Outsiders might squirm at the idea of a constitutional monarch chiding an elected prime minister.

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In the seven years since the king became a constitutional monarch, there have been five prime ministers.

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The charity dinner was attended by HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, sister of Thailand's constitutional monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

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In other words, he is behaving as a real constitutional monarch should do.

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But isn't it modern practice to retire at the usual age, or is a constitutional monarch as immutable as the pope?

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Yet as a constitutional monarch, ruling with the tacit consent of the majority, she is not the only judge of the trade-off between necessary display and indispensable discretion.

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Following the example of his father, Hussein, King Abdullah has presented himself with considerable success as a unifying force, a constitutional monarch representing the will of his people, says the BBC's Arab affairs analyst Sebastian Usher.

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Yet unease is growing about the monarchy's direction, particularly its reluctance to enact constitutional reforms that would reduce the monarch's power in favour of elected institutions such as the parliament.

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King Albert has taken a strong position before on Belgium's political difficulties and the monarch does traditionally play a role in attempting to resolve constitutional problems.

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