Royal Family's General Election reality is ‘amazing to contemplate’, says Lee Cohen

US Commentator Lee Cohen has said that the British Royal Family's inability to vote in an election is "amazing".

The Royal Family were forced to postpone many events in the monarch's calendar after the announcement of the General Election.

After Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made the announcement in May, Buckingham Palace issued a statement to cancel their upcoming engagements.

The King and Queen said: "Following the Prime Minister's statement this afternoon calling a general election, the Royal Family will - in accordance with normal procedure - postpone engagements that may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign.

Royal Family, Rishi Sunak, Lee Cohen

"Their Majesties send their sincere apologies to any of those who may be affected as a result."

Speaking to GBN America, Cohen praised the Royal Family for showing "respect and decorum" towards the British Government in light of the announcement.

In conversation with host Nana Akua, Cohen said: "As a citizen of a republic where state and head of government are the same person, it is amazing to contemplate that the top dog of the British hierarchy cannot vote."

Nana said that following the news of both the King and Princess Kate's cancer diagnoses, the Royal Family are facing "a bit of a blackout" and will now "not do a lot of the gigs that they were going to do during this period".

King Charles, Prince William, Queen Camilla

Cohen then highlighted the factor of conventions as opposed to "hard and fast rules", which separates how the systems in the UK and US are implemented.

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Cohen told GBNA: "Like so much else in British government, the rules governing the monarchy and the Royal Family voting are defined by convention rather than hard and fast rules.

"So by convention, technically, the King and any family member who is not a member of the House of Lords can vote."

However, Cohen explained that the monarchy have chosen "not to exhibit bias" and refrain from voting.

He continued: "While the sovereign has constitutionally approved duties involving elections, including dissolving Parliament and appointing the Prime Minister in the run up to an election, the Royal Family generally exhibit great discretion so as to not interfere or bias any elections. And that is certainly the case here."

In praise of King Charles and the Royal Family, Cohen hailed their upmost "respect" for also choosing to postpone engagements.

Lee Cohen

Hailing the monarchy, Cohen said: "With respect and decorum, the Royal Family have announced that regarding the upcoming July 4th election they are postponing engagements, which their statement said may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign, but not as in so many other ways.

"Queen Elizabeth II provided a peerless example in all of this. Her Majesty was masterful in remaining above politics, and she ensured affection and admiration for her throughout her 70 year reign, even during the bitter divisions of the Brexit days, when, of course, one would imagine the sovereign would have supported her nation's sovereignty.

"Nevertheless, she never showed her hand and by extension, never alienated those holding divergent views. And I think her younger family now are taking cue from this. And they are maintaining a respectful distance from the election."