The Queen is covered by what is known as sovereign immunity in the UK.
It means that the sovereign cannot commit a legal wrong and is immune from civil or criminal proceedings. The Royal Family's official website states: "Although civil and criminal proceedings cannot be taken against the sovereign as a person under UK law, the Queen is careful to ensure that all her activities in her personal capacity are carried out in strict accordance with the law."
While the Queen cannot be arrested, other members of the Royal Family can be, unless they are with her. The law also states that no arrests can be made in the monarch's presence, or within the surroundings of a royal palace.
A royal palace is one that is used as a residence, such as Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace, regardless of whether the monarch is actually living there at the time.
The question of immunity was raised when Prince Philip 's Range Rover was involved in a crash with another vehicle near Sandringham. There were no arrests in the case.
In 2002, the Princess Royal, Princess Anne, was fined £500 and made to pay compensation after pleading guilty to a charge of one of her dogs attacking children. She was the first member of the royal family to plead guilty to a criminal offence.
She was also fined £400 for speeding in her Bentley after admitting driving at 93mph in a 70mph zone in Gloucestershire the year before. In a separate later incident her daughter, Zara Tindall, was banned from driving for six months after being caught speeding at 91mph.
More recently, Prince Andrew has said he would help with American investigations into the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking inquiry. The prince stepped back from royal duties following a disastrous interview with BBC Newsnight about his friendship with Epstein..
Federal prosecutors in New York, along with the FBI, have said they are hoping to speak to Andrew. Buckingham Palace said it would not be commenting and that the matter is being dealt with by Andrew’s legal team. He has not been arrested.
It is reported that there will be no attempt to force Andrew to testify, leaving open the possibility that he will never answer prosecutors’ questions.
In the earliest times, the Sovereign was a key figure in the enforcement of law and the establishment of a system of justice.
But that has changed over the years to today when the job is a symbolic role as the figure in whose name justice is carried out, and law and order are maintained, but is not involved in the actual administration of justice.
