Editing Commonwealth realm (section)

===Monarch===
[[File:RoyalVisitSenate.jpg|thumb|King [[George VI]], with [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Queen Elizabeth]], grants [[royal assent]] to bills in the [[Senate of Canada]], May 1939.]]

The sovereign resides in the oldest realm, the United Kingdom. The king appoints [[viceroy]]s to perform most of the constitutional and ceremonial duties on his behalf in the other realms: in each, a [[governor-general]] as his personal national representative, as well as a [[Lieutenant Governor (Canada)|lieutenant governor]] as his representative in each of the Canadian provinces and [[Governors of the Australian states|governor]] as his representative in each of the [[Australian states]]. These appointments are made on the advice of the prime minister of the country or the premier of the province or state concerned, though this process may have additional requirements.{{NoteTag|In [[Governor-General of Papua New Guinea|Papua New Guinea]] and [[Governor-General of Solomon Islands|Solomon Islands]], the governor-general is elected by the national legislature. In [[Governor-General of Tuvalu|Tuvalu]], the prime minister must consult the legislature in confidence prior to nominating a candidate.|name=Viceroy}} The extent to which specific additional powers are reserved exclusively for the monarch varies from realm to realm. On occasions of national importance, the King may be advised to perform in person his constitutional duties, such as granting [[royal assent]] or issuing a [[royal proclamation]]. Otherwise, all royal powers, including the [[royal prerogative]], are carried out on behalf of the sovereign by the relevant viceroy. In the United Kingdom, the king appoints [[Counsellors of State]] to perform his constitutional duties in his absence.

Similarly, the monarch will perform ceremonial duties in the Commonwealth realms to mark historically significant events.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.royal.gov.uk/ThecurrentRoyalFamily/Overview.aspx |publisher=Royal Household |title=The current Royal Family |access-date=2 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090710092956/http://www.royal.gov.uk/ThecurrentRoyalFamily/Overview.aspx |archive-date=10 July 2009 }}</ref> Citizens in Commonwealth realms may request birthday or wedding anniversary messages to be sent from the sovereign. This is available for 100th, 105th and beyond for birthdays; and 60th ("Diamond"), 65th, 70th ("Platinum") and beyond for wedding anniversaries.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/Queenandanniversarymessages/Whoisentitled.aspx |publisher=Royal Household |title=Queen and anniversary messages&nbsp;– Who is entitled? |access-date=22 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101204005418/https://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/Queenandanniversarymessages/Whoisentitled.aspx |archive-date=4 December 2010 }}</ref>

====Religion====
It is only in [[England]] and [[Scotland]] that the King plays a role in organised religion.

In England he acts as the [[Supreme Governor of the Church of England]] and nominally appoints its bishops and archbishops. In Scotland, he is a member of the [[Church of Scotland]] and swears an oath to uphold and protect the Church of Scotland. He also sends a [[Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland|Lord High Commissioner]] as his representative to meetings of the [[General Assembly of the Church of Scotland|church's General Assembly]], when he is not personally in attendance.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4709.asp |title = The Monarchy Today > Queen and State > Queen and Church > Queen and Church of Scotland |publisher=Royal Household |access-date=25 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081028202032/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4709.asp |archive-date=28 October 2008 }}</ref>