THE MONARCHY 47

Labour M.P.s of whom he disapproved. Now, their constituents
might have thought "We do not want an M.P. whom the King
dislikes, and we will vote against him next time'4. It was an
attempt to use the social prestige of Royalty for a political purpose.
The Parliamentary Labour Party took the matter up, and assur-
ances were given that the mistake would not be repeated,

PERSONAL AFFAIRS.

Possibly, when these labours are completed, the Royal Family
are, like other people, able to enjoy a private life. It cannot be
easy for them to do so, since their least action is the subject of
comment in the Press, particularly the picture-papers. They
have to exercise constant care lest their acts should be given a
meaning which was never intended. While some Princes of the
Royal Blood have the right (which they do not exercise) to sit
in the House of Lords, the Queen Consort1 has no legal part in
Government. But the fact that she is the King's wife, and her
position in the Court, make the question, who is to be Queen,
one of great public interest The history of Edward VIIFs
Abdication seems to lay down the principle that the King's
marriage is a matter in which his Minister's advice may prevail.
The King is required not to take advice from anyone except his
Ministers; consequently the choice of some members of the
Royal Household is under Government control. Clearly, however,
it would not be possible or reasonable* to prevent the King's
discussing his work in private with his wife. During George V*s
illness in 1928 Queen Mary was appointed one of the Council
of Regency; so it may reasonably be supposed that she frequently
discussed public affairs with the King. The extent to which Queen
Victoria valued the advice of her husband, the Prince Consort,
was well-known and sometimes resented by her Ministers,

The King's income is drawn partly from the revenues of the
Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster, and pardy from a sum

1A Queen who is the wife of the reigning King is called Queen Consort:
a Queen in her own right, like Queen Victoria, is called a Queen Regnant,