A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on state affairs.
Monarchy | Privy Council | Notes |
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Geheimrat | |
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His Imperial Majesty's Council | Honorific title, some members were part of the Council of Ministers or the Council of State; abolished by a coup in 1889[1] |
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Byedaik | Abolished 1885 |
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Grand Council | Abolished 1898 |
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Privy Council of England | Replaced by the Privy Council of Great Britain on 1 May 1708[2][3] |
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Crown Council of Ethiopia | Abolished 1974, revived in pretence 1987[] |
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Conseil du Roi | Abolished 1799 and replaced by the Conseil d'État |
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Geheimrat | Abolished 1918 and replaced with the State Council 1919-1933, and the Federal Council from 1949 |
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Council of State | Initially established as a Privy Council by King Otto in 1835; abolished in 1865, re-established in 1929 as the senior administrative court of Greece |
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Privy Council of Hanover | Abolished 1866 |
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Privy Council of the Hawaiian Kingdom | Abolished after the Kingdom of Hawai?i was overthrown 1893 |
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Privy Council of Ireland | Retained following the coming into effect of the Act of Union 1800, but became dormant from 1922 |
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Privy Council of Japan | Abolished 1947 |
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King's Council | Abolished 1975 |
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Rajsabha | Monarchy abolished on 28 May 2008 |
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Privy Council of Northern Ireland | Made dormant 1972 |
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His Most Faithful Majesty's Council | Monarchy abolished in 1910 |
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Supreme Privy Council | Abolished 1730 |
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Privy Council of Saxony | Established in 1697 to administer jurisdiction over Lutheran institutions on behalf of the Elector who had converted to Catholicism[] |
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Privy Council of Scotland | Abolished on 1 May 1708, replaced by the Privy Council of Great Britain[2][3][4] |
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Privy Council of Sweden | Abolished 1789 |
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Supreme Council of State of Siam | Abolished 1932 |
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Privy Council of Yugoslavia | Abolished 1945, revived in pretence 1990 and replaced by the Privy Council of Serbia in 2006[] |