ABSTRACT
Monarchy is far from dead, either in Britain or outside it. R. F. Tapsell’s encyclopedia o f monarchy (Monarchs, Rulers, Dynasties and Kingdoms o f the World, 1983) lists twenty-six surviving speci mens. Some o f these are in small countries like Tonga, Bhutan and Bahrain; but the list also contains Japan, Spain and Malaysia. And the ‘United Kingdom ’ monarch remains titular head o f many Commonwealth nations, bringing the number o f royal states to well over thirty.
