With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the debate around the merits of the monarchy is further ignited, as seen recently in the Commonwealth countries, where the movement towards transitioning to a republic state is gaining ground. Gattey presents a powerful argument as to why the monarchy helps to maintain stability within a country and so absorb more radical changes in its political and social structures than would otherwise be possible, without the risk of disorder. How can this be? Gattey’s contribution to this topical debate is invaluable.