Mussolini Arrested

75 years ago today, Benito Mussolini was dismissed by his King, and shortly thereafter arrested on His Majesty's orders.

Last Britannic Denial of Royal Assent

Three centuries and ten years ago today, Her Britannic Majesty denied Royal Assent, a right never since exercised by a Britannic Sovereign.

Passing ot the King's PM

Two to the power of seven years ago today, Christian August Selmer, Norwegian Prime Minister of King Oscar II, who fought with His Majesty against the usurping Parliament during the “constitutional crisis” of the 1880s, passed away.

Dr. Scharffenberg

Half a century ago today, Johan Scharffenberg passed away.

Scharffenberg was active in 1905 for the republican cause in the Kingdom of Norway, but at the end of World War II he was behind a move to give more powers to the King.

The King's Man

125 years ago today, Christian August Selmer, Norwegian Prime Minister of King Oscar II, who fought with His Majesty against the usurping Parliament during the “constitutional crisis” of the 1880s, passed away.

Coronation and the Bicentennial

108 years ago today, Their Majesties King Haakon VII and Queen Maud were crowned in Trondhjem Cathedral.

We should remember in this Constitutional bicentennial year, where “everyone” is celebrating democratic progress, that eight years ago, on the occasion of the centennial of the coronation, an opinion poll showed 20 percent in support of more powers to the King. 30 percent amongst those around thirty and younger supported more powers to the King.

King Oscar II in 1905

Declared Oscar II on June 10:

Those powers which the Constitution grants the King of Norway to empower him to promote the well-being of the land according to his conviction are not greater than that they should be preserved in the hands of the regal power, such that no practice against constitutional principles is established, which according to article 112 of the Constitution cannot even be brought about with a constitutional amendment. One of the principal principles of the Constitution – the most important – is that Norway is a constitutional monarchy. This principle cannot be unified with the King sinking to a no-will tool in the hand of the Council of State. If, however, the members of the Council of State through denial of countersignature are able to prevent each and every royal decision, the King of Norway would be without any part in state power. This situation would be as equally denigrating for the monarch as harmful for Norway herself.

[…]

After in such a manner, in violation of the Constitution, having sought to nullify a legal decision by the King of Norway, the Council of State has by resigning their offices in Parliament put the King of Norway in a position without advisors. The Parliament has accepted this violation of the Constitution and through a revolutionary act declared the legal King of Norway for having ceased to reign as well as the union between the united realms dissolved.

Mussolini Dismissal

70 years ago today, Benito Mussolini was dismissed by his King, and shortly thereafter arrested on His Majesty's orders.

More Power to the Queen?

Over at FrontPage Magazine, writes Daniel Greenfield:

It does seem as if Queen Elizabeth has a good deal more sense than any of her Prime Ministers.

And Mr. Greenfield asks:

[W]ho wouldn’t like to contemplate the possibility of Queen Elizabeth II driving the rabble out of the kingdom?

C.M. Falsen

23 decades ago today, Christian Magnus Falsen was born. Falsen was one of the leading men at Eidsvold. He was a proponent of aristocratic and monarchical power.

We will likely hear a lot about Falsen in the constitutional jubilee year of 2014.

More Diamond Jubilee

I recently reported and reflected on the Diamond Jubilee.

Here's some more.

There was a flag of the Portuguese interregnal government in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.

Anamoly UK has some reflections on the jubilee. Anamoly UK also has a follow-up of a previous talk on monarchy.

Victory in Liechtenstein!

The initiative to remove the right of the Prince of Liechtenstein to deny assent to popular referenda has failed – fortunately and expectedly. More than three fourths supported retention of this right. More than four fifths turned up for the referendum.

BBC News reports. So does The Globe and Mail. Google News has more.

Hoch leb' der Fürst vom Land!

This blogger has noticed that Liechtenstein is repeatedly referred to as the only monarchy in Europe where the monarch has any real powers to speak of left. Let us not forget the Principality of Monaco.


Elsewhere: Royal World (and pre-referendum)

Liechtensteiners Vote Sunday

All the best wishes for Sunday's referendum in Liechtenstein – for the initiative to be rejected.

Hoch leb' der Fürst vom Land!

The Competition for Power

Andrew McGinn reflects on some arguments for monarchy:

H/T: Kalim Kassam

Peter Hitchens

On the need for restraints on democracy:

On the Labour Party:

On the “Tories”:

The Britannic Jubilee

There was a conference at Kensington Palace just after the central weekend. The opening of the conference with the first talk by Prof. Sir David Cannadine (acoustic conditions could have been better):

The professor is apparently not very open to other definitions of constitutional monarchy than the narrow mainstream one. Had he stated the definition as the one relevant for his talk and stated and a discussion of the definition beyond the scope of his talk, I would have found that more appropriate. Other than that, it is a historically interesting talk.

Apparently, there are podcasts for more talks.

Over at the blog of the Libertarian Alliance, Dr. Sean Gabb had a couple of posts. He does have his points, and I have made my comments at his posts as well.

A lot can be said. On the issue of whether the monarchy is only ornamental, we can quote Walter Bagehot – as Prof. Cannadine:

The Crown does more than it seems.

Mr. Peter Hitchens predicts the end of the British monarchy.

Mr. Tom Harrison, chairman of the Royalist Party, stands up for what he calls proper constitutional monarchy.

Over at Alternative Right, Mr. Colin Lidell gives us his negative take.

Over at Taki's Magazine:

• Derek Turner: Royal Pains
• Bruce Cochran: Diamond Jubilation

Again, a lot can be said.

There is a lot through these sixty years of reign that do not deserve celebration. The transformation from a monarchy mostly fundamental to a monarchy mostly ornamental, a process started long before 1952, should definitely not to be celebrated.

We should celebrate heroes standing up against this transformation, such as His Serene Highness Sovereign Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein. That we can mark 60 years of reign for a monarch who was born after the dawn of the republican age is reason to celebrate too.

Treetops marks the Diamond Jubilee:

Liechtensteiners to Vote on Assent

Apparently, the initiative for a referendum on the right to deny assent to referenda in the Principality of Liechtenstein has succeeded. Liechtensteiner Vaterland reports (in German) that there are 1732 signatories. The initiative apparently does not involve the right to deny assent to issues not put to a referendum.

Your host blogger wishes the referendum to fail.

"Absolute" for Liberals and Conservatives

Mad for Monaco celebrates the admiration for the “absolute” monarchy of Monaco by conservatives and liberals alike.

Enforced Countersignature at 100

A century ago today Royal Assent was given by his Majesty King Haakon VII to a constitutional amendment changing the status of the regal signature. The phrase “in order to be valid” was added. In addition military command cases were made subject to countersignature, which they were not before this amendment.

It is said that this amendment effectively turned the regal signature into the real countersignature – in a formal way, but still keeping the countersignature the countersignature formally.

An important step in the emasculation of the King of Norway was made on this day a hundred years ago.

The amendment came about six years after King Oscar II had denied Royal Assent and his cabinet had refused to countersign.

Coronation in Trondhjem

Haakon VII and Queen Maud of Norway105 years ago today, Their Majesties King Haakon VII and Queen Maud were crowned in Trondhjem Cathedral.

Five years ago, on the occasion of the centennial, an opinion poll showed 20 percent in support of more powers to the King. 30 percent amongst those around thirty and younger supported more powers to the King.