Why monarchies still exist

The British royal family now routinely shares intimate family photos and videos on social media, and Prince Harry recently took the unusual step of confirming his relationship with US actress Meghan Markle in a bid to protect her privacy. Mr Mansillo said there were other, more technical reasons Australia was still a Commonwealth realm. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work.

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Of course, royalty brings in funds as well, particularly through tourism. A significant disparity, but not one that is likely to make much difference if you object to the monarchy as a matter of principle.

Determining how much money a monarchy brings to its economy is more difficult, as even in republics, former royal residences continue to generate income as historical sites. Muddying the waters further, many royal families are not entirely forthcoming regarding their finances. Research undertaken elsewhere, however, has suggested that countries with a monarchy fare better economically than republics.

However, absolute monarchies also scored highly in terms of external risk, while monarchies generally recorded higher levels of debt. So, in other words, people who live in countries that have a monarchy tend to enjoy higher standards of living than those in republics, precisely because monarchies protect property rights to a greater extent.

A pretty good deal overall, but one that may still not convince republicans that having an unelected head of state is justifiable. Moving with the times Republics now vastly outnumber monarchies, and the only reason many of the latter have survived is by evolving and adapting. Instead, most monarchs know they reside on shaky ground. Republicanism is present in all states with a king or queen; the aim is to keep this movement in the minority.

Economic statistics bring some added clarity to the debate and usually support for monarchists but must always be taken with a pinch of salt. As in the case of the United Kingdom, the monarch might technically have great authority, but they aren't empowered to flex that power.

Contrary to the common perception in the U. She wouldn't do so without consulting her government, however, due to a variety of legal and political factors. A mixed monarchy is one in which there is a legislature with powers, but the monarch maintains more authority than in a constitutional monarchy. The most famous example is Jordan, where the king exercises a great deal of power but the country is fairly democratic.

Here is a list of all the monarchies in the world, listed by country with type of monarchy. See also: Current World Leaders. Updated November 3, Logan Chamberlain. Country Monarch Type of monarchy Andorra Andorra is ruled by two princes, one of whom is always the current President of France.

Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu. See also:. Percentage of Divorces in Selected Countries, Trending Here are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about. Is Vatican City a Country?