Can a member of the Royal family become a politician/member of Parliament?

Question

Can a member of the Royal family become a politician/member of Parliament?

Answer 1

Presumably, he or she would need to renounce any royal titles to do so because the Crown by custom is apolitical. However, there is a precedent already set for hereditary peers taking a place in the House of Commons.  Liberal Democrat and Scottish peer, John Sinclair, third Viscount Thurso (b. 1953), choose not to try and stay in the House of Lords when his right to automatically take his seat there was abolished in 1999. Lord Thurso subsequently ran for Parliament in the 2001 general election and won the right to represent Caithness, Sutherland, and Easter Ross, becoming the first British peer to sit in the Commons without renouncing his title.  

Accordingly, if Prince Edward or Andrew, or Prince Harry, for that matter, wants to renounce his place in line for the throne, a potential new career path might be open to him.  Of course, such a candidate would first have to run and be elected presumably for a very safe seat.

Answer 2

With the exception of the Queen herself, any other member of the Royal Family can become a politican or member of Parliament.

Until recently, The Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of York, Duke of Kent and Duke of Gloucester were all members of the House of Lords. They sometimes made speeches, but were always apolitical. Previous Royal Dukes, such as King George III's son, the Duke of Cumberland were not so apolitical and actively campaigned against Catholic emancipation for example.

Other members of the Royal Family, ie the Princes and Princesses, their spouses and children, generally do not get involved in politics. However there is no legal barrier to them doing so assuming they meet the other requirements to become an MP.  

Answer 3

Yes, but they have to give up claim to the throne.

Answer 4

Her Highness,Queen Elizabeth ll cannot run in any elections and must remain a politically impartial Head of State, lest she abdicates.The other members of the family are in no obligation to do the same but refrain from doing so as not to embarrass the queen.

Answer 5

I suppose it also depends on what you mean by the royal family. George V (Queen Elizabeth's grandfather) established the House of Windsor. He has 79 descendants (10 of which are dead). I suppose one of them could run for parliament or sit in the house of Lords. Right now, I don't think any of them are in parliament.

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I doubt that anyone who carries the title His Royal Highness (HRH), Her Royal Highness (HRH), or Their Royal Highnesses (TRH) would run for office. They would be too close to the throne which must remain non-partisan. Aside from the King and Queen there are 19 royals.

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The Queen is HM (Her Majesty)

The King consort can be referred to as HRH on his own

HRH Prince Philip (queen's husband)

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Their are 14 people that are entitled to use the title HRH by right of birth

4: The queen's four children (3 male & 1 female)

6: The queen's grandchildren ( by her sons, not her daughter)

4: The queen's cousins (by her uncles , not her aunts) One of these cousins is widowed.

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Then their are 5 people that are entitle to the TRH by current marriage (the divorced spouse loses the style "royal"). The spouse is not "royal" on her own. Two of her sons are currently married, and three of the four cousins (by her uncles) are married.

(1) TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall

(The Queen's eldest son and his wife)

(2) TRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex

(The Queen's third son and his wife)

(3) TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

(The Queen's cousin and his wife)

(4) TRH The Duke and Duchess of Kent

(The Queen's cousin and his wife)

(5) TRH Prince and Princess Michael of Kent

(The Queen's cousin and his wife)

Answer 6

No. Participation in democracy would undermine the idea of monarchy