ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Royal prerogative in the United Kingdom

The royal prerogative is like a big box of special powers that the British monarch can use. It's like having a secret tool kit that only the queen or king can use. These special powers are things that only the monarch can do, like giving out honors, making important decisions about the military, and choosing important government officials.

But even though the queen is the only one who can do these things, she doesn't use all of them all by herself. She has advisors who help her make decisions, and sometimes she lets other people use a little bit of her powers too.

For example, the queen can't make laws all by herself, but she can sign off on them and give them the final go-ahead. She also has the power to grant pardons to people who have been convicted of crimes, and to declare war if it's necessary.

Overall, the royal prerogative is a special set of powers and privileges that the British monarch has, which help them to do their job as head of state. But even though it might seem like the queen has all the power, she's actually a very important symbol of the country, and she always needs to work with other people to get things done.