# Royal Voting in the UK **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 23, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-voting-in-the-uk/758152 "2016-06-23T15:28:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-voting-in-the-uk/758152/1 "2016-06-23T15:28:41Z")
As I understand it, the British Royal Family has no say in national or local politics, and in fact never publicly comments on political matters, but I assume they can vote just as any other registered UK voter can. Whether they choose to vote or not is another matter. Is that true? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-voting-in-the-uk/758152/2 "2016-06-23T15:32:53Z")
The Queen can vote, but in practice it is considered unconstitutional for the Monarch to vote in an election. The rest of the royal family can, and probably do, vote. Of course how they vote is between them and the ballot box. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-voting-in-the-uk/758152/3 "2016-06-23T15:44:05Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > The Queen can vote, but in practice it is considered unconstitutional for the Monarch to vote in an election. Can you explain this? Why is it considered ‘unconstitutional’ for the Queen to vote, yet she can vote? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-voting-in-the-uk/758152/4 "2016-06-23T16:02:23Z")
When Peers were still seated in the Upper House, were they allowed to vote for Members of the House of Commons? I’m surprised that the Queen is allowed to vote. She still can’t enter the House of Commons, right? (She can send Black Rod with a message but even he gets the door slammed in his face.) ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-voting-in-the-uk/758152/5 "2016-06-23T17:35:35Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > When Peers were still seated in the Upper House, were they allowed to vote for Members of the House of Commons? > > I’m surprised that the Queen is allowed to vote. She still can’t enter the House of Commons, right? (She can send Black Rod with a message but even he gets the door slammed in his face.) Well, ironically, the Queen’s right to vote (along with everyone else’s) is enshrined in EU Law - the European Union’s Charter on Fundamental Rights to be precise. However, by convention, she does not vote. I also don’t think any of the senior Royals choose to vote either. We’ve certainly never seen them snapped outside a polling station. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-voting-in-the-uk/758152/6 "2016-06-23T17:40:32Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Can you explain this? Why is it considered ‘unconstitutional’ for the Queen to vote, yet she can vote? In this matter, I think ‘unconstitutional’ is perhaps not the right word. ‘By convention’ would be more accurate. However, bear in mind that our constitution is nothing like a traditional written constitution that defines the rules. Rather, it’s a loose term applied to our laws and conventions, with a bit of ‘that’s how we’ve always done things’ thrown in for good measure. Parliament has the power to change laws, and hence our ‘constitution’, should they vote to do so. Our judges cannot strike down laws created by Parliament for being ‘unconstitutional’. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-voting-in-the-uk/758152/7 "2016-06-23T17:59:14Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > When Peers were still seated in the Upper House, were they allowed to vote for Members of the House of Commons? Members of the House of Lords aren’t allowed to vote in general elections or Commons by-elections. They can vote in local and EU Parliament elections, and presumably in the current referendum. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-voting-in-the-uk/758152/8 "2016-06-23T18:00:08Z")
The Monarch can vote. Members of the Royal Family who are also members of the House of Lords cannot vote. I don’t think any is at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-voting-in-the-uk/758152/9 "2016-06-23T20:55:49Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Well, ironically, the Queen’s right to vote (along with everyone else’s) is enshrined in EU Law - the European Union’s Charter on Fundamental Rights to be precise. The text of that Charter can be found [here](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/charter/pdf/text_en.pdf) (PDF). Doesn’t govern parliamentary elections, only local and European. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2016, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-voting-in-the-uk/758152/10 "2016-06-24T01:10:09Z")
The function of Parliament is to advise the monarch on the exercise of her power to legislate. The point of elections to the House of Commons is for commoners to choose those who will have a right to advise the monarch on their behalf. Members of the House of Lords (who advise the monarch in that capacity) and the monarch herself have no role to play in choosing advisers to speak on behalf of the commons. Hence, they have no vote. (Same rule applies, so far as I know, to Church of England Bishops. Those who have a place in the House of Lords do not vote in Commons elections; the rest do - or, at any rate, can.)