You see this in parts of Europe.So, it's the parliamentary system but made democratic top-to-bottom.Not enormously. Graham Smith has been campaigning against the royal family for more than a decade. But they think that it's harmless. The government would still be drawn from the lower house with a prime minister, and we would elect a head of state with them having a limited constitutional role.That's a role that's actually quite valuable in times of crisis. I mean Prince William going to a charity for young LGBT people last week put that charity But that's not a reason to have an undemocratic constitution. So, there has long been talk amongst Canadian republicans, those who wish to abolish the monarchy within Canada, to do just that. We elect both houses of parliament and get rid of all the unelected lords [in the U.K. parliament's upper house]. Any such change to the status of the monarchy in Canada requires a constitutional amendment having the support of the federal government and parliament and the unanimous support of every provincial government and legislative assembly. I think there are people that love the monarchy and they'll be rude to you on Twitter and send you a rude email and whatever. The idea that they are more popular now than ever isn't supported by the facts.Most people are fairly apathetic and indifferent about the royal family. Actually, it's a part of our constitution—it's not just some kind of hereditary left-over.

Sorry you must be at least 19 years of age to consume this content.Last week, as she has done for the past 67 years of her reign, Queen Elizabeth II gave her annual Christmas Message, broadcast throughout the United Kingdom and all 52 member states of the Commonwealth.The broadcasting of such a message of Christmas greetings was inaugurated by the Queen’s grandfather, George V, in 1932, when his voice was carried by radio waves throughout the then Commonwealth dominions and Empire. It's not a sustainable argument.Secondly, the evidence just isn't there. Over the last few days he's been talking about We do Freedom of Information requests and investigate these issues and try and dig out the truth of what's actually going on, to try and challenge a lot of the spin.William and Harry, for example, lobby and get involved in issues and so on that they shouldn't be. That is a tall to insurmountable hurdle to overcome.And even to get to the formal constitutional discussions with first ministers first requires the holding of a national referendum on the issue of monarchy abolition, national referendums require the approval of the prime minister and cabinet. Founded in 1983 as a niche group with only a handful of members, Republic was officially incorporated as a campaign group in 2006. As I wrote previously, while the Queen has been delegating more of her royal duties to her eldest son, she will neither retire, nor abdicate the throne.

A lot of that comes back to the power of the crown exercised by the Queen on behalf of the government. They are patrons of things but they're not hands-on. If he asks for them to come see him they will do so.He also has direct power over legislation that affects him privately. In Canada, no Canadian can ever aspire to become Canada’s head of state because that position is guaranteed, by law, to reside in the hands of the senior-most member of the House of Windsor, Britain’s royal family.Only in death will her service to her now Commonwealth peoples come to an end.So, there has long been talk amongst Canadian republicans, those who wish to abolish the monarchy within Canada, to do just that. It leads to a highly centralized political system where parliament has very little independent authority over the government.People don't really care much about the principle of the monarchy or the design of the constitution.

It's just the way it works.