Explained in plain English
What is a monarch?
A monarch is a head of state who inherits their position, usually for life. The UK is a constitutional monarchy, meaning the King or Queen's powers are limited by law and tradition. While they don't call elections like the one in Greater Manchester, they play a symbolic role in approving new governments.
Stories that explain this
Greater Manchester mayoral byelection sees Labour expected to win comfortablyQuestions this opens up
What does the King do? Who becomes King? What is a constitutional monarchy?This explainer came from a news story
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