regencies

A regency is a period or office in which a regent governs on behalf of a sovereign who is unable to reign in their own right. This situation typically arises when the monarch is a minor, is absent, or is incapacitated. The regent’s authority is drawn from constitutional provisions, royal charter, or legislative acts, and the power may be exercised by a single regent or by a regency council. A regency usually ends when the monarch reaches the age of majority, recovers the ability to rule, or dies.

Regencies can occur in both constitutional and absolute monarchies. In constitutional systems, a regent generally acts as a guardian of the realm with limited prerogatives, subordinate to the monarch’s future authority. In absolute monarchies, a regent can wield substantial, and sometimes de facto sovereign, power until the ruler can assume the throne or regain control.

Historical examples illustrate the variety of regencies. The British Regency era (1811–1820) occurred when the Prince of Wales governed as regent during George III’s illness, culminating in George IV’s accession. In France, the regency of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, ruled from 1715 to 1723 during Louis XV’s minority. In East Asia, imperial courts sometimes used sesshō and kampaku regents to govern for child or absent emperors, illustrating institutionalized regency roles.

Today, regencies are largely confined to constitutional monarchies and are defined by law or charter. They are typically temporary arrangements that end when the monarch can rule independently or has recovered capacity, and powers are often tightly circumscribed to preserve the monarch’s eventual authority.