Royal Assent
Monarch's formal approval converting a bill into an Act of Parliament.
Last refreshed: 10 April 2026
When will the Representation of the People Bill receive Royal Assent before polling day?
Latest on Royal Assent
- What is Royal Assent and when does it happen?
- Royal Assent is the formal approval by the monarch that turns a bill into law. It is the final stage of the legislative process and is conventionally granted on the advice of ministers.
- Has the Representation of the People Bill received Royal Assent yet?
- No confirmed date for Royal Assent has been announced. The 30-day return window for unlawful crypto donations only begins once Royal Assent is granted.
- Can the King refuse Royal Assent?
- In theory yes, but no monarch has refused Royal Assent since Queen Anne in 1708. It is considered a constitutional formality.
Background
Royal Assent is the formal mechanism by which the Sovereign approves an Act of Parliament, converting it from a bill passed by both Houses into statute law. In practice, Royal Assent has not been withheld since 1708 and is granted either in person at a ceremonial session of Parliament or, more commonly today, through written notification under the Royal Assent Act 1967.
The date of Royal Assent is legally significant because it marks the commencement point for many statutory obligations. In the case of the Representation of the People Bill, the 30-day window within which parties must return unlawful Cryptocurrency donations runs from the moment Royal Assent is granted, making the timing of the bill's passage through Parliament directly relevant to compliance ahead of the May 2026 elections.
For bills carrying retrospective provisions, Royal Assent also marks the formal point at which past conduct becomes subject to new legal obligations. The Representation of the People Bill uses Royal Assent as its reference point deliberately, giving affected parties a defined and bounded period to come into compliance rather than exposure to open-ended liability.