The Cairo bulletin., 1911-07-28
ROYAL ETIQUETTE
In England II Assumes a Number
OF Curious Phases
THINGS THE KING CANNOT DO
He Is Barred From Accepting Gifts
From individuals, He Must Not Be.
long TO Club and May Not Marry
Without Parlament's Consent.

IL
there are quite number of things
which, despite his exalted position as
sovereign OF the realm. King George
V. cannot do These disabilities range
over all sorts OF matters and concern
etiquette, politics, religion and law.
TO begin with etiquette, it is an estah
lished practice that his majesty must
never call upon or grant an audience
to a foreign monarch except 10 the
presence OF responsible minister.
Etiquette also precludes him from nc
cepting II gift which q loyal subject
may wish TO make him Should. how
ever. the gift be a joint offering the
prohibition does not apply This en-
ables King George 70 accept gifts
which are subscribed for by Number
Of people together
A king never writes II letter to any
body outside his family circle. All
other correspondence has 10 he con.
Quoted through one Of his secretaries
Nor does King George accept inyita-
tions 10 dine or stop with subject
What he does When lie wishes 20 pay
such a visit is to invite himself An
other strictly observed point OF Ell
quette Is that on ascending the throne
a king shall withdraw from any clubs
to which he has hitherto belonged
Similarly he cannot become q Free
Mason. and If he happens 70 be one at
the date OF his ascension he must re-
sign from the craft, King George
however, has not been inits ted.
Even in affairs Of the heart sover
Ieign must bow 20 the will of others
Although King Cophetaa might haye.
loved and shared his throne with q
begcar maid, the royal marriage act
would render the occurrence OF any
such romantic union impossible In Eng
land Members of the blood royal
must have the sanction of parliament
before they can marry, and this would
certainly not be accorded unless thu
birth and position of the lady were
beyond reproach.
An English kings position toward
the law is somewhat peculiar. Theo
retically he Is above the law. In prac
tice. however. be has TO obey II, jus
MS have his subjects. Ee must oh
serve the established legal system OF
the country Any royal proclamation
which he issues Is only binding In sci
far as II Is founded upon an existing
law. 1t cannot alter the common law
or create a new offense, nor can q
king set M private tribunals. such as
the star chamber or add to the iuris
dction of court By a special act OF
parliament it has also been decided
that if his majesty were 10 fbse I'm &c
ton brought against him by the reve
nue. authorities he would be, liable for
the payment of costs
BY the law Of the land the king can
not possibly commit an offense Any
injury or wrong suffered by subject
at his hands has TO be attributed to
the mistake of his advisers" hence
II happens that King George Is the
only person In Great Britain who can
not arrest suspected felon, even II
such a one were to be seen by him on
tering Buckingham palace or Windsor
castle The reason for this is becaus,
no action for wrongful arrest coult
lie against him, and therefore il tbs
person arrested by him were proved
innocent there would then be a wroni
without remedy Another legal dis
ability of the king IL that he is barred
of all rights In matters relating to land
after q lapse OF sixty years He is also
prohibited from serving on a jury OF
from giving evidence.
Until so comparatively recent a pc
Rod as 1870 If a subject were convict
Ell Of treason or felony the king could
claim his property. Another Iapsed
prerogative Of the crown is one known
as "corody," During its existence
king who wanted to advance the in
tereSts of q royal chaplain could com.
pei bishop to support such D clergy
man until d beneiice had been found
the right of founding q bishopric orr
creating ecclesiastical jurisdiction
Similarly he must always be b mem
Der Of the Church Of England and
cannot change his religion.
The theory that the king ''reigns.
but does not govern" is amply borne
out by the political system Of the
country. While the members Of par
lament are his majesty's faithful
commons" they have certain privi
leges which he himself does not pos
sess Thus King George can summon
or prorogue parliament at will, but he
cannot prolong- 1t beyond a definite
period. Similarly he Is absolutely de-
barred from imposing any sort of tax
alton whatever without hrst securing
the consent of parliament. Sc jeal'
ously guarded Is this privilege that q
king cannot create new officers with
new fees or annex new fees to exist
ing officers, as such a course would
be considered as. imposing q fresh tax.
In bygone timess however, when an
English monarch was in want, of funds
he would levy taxes right and left and
without asking anybody.
The franoise does not extend to Eng
lish monarchs. =, King George is one A
of the few men possessing a genuine
stake in the country without the priv
ilege of recording q vote London