God Save the Queen

In the twentieth century, many European monarchies collapsed, but others are still going strong today--including the British Royal Family, who have weathered their fair share of scandals.

When he was deposed in Egypt in 1952, King Farouk predicted that there would be five monarchs left at the end of the century: the kings of hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades, and England. To date, his prediction has proved wrong, and while the twentieth century saw the collapse of monarchies across Europe, many democratic societies have retained them.

God Save the Queen is the first book to look at constitutional monarchies globally. Is monarchy merely a feudal relic that should be abolished, or does the division between ceremonial and actual power act as a brake on authoritarian politicians? Is a President Boris Johnson potentially more dangerous than a Prime Minister Boris Johnson? And what is the role of monarchy in the independent countries of the Commonwealth that have retained the Queen as head of state?

Monarchy deserves neither the adulation of the right nor the dismissal of the left. In an era of autocratic populism, does constitutional monarchy provide some safeguards against the megalomania of political leaders? A fascinating read through the unexpected durability and potential benefits of constitutional monarchies.