on the preparations for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, what took place on Coronation day and other events associated with the ceremony.

My Lords, I rise to support the amendment tabled by the noble Earl, Lord Devon, which is very creative and imaginative. For anybody who thinks this is beside the point, I certainly would not want to press the issue too hard—it is somewhat absurd to suggest that the removal of...

My Lords, I rise to support the amendment tabled by the noble Earl, Lord Devon, which is very creative and imaginative. For anybody who thinks this is beside the point, I certainly would not want to press the issue too hard—it is somewhat absurd to suggest that the removal of...

My Lords, I have bitten my tongue for the first two or three groups our Committee has considered, but I feel obliged to make a quick comment on the amendment tabled by the noble Earl, Lord Devon—and also because my gluteus maximus has gone to sleep.

We have a constitution, which...

My Lords, I have bitten my tongue for the first two or three groups our Committee has considered, but I feel obliged to make a quick comment on the amendment tabled by the noble Earl, Lord Devon—and also because my gluteus maximus has gone to sleep.

We have a constitution, which...

My Lords, I rise briefly to say that, as the royal representatives and great offices of state—the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Earl Marshall—are being removed from the House, is it reasonable not to sever the Royal Family’s link entirely with the Floor of the House? I might draw the...

My Lords, I rise briefly to say that, as the royal representatives and great offices of state—the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Earl Marshall—are being removed from the House, is it reasonable not to sever the Royal Family’s link entirely with the Floor of the House? I might draw the...

I think the noble Lord is speaking to the amendment in the next group. While I am on my feet, I will say very quickly, because this has made me think of it, that if the King does get removed, we will end up with something very close to the...

I think the noble Lord is speaking to the amendment in the next group. While I am on my feet, I will say very quickly, because this has made me think of it, that if the King does get removed, we will end up with something very close to the...

My Lords, I will just make a couple of points. First, we are not abolishing hereditary Peers; we are abolishing the right of hereditary Peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords. Secondly, 26 years ago we removed 667 hereditary Peers and as far as I can judge,...

My Lords, I will just make a couple of points. First, we are not abolishing hereditary Peers; we are abolishing the right of hereditary Peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords. Secondly, 26 years ago we removed 667 hereditary Peers and as far as I can judge,...

With that in mind, I invite the noble Lord to have a word with those who drafted the Labour manifesto, which says, as a standalone sentence: “Hereditary peers remain indefensible”.

With that in mind, I invite the noble Lord to have a word with those who drafted the Labour manifesto, which says, as a standalone sentence: “Hereditary peers remain indefensible”.

My Lords, I associate myself with the comments of both the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, and my noble friend Lord Thurso. There is not, and never has been, the sort of link between the hereditary Peers and the monarch that I suspect the noble Earl, Lord Devon, was suggesting. We...

My Lords, I associate myself with the comments of both the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, and my noble friend Lord Thurso. There is not, and never has been, the sort of link between the hereditary Peers and the monarch that I suspect the noble Earl, Lord Devon, was suggesting. We...

My Lords, I say to the noble Lord, Lord Newby, that I seem to remember that in the House of Lords which, to its shame, agreed to the execution of the King, there were only about six Peers who still sat, because of the exigencies of the Civil War and...

My Lords, I say to the noble Lord, Lord Newby, that I seem to remember that in the House of Lords which, to its shame, agreed to the execution of the King, there were only about six Peers who still sat, because of the exigencies of the Civil War and...

I am very sorry to disappoint the noble Lord, Lord True, because I am standing to speak to Amendment 3 rather than my noble friend the Leader of the House. I thank the noble Earl for his amendment and also for his transparency in explaining that this is indeed a...

I am very sorry to disappoint the noble Lord, Lord True, because I am standing to speak to Amendment 3 rather than my noble friend the Leader of the House. I thank the noble Earl for his amendment and also for his transparency in explaining that this is indeed a...

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. The noble Lord, Lord Grocott, made the point that the monarchy had certainly survived the departure of 600-plus hereditary Peers in 1998-99, but does the Minister accept that we are now breaking the link between hereditary Peers in Parliament in its...

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. The noble Lord, Lord Grocott, made the point that the monarchy had certainly survived the departure of 600-plus hereditary Peers in 1998-99, but does the Minister accept that we are now breaking the link between hereditary Peers in Parliament in its...

Yes, I do—that is the intention of the Bill. My point is that it does not impact at all the principle of our constitutional monarchy. It has no bearing on it whatever, and it is for those reasons that I respectfully ask the noble Earl to consider withdrawing his amendment.

Yes, I do—that is the intention of the Bill. My point is that it does not impact at all the principle of our constitutional monarchy. It has no bearing on it whatever, and it is for those reasons that I respectfully ask the noble Earl to consider withdrawing his amendment.

Before the noble and learned Lord sits down, my recollection of 1999 was that the royal Princes specifically indicated that they would not wish to sit in this House. My further recollection is that, in the cloakroom, there were very grand coat hooks for the Prince of Wales and other...

Before the noble and learned Lord sits down, my recollection of 1999 was that the royal Princes specifically indicated that they would not wish to sit in this House. My further recollection is that, in the cloakroom, there were very grand coat hooks for the Prince of Wales and other...

I thank the noble and learned Lord for the little bit of history—I am very grateful.

I thank the noble and learned Lord for the little bit of history—I am very grateful.

I thank the Minister very much for his words and particularly for being so brief, because I did not mean for this amendment to try your Lordships’ patience. I am very grateful to all who contributed to the debate. It is an amendment that deserved to stand alone, and I...

I thank the Minister very much for his words and particularly for being so brief, because I did not mean for this amendment to try your Lordships’ patience. I am very grateful to all who contributed to the debate. It is an amendment that deserved to stand alone, and I...

Moved by

Lord Strathclyde

4: Clause 1, page 1, line 1, at end insert—

“(A1) In section 1 of the House of Lords Act 1999 (exclusion of hereditary peers), at end insert “, except for the Earl Marshal and the Lord Great Chamberlain”.”

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment would retain the Earl Marshal and the...

Moved by

Lord Strathclyde

4: Clause 1, page 1, line 1, at end insert—

“(A1) In section 1 of the House of Lords Act 1999 (exclusion of hereditary peers), at end insert “, except for the Earl Marshal and the Lord Great Chamberlain”.”

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment would retain the Earl Marshal and the...

My Lords, Amendment 4 is a short amendment with a very small impact on two Members of this House. It is less a probing amendment and more one that I very much hope the Front Bench will be able to accept. The Leader of the House, at Second Reading and...

My Lords, Amendment 4 is a short amendment with a very small impact on two Members of this House. It is less a probing amendment and more one that I very much hope the Front Bench will be able to accept. The Leader of the House, at Second Reading and...

My Lords, I too have put my name to this amendment. These two Great Officers of State have been in existence since 1386, in the case of the Earl Marshal, and 1130, in the case of Lord Great Chamberlain. It was intended that they were required not only to perform...

My Lords, I too have put my name to this amendment. These two Great Officers of State have been in existence since 1386, in the case of the Earl Marshal, and 1130, in the case of Lord Great Chamberlain. It was intended that they were required not only to perform...

My Lords, I too put my name to the amendment. My point is wholly pragmatic. It seems that the Earl Marshal and the Lord Great Chamberlain would be better placed to perform their functions, which they have to perform, if they were entitled to come here on a regular basis...

My Lords, I too put my name to the amendment. My point is wholly pragmatic. It seems that the Earl Marshal and the Lord Great Chamberlain would be better placed to perform their functions, which they have to perform, if they were entitled to come here on a regular basis...

My Lords, first, retaining the connection between these two Great Officers of State and this place would reassure those who are concerned about the weakening link between this place and the monarch. Secondly, what does the Lord Privy Seal say about the role of the Lord Great Chamberlain? As she...

My Lords, first, retaining the connection between these two Great Officers of State and this place would reassure those who are concerned about the weakening link between this place and the monarch. Secondly, what does the Lord Privy Seal say about the role of the Lord Great Chamberlain? As she...

My Lords, these two Great Officers of State are part of the framework that governs the Government and how they function. It would be humiliating for them to have to apply to something such as the commission to be able to come in here and fulfil their roles, which are...

My Lords, these two Great Officers of State are part of the framework that governs the Government and how they function. It would be humiliating for them to have to apply to something such as the commission to be able to come in here and fulfil their roles, which are...