Constitutional Monarchy

Explanation

In a constitutional monarchy, the king or queen (or equivalent) is the head of state but exercises little or no political power. The monarch's role is defined and limited by a constitution or constitutional convention. Real executive power is held by a prime minister and cabinet who are accountable to an elected parliament. The monarch typically performs ceremonial functions — opening parliament, signing legislation, and representing the nation. The United Kingdom, Japan, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, and Norway are all constitutional monarchies. This is different from an absolute monarchy, where the monarch holds real governing power.