Privy council

A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, especially in a monarchy.

Related Topics:
Head of state - Monarchy

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It is an important part of the Westminster System with the original being Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council in the United Kingdom. Several other "Privy Councils" have advised the Sovereign. England and Scotland once had separate Privy Councils, but the Act of Union 1707, which united the two countries into Great Britain, replaced both with a single body. Ireland, on the other hand, continued to have a separate Privy Council even after the Act of Union 1800. The Irish Privy Council was abolished in 1922, when Southern Ireland separated from the United Kingdom; it was succeeded by the Privy Council for Northern Ireland, which became dormant after the suspension of the Parliament of Northern Ireland in 1972.

Related Topics:
Westminster System - Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council - United Kingdom - England - Scotland - Act of Union 1707 - Great Britain - Ireland - Act of Union 1800 - 1922 - Southern Ireland - Privy Council for Northern Ireland - Parliament of Northern Ireland - 1972

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Canada has had its own Privy Council—the Queen's Privy Council for Canada—since 1867. (Note that whilst the Canadian Privy Council is specifically "for Canada", the Privy Council discussed above is not "for the United Kingdom".) The equivalent organ of state in most other Commonwealth Realms and some Commonwealth Republics is called the Executive Council. Jamaica also has a Privy Council, the members of which advise the Governor General on the exercise of the prerogative of mercy.

Related Topics:
Canada - Queen's Privy Council for Canada - 1867 - Commonwealth Realms - Commonwealth Republics - Executive Council - Governor General - Prerogative of mercy

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The British Privy Council is also the ultimate judiciary body - equivalent to a Supreme Court - for many Commonwealth countries that were formerly part of the British Empire (ie. Jamaica, Belize) and Britain's remaining overseas possessions (ie. Bermuda, Falkland Islands). The British Privy Council was formerly the court of final adjudication for Hong Kong.

Related Topics:
British - Judiciary - Supreme Court - Commonwealth - British Empire - Jamaica - Belize - Bermuda - Falkland Islands - Hong Kong

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Denmark and Sweden also have Privy Councils, see Privy Council of Denmark and Privy Council of Sweden.

Related Topics:
Privy Council of Denmark - Privy Council of Sweden

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See also: Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (United Kingdom).

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