The Windsor family has again undercut the country’s claim to be a true democracy by shamefully insisting that it is above the law.
The Guardian newspaper has reported that “royal courtiers” pressured the government of Wales to exempt hereditary head of state Charlie Windsor from prosecution under a new law being put forward by the Welsh government to reform agricultural practice.
According to the Guardian Welsh government lawyers were contacted by Windsor family representative asking for an “assurance that Welsh ministers will take into account conventions regarding prosecuting the crown when making regulations under this bill”.
The Welsh government gave in to the pressure because of these “conventions” that give Windsor family members immunity from prosecution for crimes that they commit and protection from legal proceedings for the civil wrongs they do..
These conventions, that are not supported by legislation nor by a written constitution, require elected parliaments to ask the hereditary head of state for permission before a new law is put into effect.
Before a new law is implemented the Windsor family is notified of clauses that might have an effect on their wealth, property or public functions. The so called “king” is asked for permission before the law can be enacted.
The immunity given includes the actions of the head of state as a private citizen as well as as head of state. This means that Windsor’s private assets are exempt from the laws that apply to other citizens. And the police are forbidden from entering Windsor’s estates to investigate crimes without his permission
During her 70-year term of office the previous head of state Liz Windsor was allowed to intervene with over 1,000 new laws before they parliament was allowed to enact them. In one case she had her lawyers lobby ministers of the Scottish Parliament to exempt her privately owned land from a carbon emissions law.
Since Charlie replaced his mother he has been asked to consent to twenty new laws.