When did the monarcy stop ruling England and pass the buck to a “prime minister” and why?
As has been already said there was no definite date but occurred in stages. William III was the first to comply with the Bill of Rights, making the monarchy legally obliged to comply to the wishes of Parliament – He was denied the right to leave the country without Parilament’s consent, for example. George I was Hanoverian, and was more concerned with his German lands than with England, so He spent a lot of time in Europe – he appointed Sir Robert Walpole as his First Lord of the Treasury, from which the office of Prime Minister grew. Similarly with George II, and I believe it was He who was the last monarch to attend a cabinet meeting. George III’s illnesses made it necessary for government to become a bit more independent of monarchical dominance, and the first Private Secretary to the Sovereign was appointed in his lifetime. William IV was opposed in principle to reform of the House of Commons but knew He had to support his government, and His tacit approval of Lord Grey’s threats t
