On page 10 (Argus letters, May 12), Andre Rhoden-Paul writes that he has come to accept our constitutional monarchy. It makes no difference to anyone whether he accepts it or not.

The whole significance of the unelected head of state is just because it is unelected. Why is this?

It is because Britain is a prescriptive monarchy. This means that the sovereign power of the British Crown, as it is exercised through council and through Parliament, is derived not from treaty, or document, or compact but from prescription, from the fact that it has been so from time immemorial.

That it is imminent in the nation itself.

The British Crown is a Parliamentary Crown. It is the Crown in Parliament.

The Armed Forces, the judges, the police force.

The officers of state, both Houses of Parliament, swear allegiance to the Crown.

The monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has no political power and can act and speak only on the advice of her ministers.

Parliament acts on the advice and consent of the people who vote government in or out of power at the General Election.

Those of us who voted for Brexit and the permanent restoration of the sovereignty of our Parliamentary democracy, did so in the knowledge that we possess the world’s oldest uninterrupted government and that we will not ever surrender that sovereignty, that self-government and independence, to anyone or any thing.

Christopher Fox-Walker
Merlswood