Complex sentence: In the United Kingdom and countries formerly under that country's influence, letters patent are issued under the prerogative powers of the head of state ("royal prerogative") and constitute a rare, if significant, form of legislation without the consent of the parliament.
Split into simpler sentences: In the United Kingdom and countries formerly under that country's influence, letters patent are issued under the prerogative powers of the head of state ("royal prerogative"). They constitute a rare, if significant, form of legislation without the consent of the parliament.