ิัby titular sovereignty we mean sovereignty by the title only. It is another way of saying sovereignty in name or nominal sovereignty. It refers to the sovereign powers of the king or monarch who has ceased to exercise any real authority. In theory,he may still possess all the sovereign powers which were once enjoyed by him,but in actual practice there is some other man or body of men who act on behalf of the sovereign and exercise supreme authority. The best example of titular sovereignty is the British King who is even today "our sovereign lord the king" Legally,the powers of the king are supreme. He is the source of all authority,the acts of the government are his acts, and the officers of the state-civil and military-are his servants appointed and dismissed at his pleasure. He is also the fountain of justice and law. But in real practice all this is not true. The sovereignty of the king is now a legacy of the past. There is no action of government which is the result of his initiative. the actual power and direction of government rests with the king's duly constituted ministers. Lowell has beautifully summed up the whole position. He says, "According to the early theory of the constitution the ministers were the counsellors of the king. It was for them to advise and for him to decide. Now the parts are almost reversed. The king is consulted,but the ministers decide." The king has now ceased to exercise any real authority; it is titular.