Privy council

Encyclopedia

A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word “privy” means “private” or “secret”; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch’s closest advisors to give confidentialadvice on state affairs.

Privy councils

Functioning privy councils

Government Privy Council
Belgium Belgium Crown Council of Belgium
Bhutan Bhutan Privy Council of Bhutan
Brunei Brunei Privy Council of Brunei
Cambodia Cambodia Supreme Privy Advisory Council
Canada Canada Queen’s Privy Council for Canada
Denmark Denmark Danish Council of State
Monaco Monaco Crown Council of Monaco
Netherlands Netherlands Dutch Council of State
Norway Norway Norwegian Council of State
Spain Spain Spanish Council of State
Thailand Thailand Privy Council of Thailand
Tonga Tonga Privy Council of Tonga
United Kingdom United Kingdom Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council

Former or dormant privy councils

Monarchy Privy Council Notes
 Austrian Empire/Austria-Hungary Geheimrat
 Empire of Brazil His Imperial Majesty’s Council Honorific title, some members were part of the Council of Ministers or the Council of State; abolished by a coup in 1889
 Konbaung dynasty(Burma) Byedaik Abolished 1885
 Qing dynasty (China) Grand Council Abolished 1898
 Kingdom of England Privy Council of England Replaced by the Privy Council of Great Britain on 1 May 1708
 Ethiopian Empire Crown Council of Ethiopia Abolished 1974, revived in pretence 1987
 Kingdom of France Conseil du Roi Abolished 1799 and replaced by the Conseil d’État
 German Empire Geheimrat Abolished 1918 and replaced with the State Council 1919–1933, and the Federal Council from 1949
 Kingdom of Greece Council of State Initially established as a Privy Council by King Otto in 1835; abolished in 1865, re-established in 1929 as the senior administrative court of Greece
 Electorate of Hanover Privy Council of Hanover Abolished 1866
 Kingdom of Hawaiʻi Privy Council of the Hawaiian Kingdom Abolished after the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi was overthrown 1893
 Kingdom of Ireland Privy Council of Ireland Retained following the coming into effect of the Act of Union 1800, but became dormant from 1922
 Empire of Japan Privy Council of Japan Abolished 1947
 Kingdom of Laos King’s Council Abolished 1975
 Kingdom of Nepal Rajsabha Monarchy abolished on 28 May 2008
 Northern Ireland Privy Council of Northern Ireland Made dormant 1972
 Kingdom of Portugal His Most Faithful Majesty’s Council Monarchy abolished in 1910
 Russian Empire Supreme Privy Council Abolished 1730
 Electorate of Saxony Privy Council of Saxony Established in 1697 to administer jurisdiction over Lutheran institutions on behalf of the Elector who had converted to Catholicism
 Kingdom of Scotland Privy Council of Scotland Abolished on 1 May 1708, replaced by the Privy Council of Great Britain
 Sweden Privy Council of Sweden Abolished 1789
 Thailand Supreme Council of State of Siam Abolished 1932
 Kingdom of Yugoslavia Privy Council of Yugoslavia Abolished 1945, revived in pretence 1990 and replaced by the Privy Council of Serbia in 2006