The British monarchy, we’re often told, is a purely symbolic institution. The UK might retain the pageantry of kings and queens, but its royal family exercises no power.

There’s a sense in which that’s true. King Charles can’t start wars or have his enemies beheaded. Anyone who’s ever heard the man try to string together his thoughts can be grateful for that much. But there’s a big gap between not having as much power as the bloodthirsty tyrants who held the throne in earlier centuries and having no power.

My sister, her husband, and my nephews are British citizens. I’ve made it over there a couple of times in the last few of years, and I can’t help but notice that they do in fact seem exercise a bit less power than their king. For example, if one of their neighbors in Abergavenny died tomorrow without leaving a will or having identifiable heirs, my sister wouldn’t be empowered to help herself to that neighbor’s assets.