The British Empire Constitutional Charter

Constitutional Charter of the British Empire

Stuart, of the Kingdom of Celestis, Clinkham Wood and of His other Realms and Territories King, Head and King of the British Empire, to all those to whom these presents come, greeting.

We are bound to estimate the effects of the ever increasing new relations introduced into the Empire, the direction impressed upon opinions during the past months, and the significant alterations which have resulted therefrom: we have recognised that the wish of our subjects for a constitutional charter was the expression of a real need; but, in yielding to this wish, we have taken every precaution that this charter should be worthy of the people over whom we are proud to preside.

We have recognised that our present constitutional Governance of the British Empire Act is woefully inadequate as a device for the governance of a growing Empire. Further, while we have recognised that a free and monarchical constitution was necessary to meet the expectation of the enlightened wider world. We have hoped that, taught by experience, they may be convinced that when the wishes of the crown freely coincides with the wish of the people, a constitutional charter can be of long duration. In a word, we have sought the principles of the constitutional charter in the free character and in the enduring examples of past ages. Thus, we have seen, in the renewal of the government, an institution truly national and one which must bind all the recollections with all the hopes, in bringing together former and present times. The dearest wish of our heart is that all citizens of the Empire should live as brothers, and that no bitterness should ever disturb the security that must follow the solemn act which we grant them today.

Assured of our intentions, and strengthened by our conscience, we pledge ourselves, in the presence of the Empire which hears us, to be faithful to this constitutional charter, reserving to ourselves to swear to maintain it with a new solemnity, before you all.

For these reasons,

We have voluntarily, and by the free exercise of our royal authority, accorded and do accord, grant and concede to our subjects, as well for us as for our successors forever, the constitutional charter which follows:

Public Law of the British Empire
1. All men are equal before the law, whatever may be their titles and ranks.

2. They are all equally admissible to civil and military employments.

3. Their personal liberty is likewise guaranteed; no one can be prosecuted save in the cases provided by law and in the form which it prescribes.

4. Every one may profess his religion with equal freedom, and shall obtain for his worship the same protection.

5. Nevertheless, the Christian faith is the religion of the state.

6. All men have the right to publish and to have printed their opinions, while conforming with the laws, which are necessary to restrain abuses of that liberty.

7. The method of recruiting for the army,navy and air force is determined by law.

The Form of the Government of the King
8. The person of the King is inviolable and is the personification of the state. His ministers are responsible. To the King alone belongs the executive power.

9. The King shall represent the Empire among nations.

10. The King is the supreme head of the state, commands the land, sea and air forces, declares war, makes treaties of peace, alliance and commerce, appoints to all places of public administration, and makes the necessary regulations and ordinances for the execution of the laws and the security of the state.

11. The King holds the Royal Prerogative powers listed as:

• The appointment and dismissal of ministers;

• Clemency and pardon;

• The award of honours

• The declaration of war and the declaration of an emergency;

• The grant of Charters of Incorporation (the creation of new institutional bodies);

• The issue of membership to the British Empire;

• The expulsion of a foreign national from the British Empire;

• The creation of new courts (for legal matters);

• The appointment of the Prime Minister;

• The publication of all statutes, legislative instruments and Orders-in-Council (legislation that has received Royal approval); existing and new;

• The appointment of Royal Commissions and Officers for any purposes;

• The choice of the numbering of monarchs;

• The power to order a subject not to leave the realm;

• The accreditation of diplomats;

• The granting of Sovereign Immunity (immunity from prosecution for a body under its protection);

• The negotiation of treaties;

• Duty to uphold the defence of the realm;

• Duty to keep the peace of the realm;

• Right to immunity from prosecution in the courts

12. The legislative power is exercised collectively by the King, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons. The legislature of the Empire will be a Parliament consisting of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

13. Any of the bodies listed above as holding legislative power propose the laws.

14. The proposition for a law is sent to the Houses of Lords and Commons.

15. Every law shall be freely discussed and voted by the majority of each of the two chambers.

16. The King alone sanctions and promulgates the laws.

17. Parliament shall hereafter be known as and styled the Parliament of the British Empire.

18. In every Act passed and public document the expression "British Empire" shall, unless the context otherwise requires, mean the member states of the British Empire alliance.

19. No law and no provision of any law made by the Parliament of a Dominion or State of the Empire shall be void or inoperative on the ground that it is repugnant to the law of another Dominion or State of the Empire, unless it is repugnant to the law of the Parliament of the larger British Empire.

Of the Inheritance
20. The royal dignity is hereditary in a manner appropriate to cyber nations; the King will appoint a person who becomes the legitimate heir to the royal dignity.

21. The members of the royal family within the order of inheritance bear the title of Princes.

22. The heir apparent of the King bears that of Crown Prince.

23. The King establishes by statutes the duties of the persons, members of the royal family, towards the King and towards the Empire.

Of the Regency
24. The King is absent from the Empire, ill or otherwise indisposed; during such a time there is a regent of the Empire.

25. The King designates the regent as the Crown Prince.

26. In default of the indisposition of the Crown Prince, the regency is bestowed upon the noble the nearest in degree in the order of inheritance.

27. The order of precedence of titles of nobility in the Empire are as follows; Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, Baron.

28. If none of the princes are disposed to accept the regency, or there are multiple candidates of an equal noble precedence, the Parliament elects the regent from first the nobility in order of precedence adjudicating in the case of equal right and second from the House of Lords of the Empire.

29. The regent exercises all the attributes of the royal dignity.

30. He is not personally responsible for the acts of his administration.

31. All the acts of the regency are in the name of the King.

32. The Regent shall not have power to assent to any Bill for changing the order of succession to the Crown.

33. The Regent shall be known as HRH The Prince Regent.

Of the House of Lords
34. The House of Lords is an essential part of the legislative power.

35. It is convoked by the King at the same time as the House of Commons. The session of the one begins and ends at the same time as that of the other.

36. Every meeting of the House of Lords which may be held outside of the time of the session of the House of Commons, or which may not be ordered by the King, is unlawful and of no validity.

37. The appointment of peers of the British Empire belongs to the King. Their number is unlimited: he can at his pleasure alter their dignities, appoint them for life, or make them, hereditary.

38. The House of Lords is presided over by the Lord High Chancellor, and in his absence, by a peer appointed by the King.

39. Members of the royal family and princes of the blood are peers by right of their birth.

40. The princes can take their places in the chamber only upon the order of the King, expressed for each session by a message, under penalty of invalidating everything which may have been done in their presence.

41. All the deliberations of the House of Lords are secret.

42. The House of Lords has jurisdiction over the crimes of high treason and attacks against the security of the state, which shall be defined by law.

43. No peer can be tried in a criminal matter except by the authority of the chamber.

Of the House of Commons
44. The House of Commons shall be composed of members elected by the membership of the Empire through a system of plurality voting.

45. The members (MPs) shall be elected for 6 months and in such a manner that the chamber may be renewed each half year.

46. The speaker of the House of Commons is appointed by the King, from a list of five members presented by the chamber.

47. The sittings of the chamber are public, but the request of five members suffices for it to form itself into secret committee.

48. No tax can be imposed or collected, unless it has been consented to by the two chambers and sanctioned by the King.

49. The King convokes the two chambers each year: he prorogues them, and can dissolve them; but, in that case, he must convoke a new one within the space of three weeks.

50. No member of the chamber, during the course of the session, can be prosecuted or arrested upon a criminal charge, unless he should be taken in the act, except after the chamber has permitted his prosecution.

51. No petition can be made or presented to either of the chambers except, in writing.

Of the Ministers
52. The ministers can be members of the House of Lords or of the House of Commons. They have, besides, their entrance into either chamber, and they must be heard when they demand it.

53. The House of Commons has the right to accuse the ministers and to arraign them before the House of Lords, which alone has that of trying them.

54. They can be accused only for acts of treason and peculation. Special laws shall determine the nature of this offence and shall fix the method of prosecution.

Of the Judiciary
55. All justice emanates from the King. It is administered in his name by judges whom he appoints and whom he invests.

56. The judges appointed by the King are removable only by a petition from 2/3 of the fellow judges and a petition from either the House of Lords or House of Commons to the King.

57. No one can be deprived of the jurisdiction of his natural judges.

58. Criminal trials shall be public, unless such publicity should be dangerous to order and morality; and in that case, the tribunal shall declare it by a judicial order.

59. The King has the right of pardon, and that of commuting penalties.

60. A Civil Code will be drawn up and agreed by Parliament.

Of the Imperial Military
61. Every State is subject to military duty, and in the discharge of this duty no substitute can be accepted.

62. There will be formed a Committee of Imperial Defence.

63. The King holds and retains the position of Commander-in-Chief of the British Imperial Armed Forces and wields executive authority over all branches of the military.

64. The King retains the prerogative power to declare war; as such no operation may be undertaken against another nation without the consent of the Monarch in Council.

65. The British Imperial forces will be divided into three branches; the British Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.

66. The professional head of the British Army will be the Chief of the Imperial General Staff and will wield operational control over the entire British Army.

67. The professional head of the Royal Navy will be the First Sea Lord and will wield operational control over the entire Royal Navy.

68. The professional head of the Royal Air Force will be the Chief of the Air Staff and will wield operational control over the entire Royal Air Force.

69. The three professional heads of the Armed Forces will join the Secretary of State for Defence to form the Committee of Imperial Defence.

70. The Committee of Imperial Defence will be responsible for the research and co-ordination of military strategy.

71. The total land force of the Empire shall form one army, which, in war and in peace, shall be under the command of the Committee of Imperial Defence in the name of the King.

72. It shall be the duty and the right of the Committee of Imperial Defence to take care that, throughout the British Imperial army, all State’s contingents be kept full and well equipped, and that unity be established and maintained in regard to organisation and command. For these purpose the Committee of Imperial Defence shall be authorised to satisfy itself at any time of the condition of the several contingents, and to provide remedies for existing defects.

73. The Committee of Imperial Defence shall determine the strength, composition, and division of the contingents of the British Imperial army and they shall have the right to designate garrisons within the territory of the Empire, as also to call any portion of the army into active service.

74. All Imperial troops are bound implicitly to obey the orders of the King. This obligation shall be included in the oath of allegiance. The Commander-in-chief of a contingent, as well as all officers commanding troops more than one contingent shall be appointed as the heads of their respective States within the Empire. The said Commanders-in-chief shall take an oath of fealty to the Empire.

75. The appointment of field marshals, generals, or officers performing the duties of generals shall be subject to the pleasure of the King.

76. If not otherwise stipulated, the heads of the States of the Empire are the chiefs of all troops belonging to their respective territories, and are entitled to the honours connected therewith.

77. They shall have especially the right to hold inspections at any time, and receive, besides the regular reports and announcements of changes for publication, timely information of all promotions and appointments concerning their respective contingents.

78. They shall also have the right to employ, for police purposes, not only their own troops, but all other contingents of the army of the Empire which are stationed in their respective territories.

Special Rights Guaranteed by the State
79. The King makes nobles at will, but he grants to them only ranks and honours, without any exemption from the burdens and duties of society.

80. The King and his successors shall swear, at the solemnizing of their coronation, to observe faithfully the present constitutional charter.

Given at Celestis, in the year of grace 2008, and of our reign the first.

Signed,

STUART R. I.