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Monarchy, Church and State
In 2016 the Constitution Unit published a report about the role and future of the Monarchy, by Robert Hazell and Bob Morris. This is a precursor to two projects. The first, led by Bob Morris, is on the next Accession and Coronation. It will look in particular at the Accession and Coronation oaths, and consider whether they need updating before the next Monarch accedes to the throne. The second project, led by Robert Hazell, is a comparative study of the other monarchies of western Europe. The first step is to compile a comparative bibliography; the next would be to convene a comparative conference.
Previous work has focused on Church and State, and analysing calls for the disestablishment of the Church of England. This would involve removing the Monarch as head of the Church, removing the Anglican Bishops from the House of Lords, and ending government involvement in senior church appointments. Our three year research project into Church and State explored the realities of establishment, and what would be involved if the Church of England were disestablished. It concluded that disestablishment will only happen if the Church wants it: the government is unlikely to make the first move. The project was led by Dr Bob Morris.
Resources
Recent Publications
- The Queen at 90 The Changing Role of the Monarchy, and Future Challenges Robert Hazell and R.M Morris (June 2016)
- Church and State in 21st century Britain: The Future of Church establishment R.M. Morris (March 2009)
- Church and State Some Reflections on Church Establishment in England R.M. Morris (ed.)
Books and Articles by Bob Morris
- ‘Alternative Futures for Formal Church Establishment: Two Case Studies from the United Kingdom’in Guesnet F, Laborde C and Lee L (forthcoming 2015) Negotiating Religion (Palgrave).
- ‘Half-Opening Cans of Worms: The Present State of “High” Anglican Establishment’, Law and Justice, No 172 (September 2014), 10-26.
- ‘The Future of the Monarchy: The Reign of King Charles III’ in Hazell R (ed.) (2008) Constitutional Futures Revisited: Britain’s Constitution to 2020 (Palgrave), 139-155.
- Main author: Church and State in 21st Century Britain: The Future of Church Establishment (2009) (Palgrave)
- ‘The Future of “High” Establishment’ (2011) Ecclesiastical Law Journal, 260-273.
- ‘Succession to the Crown Bill’ (2013) Ecclesiastical Law Journal, 186-191.
With Norman Bonney:
- ‘Tuvalu and You: The Monarch, the United Kingdom and the Realms’ (2012) Political Quarterly, 368-373.
- ‘The Commonwealth in the Twenty-first Century’ (2012) Political Insight, 26-29.
Other Unit publications
- Frank Cranmer, John Lucas and Bob Morris, Church and State: a Mapping Exercise (2006)
Events
- Succession to the Crown of Canada – The Court Challenge and the Consequences - Professor Anne Twomey (University of Sydney)- 18 September 2014
- Extreme Devolution: How it works in Bermuda - George Fergusson (Governor of Bermuda) - 1 December 2014
- Changing the Rules of Succession and the Problem of the Realms - Prof Anne Twomey (27 Sept 2011)
Blog
The Crown: What does Netflix’s dramatisation and the celebritisation of an evolving monarchy mean for the royal family in 2018?
Tuesday, 06 February 2018
With Prince Philip now retired from his public role and Prince Harry set to marry an American actor in the spring, the royal family has entered 2018 in the midst of a period of change. Yet change is nothing new; the monarchy is constantly evolving. Bob Morris asks where does it now stand and what further changes […]
The Emperor of Japan, Prince Philip and the ‘a’ word
Monday, 22 May 2017
Two recent announcements – the Japanese government’s agreement to the Emperor’s wish to abdicate and Prince Philip’s retirement from public life, both on grounds of advancing age – highlight the fact that there is no continuing provision for abdication in UK law. Bob Morris considers the implications of this and suggests that there may be […]
The Easter Act 1928: a date with history
Friday, 14 April 2017
The Easter Act 1928 sets the date of Easter as the first Sunday after the second Saturday in April. However, the commencement order to bring it into force has never been passed. Kasim Khorasanee considers the age-old dispute over the date of Easter – and its place in the debate over the role of Christianity […]
The Queen at 90: the changing role of the monarchy, and future challenges
Friday, 10 June 2016
To mark the celebrations of the Queen’s 90th birthday the Constitution Unit has published a new report that discusses the formal powers of the monarchy, and its wider role and functions. The report concludes by looking ahead to what further changes can be expected in the coming decades. It is summarised here by its authors, Robert […]
