Duke of Edinburgh title: King Charles III gets blasted as Prince Edward misses out on ‘wedding gift’

What are the powers of UK’s new monarch?

The monarchy was passed on to King Charles III, the former Prince of Wales, on September 8 after Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, passed away.

In contemporary Britain, the monarch's function is primarily ceremonial. British monarchy reWhat are the powers of Britain’s new monarchigns but does not govern, said University College London (UCL).

​Opening of Parliament

Each Parliamentary year begins with the State Opening Ceremony, where the new King addresses the House of Lords about the executive's intended goals and policies.

​Assenting legislation

The sovereign grants his or her Royal Assent to the bills passed by the House of Lords and the Commons, however this process is effectively now just a rubber stamping one since Queen Anne was the last monarch to refuse the Royal Assent to a bill in 1707.

Appointing government

The Prime Minister who has the backing of the majority of MPs is officially appointed by the new King. The Head of State summons the party's leader to Buckingham Palace to form the government after the party wins the general election. On the Prime Minister's recommendation, the monarch also formally dissolves a government before elections at the national level.

​Commonwealth

The newly elected British monarch will also preside over the Commonwealth of Nations, an organisation born out of the former British empire. There are 56 autonomous countries in it, and there are 2.4 billion people living there.