What Would Happen If The Queen Broke The Law?

It's no secret that the royal family lives a lifestyle mere commoners can only dream of. They get to live in palaces, travel the world, and don't really need to worry about money. The royals get a lot of perks, but, as the reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II gets an even sweeter deal. It kind of makes you wonder what would happen if the Queen, with all her money and power, were to break the law.

The legal answer is... absolutely nothing. According to the official royal website, the Queen is basically exempt from the law, as "civil and criminal proceedings cannot be taken against the Sovereign as a person under UK law." 

In the hands of a less-principled monarch, this doozy of a loophole would technically mean that the Queen could get away with everything from extortion to arson. The website does, however, assure the world that Queen Elizabeth II does not take advantage of the fact that she can't be thrown into a dungeon. "The Queen is careful to ensure that all her activities in her personal capacity are carried out in strict accordance with the law," says the royal website. 

Not only can the Queen theoretically get away with breaking the law, but she also doesn't have to pay taxes as the Crown is legally exempt from doing so. The Queen, however, has been voluntarily paying income taxes since 1992, according to The New York Times. 

Another perk of being the Queen is not being required to have a license to drive, or to carry proof of citizenship while traveling. The Queen is the only person in the world who is able to legally enter another country without a passport, says Reader's Digest. 

Yup, it's good to be the Queen. She may be above the law, but, thankfully, it looks like the Queen has decided to set a royal example through her reign. Let's just hope that future monarchs adhere to the same moral code.