political parties had been
reorganized; yet after all these events, at the end of more than ten
centuries from the date when Egbert first became Overlord of all the
English, in 829 (S49), we find England governed by a descendant of her
earliest rulers!

587. The Power of the House of Commons and of the Cabinet fully and
finally recognized.

Queen Victoria was but little over eighteen when called to the
throne. At her accession a new order of things began. The Georges
insisted on dismissing their Cabinet ministers, or chief political
advisers, when they pleased, without condescending to give Parliament
any reason for the change. We have seen too that William IV tried to
do the same thing, but had to acknowledge that he was beaten (S582).
William's unsuccessful attempt was never repeated. The last vestige
of "personal government,"[1] that is, of the determination of the
Crown to act contrary to the will of the majority of the nation, as
expressed by the Cabinet, died with the late King.

[1] See the reign of Victoria in McCarthy's "History of Our Own
Times."

With the coronation of Victoria the principle was established, once
for all, that henceforth the Sovereign of the British Empire cannot
remove the Prime Minister or his Cabinet (S582) without the consent of
the House of Commons; nor, on the other hand, would the Sovereign now
venture to retain a ministry which the Commons refused to support.[2]
This limitation of the prerogatives of royalty emphasized the fact
that the House of Commons had practically become the ruling power in
England; and since that House is freely elected by the great body of
the people, in order that it may declare and enforce their will, it
follows that the government of the realm is essentially democratic.
In fact, so far as reflecting public opinion is concerned, no republic
in the world is more democratic.

[2] In order to guard herself against any political influence adverse
to that of the Cabinet (S582), and hence of the majority of the House
of Commons, the Queen was compelled to consent (1841) that the
Mistress of the Robes, or head of her Majesty's household, should
change at the demand of the incoming Prime Minister; and it was
furthermore agreed that any ladies under her whose presence might be
politically inconvenient to the Prime Minister, should retire "of
their own accord." In other words, the incoming Prime Minister, with
his Cabinet, has the right to remodel the S