Is the queen of england (or current reigning monarch) excempt from criminal prosecution?

Question

Is the queen of england (or current reigning monarch) excempt from criminal prosecution?

Answer 1

Yes she is exempt from prosecution for any crime. It is her royal prerogative.

Just one of the perks of the job!

Answer 2

Yes.

Answer 3

Charles I's head didn't fall off by itself.

Answer 4

She has a License to Kill, which means she can kill or be killed with impunity.  Those closest to her call her "Double-O Liz". . . .

Answer 5

The Queen cannot be charged with a crime, she IS the law. All court cases are "Regina (in other words, the Queen) vs whoever".

However anyone else, including the members of the Royal Family, can be charged under the law with a crime.

Answer 6

The last reigning monarch to be charged with a crime was Charles I. He did not recognise the court that tried him but it didn't save him from the headsman. Mind you, most of those who signed the death warrant were hanged drawn and quartered by Charles II so it wasn't such a good idea.

It is unlikely that the Queen would break her own laws but were she to do so, the Parliament could insist on her abdication. Once she was no longer Queen, she could be charged although her successor would be likely to remit any sentence.

Answer 7

First, the Queen is not going to do anything that would warrant prosecution - It's just not going to happen. In saying that...

The Crown (in this case, Queen Elizabeth II) cannot be charged, prosecuted or convicted of a crime and nor can the Crown be compelled to testify in court. The Crown is not so much a person, but an institution and being that, the institution cannot be held criminally liable (although the staff and family of the reigning monarch can be).

On the other hand, the UK is a modern country and as such the government (Parliament/Prime Minister) would not allow anyone to openly commit a serious crime such as treason or murder and get away with it.

So what could happen if the Queen was caught committing a serious crime that demanded justice and a *cover-up* was impossible? It depends on the crime and what the British people demanded.

Since the Queen is immune from prosecution while on the throne, the only way the Queen could be prosecuted for a crime would be if Parliament removed her from the throne and/or abolished the Monarchy. Since you can't prosecute the Crown, you would have to prosecute the person and the only way to do that would be to remove the person from the Crown.

The next question is, could Parliament remove the Queen or abolish the Monarchy? Yes, if they had the support of the British people.

Remember, the UK is not a dictatorship and ultimately the fate of the nation, it's institutions and it's leaders, resides in the hands of the British people.

Answer 8

I live in Canada and the queen has enough power here to pardon any inmate for any crimes as well see can at her command lock someone up indefinetly.  So why couldnt she do this for herself?  Obviously she can...but probably wouldnt

Answer 9

I have heard in the past about "Diplomatic Immunity", where the leader of a county is exempt from criminal prosecution. It is likely that this applies to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

In a western country like the UK, the moral public outcry would be huge if a much-loved reigning monarch took to criminal ways. It would have to be hushed up, or there might be a revolution! Remember France?

Although, having said that, I doubt she would bother robbing a bank in the first place. Heh.