Demise of the Crown: Difference between revisions

[[File:Lord Stanley Brings the Crown of Richard (wide).jpg|thumb|upright 1.3|An early example of a demise of the Crown: following the [[Battle of Bosworth Field]], [[Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby|Lord Stanley]] hands the crown of [[Richard III of England|Richard III]] to [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]]]]

 

 

Originally, the demise of the Crown in England had significant legal effects: individuals who had been appointed to office by the deceased monarch lost their positions; if [[Parliament of England |Parliament]] was sitting, it automatically dissolved; and actions in the [[Royal Courts of Justice|royal courts]] automatically discontinued and had to be re-started. Almost all of these legal effects have been abolished by statutes of the British Parliament and the parliaments of the Commonwealth realms, so that the demise of the Crown no longer has much legal significance.

== Abdication of Edward VIII ==

 

 

Although the concept of the demise of the Crown evolved in the context of the death of the monarch, it was also used in the case of the [[Abdication of Edward VIII]] in 1936. The British Parliament passed a statute, [[His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936]], which declared that immediately on Edward granting [[royal assent]], he would cease to be king and "...there shall be a demise of the Crown, and accordingly the member of the Royal Family then next in succession to the Throne shall succeed thereto and to all the rights, privileges, and dignities thereunto belonging.".<ref>[https://www.bailii.org/uk/legis/num_act/1936/ukpga_19360003_en.pdf His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 (UK), 1 Edw. 8, c. 3, s. 1(1).]</ref> Edward's brother Albert, next in line, became king under the regnal name of [[George VI]].

===United Kingdom===

 

 

Upon the Crown's demise, in the [[United Kingdom]], a meeting of the [[Accession Council]] is held at [[St James's Palace]] in [[London]] in order to give directions for the proclamation of the new monarch. All members of the [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Council]], the [[Lord Mayor of London]] and the [[Court of Aldermen]], and the [[High commissioner (Commonwealth)|High Commissioners]] of the Commonwealth realms are invited to the Council. This meeting is to arrange for the formal proclamation of the new monarch. Neither the identity nor the accession to the throne of the next monarch depends on the Council, as the new monarch has already automatically succeeded by the demise of the Crown. The proclamation takes place in London at [[St James's Palace]], [[Charing Cross]], within the City Boundary at [[Temple Bar, London|Temple Bar]], and the [[Royal Exchange, London|Royal Exchange]]. The new monarch is also proclaimed at [[Edinburgh]], [[Belfast]] and [[Cardiff]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ciara.Berry |date=2016-01-15 |title=Accession |url=https://www.royal.uk/accession |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=The Royal Family |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Accession Council |url=https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/privy-council/the-accession-council/ |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=Privy Council |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Coronation==

 

 

The coronation is purely the ceremonial end of the accession process.

 

[[Category:Abdication of Edward VIII]]

[[Category:Commonwealth realms]]

[[Category:History of the British Empire]]

[[Category:History of the Commonwealth of Nations]]

[[Category:Legal doctrines and principles]]

[[Category:Legal terminology]]