Can the queen of England be sued?

Answer 1

No, the queen cannot be sued.
The British monarch has what is called sovereign immunity, which is a legal doctrine saying that the monarch cannot commit crime and cannot be prosecuted/sued. This immunity is often expressed through a legal maxim, "rex non potest peccare," which means "the king/queen can do no wrong."

All cases in the British courts are "The Queen versus", because the monarch is the head of the British justice system. Basically meaning that when one goes to court, the queen is prosecuting you. The queen simply cannot prosecute herself.

Aside from that, the queen is the highest authority in the country. The police, military and justice system are all under the authority of the Queen and swear an oath to the queen and her country, hence why they wear crowns on their uniforms and insignia.

While the queen herself cannot be prosecuted, her representatives, such as ministers, can be.


Some people wrongly state that the monarch can be sued under Magna Carta, which is false. Only 3 of the 63 clauses mentioned in Magna Carta are still in effect today. The others have been repealed. Those three clauses are:

1. Defence of the rights and liberties of the English church
2. Confirms the liberties and customs of cities and towns
3. Allows all citizens a fair trial and the right to justice in royal courts
   

None of the three remaining clauses state the monarch can be sued.

So your answer is no.

Answer 2

There is not a 'yes no' answer to this. The monarch cannot be prosecuted in person, however the monarchies actions or its representatives can be brought into question.
It is a very complex legal issue.

Answer 3

This year being the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta, you may recall that the main premise of the 'Great Charter' was that the King (or Queen) is not above the law.