What is the Difference Between Monarchy and Constitutional Monarchy?

The main difference between a monarchy and a constitutional monarchy lies in the extent of the monarch's power and the role of an elected government.

In a monarchy, a single person, known as a monarch, holds supreme power and authority within the country. This form of government is hereditary, meaning that when the monarch dies, a son, daughter, or other relative becomes the next monarch. There are different types of monarchies, including absolute monarchies, where the monarch has unlimited power and rules without restrictions.

In a constitutional monarchy, also known as a limited or parliamentary monarchy, the monarch's powers are limited by a constitution, and an elected government runs the country. The monarch in a constitutional monarchy has very little power and often serves as a symbolic head of state. There are two main types of constitutional monarchies:

Executive monarchies: In this system, the monarch wields significant (though not absolute) power, and the monarchy remains a powerful political and social institution.
Ceremonial monarchies: In this system, the monarch holds little or no actual power or direct political influence, but they often have a great deal of social and cultural influence.

In summary, a monarchy is a form of government where a single person holds supreme power, while a constitutional monarchy is a system where the monarch's powers are limited by a constitution, and an elected government runs the country.

On this page

What is the Difference Between Monarchy and Constitutional Monarchy?

Comparative Table: Monarchy vs Constitutional Monarchy

Here is a table comparing the differences between a monarchy and a constitutional monarchy:

Feature	Monarchy	Constitutional Monarchy
Definition	A form of government in which a single person holds absolute power over a nation.	A system of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government.
Powers of the Monarch	The monarch has absolute and total power, often being a dictator.	The monarch's powers are limited by a written constitution, and they may hold a largely ceremonial role.
Role of the Prime Minister	The prime minister holds the maximum powers and political effectiveness in a constitutional monarchy.	A prime minister may or may not exist, depending on the specific form of government adopted.
Distribution of Power	All powers are concentrated in the hands of the monarch.	Power is shared between the monarch, legislature, and judiciary, as allocated by the constitution.
Examples	Absolute monarchy: No present examples, as this form of government has largely been replaced by other systems. Constitutional monarchy: Examples include Belgium, Cambodia, Japan, Jordan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Thailand.

In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's powers are limited by a constitution, and they often share power with a constitutionally organized government. In contrast, a traditional monarchy is characterized by a single person holding absolute power over a nation.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.