chimera wrote on Feb 3
rd, 2026 at 7:57pm:
Then Lord Reed as Chairman can in theory advise the monarch on royal decisions for Australia, which places Reed above the Gov General in hierarchy. Reed has an undemocratic appointment and can't sit in the House of Lords, being a judge. He is not royalty and not a president. Technically, king and judge own Australia, but someone has to.
So, the Privy Council in Australia, bad, then.
It's easy to forget that institutions like the monarchy and the Privy Council are ancient, predating democracy by centuries.
The monarchy, and all the ancient institutions attached to it, have been gradually fudged to fit increasingly more democratic governance since the Glorious Revolution of 1688; from the end of monarchical divine right to rule to modern constitutional monarchy.
Some of the last vestiges of ancient monarchy are: the reserve powers (whatever they are) and the Privy Council.