Thelife- King Charles III became the sovereign after Queen Elizabeth II died.
- The king serves as head of state for the United Kingdom and 14 Commonwealth countries.
Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday, September 8, after celebrating her 70-year reign in June.
Her son, King Charles III, ascended to the throne the moment she died, becoming the United Kingdom's new monarch.
Although most of the world knows the Queen's son is the new monarch, it's not clear to many what exactly the king does, particularly because the United Kingdom has a Parliament.
King Charles will serve as head of state and head of nation in his new role, which consists of both formal and symbolic responsibilities.
King Charles III became Britain's head of state following Queen Elizabeth II's death
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, so King Charles will not make laws in his new role, as that power resides with Parliament, The New York Times reported.
Instead, the king is head of state and head of nation, according to the royal family's website. The titles sound similar, but King Charles will function differently in them.
Head of state refers to the UK monarch's "constitutional and representational duties which have developed over one thousand years of history," as the royal family website states.
As head of state, the sovereign opens each new session of Parliament and approves orders and proclamations via the Privy Council. The monarch also grants Royal Assent, which formally makes bills into law. The sovereign stays neutral on political matters as well, and typically they do not vote or stand during elections, the royal family's website states.
Historically, the monarch has also had a close relationship with the British prime minister as head of state, meeting with the leader regularly. Many prime ministers described their meetings with the Queen as a source of comfort, as they said they could freely speak their minds to her.
King Charles III has already taken over the duties of head of state, and he had his first formal meeting with Prime Minister Liz Truss on Friday, September 9.
The monarch also plays a similar role in the governments of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, according to the royal family's website.
As head of nation, King Charles essentially serves as the face of the United Kingdom. The sovereign embodies the spirit of the monarchy and travels all over the world for engagements on behalf of the Commonwealth.
The senior members of the royal family support the monarch in their duties, as does the institution, which is made up of hundreds of people who make the royal family run, from the heirs to the throne to communications secretaries. As the heir to the throne, the new Prince of Wales will work closely with his father in the years to come.
Taxpayers pay for part of the royal family's yearly income through the Sovereign Grant
The royal family receives a sum of money called the Sovereign Grant each year that is paid for by the United Kingdom's taxpayers through its treasury department, according to the BBC.
It pays for the royal family's official travel, the upkeep of their many homes, and the salaries of royal employees, as stated in the royal family's financial records.
As Insider previously reported, the royal family gets the grant in exchange for surrendering all profits from the Crown Estate — the family's massive portfolio of properties — to the government. Each year, the reigning monarch, who is now King Charles, is given an amount of money equivalent to 25% of the Crown Estate's profits.
The Sovereign Grant core total was £51.8 million for the 2021-2022 financial year, according to the royal family's financial records.
Although the Grant pays for much of the royal family's life, the monarchy also has private income through non-taxpayer avenues.
Indeed, if the monarchy was abolished, King Charles could no longer live in Buckingham Palace because it is part of the Crown Estate, but the royal family has privately-owned properties that would belong to him whether he was monarch or not.