What Happened The Last Time The Monarch Vetoed A Law?

No, I don't know what my camera is doing here. My set-up's held together with cardboard and blu-tack at the moment.

Sources and further reading:

YouGov polls:

[kinocorner]

The fact that she made a somewhat realistic Greek helmet out of cardboard is extremely impressive.

[erwinsorno]

This is the kind of content I've been missing: minimal editing, no borrowed assets, just a semi-sentient camera and a highly intelligent, charismatic, broom-wielding presenter. Banger of a video.

[princecharon]

One of the few situations where I could see a modern British monarch using the veto power is if Parliament decides to pass a bill that is so wildly unpopular with the public that withholding Royal Assent is the only way to prevent lynchings or other serious problems (they might also call for new elections right after). There was an article about either George V or George VI that mentioned 'a disaster in the offing' being the only way he'd have been willing to withhold Royal Assent from a bill.

[janwallace]

There was an incidence when the Queen asked for changes on a Scottish bill recently, it was to do with power cables going through private land. The Queen didn't want the power cables crossing her land and held off assent until a new route was proposed, it added considerable cost to the project.

[EidolonDragoon]

I like the idea that some British traditions are truly spur of the moment type things. King couldn’t speak English so he had a minister who acted on his behalf. Boom, the Prime Minister is born. Makes the correct British Government truly come off as organic as opposed to institutional which I have always found interesting.

[ronniepriveprofiel]

Fun (Slighty related) Fact. The king of belgium has roughly the same power to not sign laws into existence. In 1990 he did not like a new abbortion related law. So he stepped down for 1 day, and the law could go effect, without him having to actually sign it .

[digitaltoaster]

I love how goofy, yet well made your costumes are, your presentation style makes it all work so well together.

[YTHandlesAreDumb]

I’m American but I think I found a new favorite content creator. You’re so intelligent and focused, and your delivery and theatrics are amusing but never overstay their welcome. Thank you for all the interesting tales and tidbits on British history!

[Zaper]

I'm not from the UK, but looking at the British monarchy from this angle is fascinating.

[las]

This power has apparently been used twice by two Dutch queens: first Wilhelmina declined to sign a bill involving the death penalty for convicted war criminals and collaborators after WWII, because she thought it didn't go far enough.
A few decades later her daughter, queen Juliana, refused again because of her moral opposition to capital punishment.

Queen Wilhelmina was always very fond of the idea of absolute monarchy, she never liked her cabinets, especially the war time ones. She thought them all a bunch of weaklings. In 1945 Erik Hazelhoff Roelfsema, a very famous 'hero' from WWII and close friend to the Queen, apparently started planning a coup d'état to bring Wilhelmina to absolute power.

I'd love for a big production company to take on the life of Wilhelmina and turn it into a Crown-like tv show, because she was quite the character.

[AuspolExplained]

Interesting video! Fun fact: the Governor-General of Australia accidentally signed a bill in the 1970s despite it not having passed both chambers because of a clerical error where they sent him a bill that coincidentally had the same name as another bill that had passed. He gave assent, then withdrew it when he discovered the error. Also fascinating: the Queen's power (and now the King) doesn't just extend to refusing to give assent to bills in Australia, but also undoing them within one year of the Governor-General giving it royal assent (section 59 of the Australian constitution) - but this power has never been used federally in Australia. I believe it had been used in some of our states in the mid 1800s pre-federation, but I couldn't find any specifics so can't expand on that.

[jamaicantillidie]

This explains a lot, THANK YOU. We have the Monarchy as Head of State but most Jamaicans do not know what that really means. Having power and not using it, is not the same as not having power.

[abzzeus]

The audience, with someone as knowledgeable as the Queen was, was a great help to PMs. the cabinet are after your job, the opposition after your party

[MadHatter]

This possibility was explored a few years back in Charles III, a play (later made into a BBC film) where Charles ascends the throne and causes a constitutional crisis by refusing to sign a bill he doesn’t like. It’s written in the style of a Shakespearean history play, and muses about the nature of political and cultural authority of a modern-day monarch.

[erracht]

This is a very good video explaining the matter in plain language. I'm glad you understand that technically, there is no actual "must" in (at the time the Queen's now the King's) role in giving Royal Assent. Unlike what Bagehot claimed (stating borderline preposterously that the Queen must sign her own death warrant if both houses of Parliament send it up to her), the Sovereign still technically retains the power to veto laws. They just prefer to avoid that route, to minimize the chances that they will become unpopular and be ousted / asked to lay down the throne. But even if this is so, as you said with the example of the meetings with the PM, the Sovereign surely still has a lot of soft power, and I wouldn't dismiss the office as that of a mere figurehead.

[obiwanfx]

This happened in Belgium in the early 90's when then King Boudewijn was pressured by his catholic spanish wife not to sign an abortion law. The government had him declared "unfit" for a single day (with his cooperation) and signed the law themselves, then reinstated him.

[TheLordRichard]

Slight correction: 3:15
Actually the Act of settlement settled upon George I’s mother Sophia of Hanover.
But she died at the age of 84 a mere two months before Queen Anne.
Hence George inherited her claim to the throne.

[shriramvenu]

very nicely presented, and it's so refreshing to have your simple filming style with minimal use of effects or camera changes

[giordy]

I'm truly in love with her, just found out her channel yesterday and I'm amazed by her knowledge and ability to share and convey it, she's such a good historical entertainer

[stephaniebaker]

I just discovered you and I've already binge watched a ton of your videos. You fill this very specific need I have to be taught super interesting/random facts and to be taught it from someone in a British accent. Perfection. Love it. Chef's kiss.